The Mogao Caves near Dunhuang contain thousands of Buddhist murals and statues along the Silk Road.
The cave complex was created in cliffs near an oasis where routes through the Gobi Desert converged. According to tradition, a monk named Le Zun began the first cave in 366 after seeing a vision of golden lights. Religious patrons, rulers, merchants, and local communities supported later construction.
The caves preserve art made across roughly a millennium, from the Northern Liang period through later dynasties. Their paintings show Buddhist stories, celestial figures, donors, musicians, animals, architecture, and scenes of daily life. Styles reflect artistic contacts among China, Central Asia, India, and other regions.
Dunhuang also became famous for manuscripts discovered in a sealed library cave. These texts include Buddhist works, administrative documents, contracts, and religious writings in several languages. The site is therefore important not only for visual art but also for understanding the people and cultures that used the Silk Road.