mogao caves are the nation key cultural relic preservation organ, isnamed thousand buddhas cave, is situated west the gansu corridor enddunhuang, is world famous by the fine mural and the cast. itsbeginning constructs at 16 countries' former qin times, has beenthrough repeatedly 16 countries, the northern dynasty, sui, tang, fivegenerations, tangut , the yuan and so on all previous dynastiesconstructing, forms the huge scale, existing cavern 735, the mural45,000 square meter, argillaceous painted sculpture 2,415, are in theworld the extant scale is biggest, the content richest buddhism artplace. since the modern times had discovered the buddhist scriptureshole, in had 50,000 ancient times cultural relics, and grew speciallyto study the buddhist scriptures hole ancient book and dunhuang artdiscipline - dunhuang studies. but since mogao caves receive many people in the modern times for thedamage, the cultural relic massively drain, its integrity wasseriously destroyed. in 1961, mogao caves are announced by thepeople's republic of china state council one of for first batch ofnational key cultural relic preservation organs. in 1987, mogao cavesare listed as the world culture inheritance.
mogao caves are located southeast the chinese gansu province dunhuang east 25 kilometer place mt. mingsha on the foothill cliff, first near dawdle quan river, face east, north and south length 1680 meters, height 50 meters.cavern distribution height scattered about, row after row, about most has five.its beginning constructs at 16 country times, ¡°the li obliging repairs mogao caves niche for a statue of buddha tablet¡± according to tang the record.
the mogao caves extant northern wei dynasty to yuan cavern 735, divides into the north and south two areas.south the area is mogao caves' main body, is engaged in the religious activities for the clergy the place, some 487 caverns, have the mural or make an idol.north the area has 248 caverns, in which only then 5 existence murals or makes an idol,but after other all is the clergy leads a pious life the place which, the housing and the death buries, has life facilities and so on the adobe bed, stove kang, flue, niche, desk lamp.two area total 492 cavern existence mural and makes an idol, has the mural 45,000 square meter, the argillaceous painted sculpture 2415, tang songmu constructs cliff eave 5, as well as several thousand lotus flower pillars, spread out on the floor the decorative brick and so on.。