Silk Road - Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes 敦煌莫高窟 by Gordon

Timeless Dunhuang

- Gordon

The Silk Road

Silk Road Day 2:

Lanzhou, Dunhuang Mogao Caves, Dunhuang Museum

The Dunhuang Museum

     This was the day when we went to my most favorite place Dunhuang. I was very exciting to see the mysterious Mogao Grottoes.

Mogao Grottoes' digital exhibition center

     The first place we went to was Mogao Grottoes' digital exhibition center. It is 5 minutes by bus from Dunhuang airport. The tickets to Mogao Grottoes were popular. Luckily, we booked the tickets online about a month before. 

This is where to wait for our tour guide to see Mogao Grottoes

     After waiting in line for 30 minutes, we went to see two movies talking about history of Mogao Grottoes and its treasures - Buddhist arts. There are total of 492 cells that are famous for their statues, wall paintings, and spanning 1000 year of Buddhist arts. The movies cover all the important facts and caves you need to know. You may not see all of the caves. It only opens selected 8 caves with a designated tour guide. Need to see different set of 8 caves, come another day or wait for another tour guide!

9 story pagoda sits the largest Buddha at Mogao Grottoes

Cave #45

Replica found at

Dunhuang Museum

     Now that we finished the movies, we went on a bus that led us to the Mogao grottoes (莫高窟). We waited in line before we got in. No flashlights and cameras are allowed in here. Our tour guide used a  special kind light that does not give off a glow. You see a red dot where it was aimed. All the cells were locked until the tour guide opened them. Cell #45 is the most famous cell of Mogao Grottoes. It was a sad thing we did not see the actual cell. Fortunately, Dunhuang Museum has a model of cave #45 for display. The last place we visited was the 9 story building. Inside sits the largest Buddha at Mogao Grottoes. Do you know that it used to be two stories? Chinese government built the 9 story cell for a better support in 1986.

Han weapons

8 iron bell

Qing Emperor Yong Zheng

Qing Dynasty

     At the Dunhuang Museum, we saw Han dynasty weapons. There was a bell there. The bell was made to celebrate a Qing emperor, Yong Zheng,  that ruled for 8 years. It was also made of iron. When you put it together, you might realize the name. It is called the 8 iron bell.

     Mogao Grottoes is very good. Dun Huang itself is already full of ancient history. Let's see what I have next in my favorite place!

Entrance