Mogao Caves, also known as the "Eastern Louvre", is a must-visit place when in Dunhuang. Here, well-preserved and finely crafted Buddha statues, meticulously outlined and intricately depicted murals, have left precious gifts for the world by craftsmen from different dynasties in ancient times on this land of sand and wind.
Dunhuang Ancient City is a film and television city built in the 1980s, imitating the Shazhou Ancient City of the Song Dynasty. It is still a popular shooting location for many films and TV shows, such as "Detective Dee", "New Dragon Gate Inn", and "The Ghost Blows Out the Light". Every table and chair can be used as props, and with various creative ideas, everyone can shoot a costume epic.
The West Thousand Buddhas Cave is located west of the Mogao Caves, on a cliff. It was excavated before the Mogao Caves and contains many well-preserved exquisite murals. There are fewer visitors compared to the Mogao Caves, allowing a clearer view of the skillful stone wall craftsmanship from thousands of years ago. Visitors can also go to the valley and see the towering stone walls and hear the gurgling stream.
Yangguan Town
I advise you to have a drink and head west out of the Yangguan Pass. This ancient city, praised by literati throughout the ages, now only has one remaining beacon burning, undying for a thousand years, steadfastly guarding this vast desert. A replica of the ancient Yangguan Pass has been built at the scenic spot, although newly constructed, it restores the appearance of the original ancient city. At the entrance, officials clad in armor inspect the travel documents of passersby, making one feel as if they have truly returned to a thousand years ago.
Yumen Pass
Yumen Pass in the south is within sight. From a distance, Yumen Pass, commonly known as "Xiaofangcheng", resembles a small square. It was once the most important pass in the Western Regions during the Han Dynasty. Despite the erosion by wind and sand, traces of the magnificent scenery of the Great Wall can still be seen. No willows grow, and the spring breeze is hard to move. In ancient times, it was mainly used by merchant caravans and monks to travel to the west beyond Yumen Pass. Moving forward, it leads to the desolate and mysterious Devil City.
