Hiking in China by Mable-Ann Chang

Hiking in China by Mable-Ann Chang

Author:Mable-Ann Chang
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-08-12T09:45:51+00:00


Hiking in Gansu

The Mogao Caves 莫高窟

The wonders of Mogao Caves are a product of two elements—a convenient natural landscape, and positioning near the confluence of two branches of the Silk Road at a major trading hub, the oasis of Dunhuang in northwest China. During the 3rd century B.C., Dunhuang became a locus of travel and trade, not only material goods but also religious ideas. Monks began to congregate in the area, using the local caves as retreats to meditate. Eventually, they began to enlarge their grottoes by carving away the soft desert rock, creating temples that accumulated offerings from the wealth passing through the region. By the 7th century there were more than 1,000 caves in the Dunhuang area sheltering thousands of splendid statues and paintings. However, in the 10th century trade routes shifted from land to sea, and Dunhuang was depopulated, the monks abandoning their sumptuous caves. They left behind nearly 50,000 objects of priceless historical value, many sealed away in isolated grottos.

In 1900, a Taoist priest named Wang Yuanlu was working to restore and preserve some of the old caves, and stumbled upon a cell that had been sealed off in the 11th century. The cave was stacked floor to ceiling with the area’s oldest silk artifacts, preserved by the darkness and the arid atmosphere. Giddy with his find, Wang Yuanlu tried to offer the contents to local officials, but uncomprehending their value, they told him to simply seal the treasures away again. Seven years later, a British-Hungarian adventurer named Aurel Stein was traveling around central Asia and western China and happened to hear about Wang and the treasure he guarded. Stein met with the priest, and slowly worked at convincing him to show the explorer the hidden cave.

Eventually, Wang gave in, and when Stein saw the priceless artifacts he knew he wanted to bring them back to Britain and cement his fame. He bought 24 cases of manuscripts, or around 10,000 documents, and four cases of paintings and relics from Wang for the equivalent of £130, and then promptly sold them all to the British Museum. Other explorers soon followed on his heels, excavating and looting more of the caves Wang had been caring for, and bringing more of the wealth of documents and artifacts contained in the caves to European museums, leaving only the wall paintings and the heavier carvings, which they could not remove. Today, the Mogao Caves site contains 492 caves stretching 24 kilometers, with 45,000 square meters of frescos and more than 2,000 stucco statues. It is one of the most significant Buddhist art complexes in the world. The area was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

How to Get There

In terms of transit, there are flights into Dunhuang airport, or there are trains. The fastest train connection at the time of writing is about 24 hours from Beijing with a change at Lanzhou. Once there, a bus system connects Dunhuang city to all the major scenic locations in the area. Your hotel will be able to provide you with a map with the most up-to-date times and routes.



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