China > The Buddhist Mogao Caves

All tourists who visit Dunhuang do so for the Mogao Caves. The Buddhist caves lie a few dozen kilometers outside the city of Dunhuang. At the entrance, the guide is already waiting for me. She tells me I may call her Betty. She wears a small transmitter, and I receive a receiver with an earpiece so I can follow her.

China - One of the Buddhist caves of Mogao

A clever system, since the different guides don’t need to shout over each other. The groups can simply walk through the site side by side. The Mogao Caves are protected by UNESCO. To preserve the frescoes in the hundreds of caves, only a few are open to visitors. Each year, the selection of accessible caves changes. Betty shows me several Buddhist caves from different dynasties. She explains that between the 4th and 12th centuries, Buddhist monks carved around 1,000 caves into the sandstone cliffs here. Every cave contains Buddha statues, sculptures, and murals. 492 caves have been preserved.

China - A Chinese acrobatics show in Dunhuang

I also visit the Library Cave. This cave was rediscovered by chance in 1900. In the 11th century, it had been bricked up to protect it from destruction by the Mongols. Betty concludes the tour with two particularly special caves. In the first stands a Buddha statue 34 meters high—one of the largest Buddha statues in the world. In the other, a massive sculpture of a reclining Buddha was created. An awe-inspiring sight. At the nearby museum, I read about the history and look at photographs of the restoration work. In the evening, I wander back into Dunhuang. In the park, men are playing card games for money. They laugh when they see me watching. Everywhere, food stalls are being set up for the evening. When I order a beer, I’m served a beer with a shot glass. Cheers! In the food street, I order a vegetable dish and a few meat skewers. I eat fairly early so I can make it to the theater on time. At half past eight, a Chinese dance performance begins. I sit in the third row, with an excellent view of the stage. The show is a typical Chinese production, full of acrobatics and balancing acts. I’m impressed. Wonderful!