The Province of Gansu is located in North West of China. The famous “Silk Road” runs through the province, and throughout more than 2000 years, Gansu has always been an important route for economic and cultural exchanges between the East and the West.
Dunhuang, the “sparkling lighthouse”, is a Chinese city located in the western part of the Gansu province. The city was the last oasis for travelers heading to the West, before the the great road was separated into two branches, which both were necessary to prevent travelers from crossing the Gobi desert. The center was the last bastion of the Chinese wall.
The town has no interesting attractions but is an excellent starting point for visiting several interesting locations.
MOGAO CAVES
Among all, the famous archaeological site of Mogao caves. Dating back to 366 AD, these caves are decorated with figures carved into the rock, with frescoes and statues that seem to have a predilection for the religious theme. The paintings extend over the entire surface of the caves and preserve the largest collection of Chinese Buddhist art.
When Chinese silk began to regularly reach the Roman Empire, Buddhism and the Buddhist art of sculpture and architecture were also brought to China along the Silk Road and fused with the art of Chinese sculpture that had already reached a very high level, thus giving life to an entirely sinicized Buddhist sculpture. Caves were built mainly on the edge of cliffs, which further demonstrates how Buddhism is separated from the profane and connected to nature.
The famous Yulin Caves and the Eastern Cave of the Thousand Buddhas are located in the Yulin River Gorge.
The Yulin Caves are made of 41 caves: the subjects and the style of their frescoes have an indissoluble link with those of the Mogao Caves, and are a fundamental part of the Dunhuang art system.
The eastern caves of the Thousand Buddhas are the twin caves of the Yulin Caves, and today there are 23 of them.
SINGING SAND DUNES
Six kilometers south of Dunhuang at Mingsha Shan, the desert opens into an oasis. At the base of the gigantic sand dunes there is a water pond known as Crescent Lake. Here, various activities are organized for tourists, including camel rides. We preferred to walk alone, climb, play and roll down those spectacular dunes. We spent the whole afternoon here almost without realizing the passing of time. We enjoyed that splendid view and observed the change in the color of the dunes, as the light of the sun varies: from gold to pink, to blue-gray at night.
At dusk, we were already left alone, so we literally launched ourselves into this crazy race: the winner would be the first to reach the bottom of this dunes that can reach up to 300 mt height. Running and sinking bare feet into the fresh sand is such a wonderful and joyful feeling!
The Jade Gate Pass of the Great Wall, along with Yangguan Pass, is one of the two most important gate passes of the Han dynasty on the western border. It is located 56 km northwest of the City of Dunhuang. In ancient times, it was the crucial gateway from central China to western regions.
Yadan National Park
It is a spectacular desert extending in the middle of the majestic Gobi desert, it was once the bed of a lake shaped by erosion 12000 years ago. Its rock formations has been the setting of several movies including Hero (by Zhang Yimou).
