Dunhuang day tour with painting class

Dunhuang is located in western Gansu, an oasis in the vast Gobi Desert. Previously one of the important and strategic cities on the famous Silk Road, it contains over 2,000 years of history. Dunhuang is one of the frontier towns established around 104 BC, serving as a fortification to protect against invading tribes. Centuries later, Dunhuang was the main communication post between ancient China and the rest of the world. Christian and Jewish artifacts have been found in the area, showing the variety of travelers who made the journey along the Silk Road. Its style has fascinated travelers for ages. The Thousand Buddha Grottoes (or Mogao Caves) to the southeast of the city are a precious treasure trove of Buddhist art. There are exquisite wall paintings and statuary. Head northwest from Mogao Caves to the Great Wall at Yumen Pass and the Great Wall at Yang Pass to see the remnants of the Han Dynasty Great Wall, which were left behind in these famous mountain passes. Dunhuang's natural landscape is extremely worth seeing and enjoying. The wondrously multicolored Danxia Landform is a favorite place among photography lovers.

Mogao Caves is a shrine of Buddhist art treasures. A network of plank reinforced roads plying north to south 1,600 meters (5,249 feet) long lead to the cave openings, which are stacked five stories high some reaching up to 50 meters (164 feet). By the way, Mogao means high up in the desert. According to Tang Dynasty (618 - 907) records, a monk lived in Five Hus and Sixteen States had witnessed onsite a vision of thousand Buddhas under showers of golden rays. Thus inspired, he started the caves construction work that spanned ten dynasties. Mogao Caves are commonly known as the Caves of a Thousand Buddhas. Buddhist art has its origins in India. Mogao sculptors improvised where the rock surface did not work well under their chisels. They placed clay statues in front of the cave walls, carved relief murals as backdrops, and painted the sidewalls and ceilings with art decors. The largest statue is 34.5 meters (113 feet) high and the smallest a mere 2 centimeters (0.79inches) high.