The Western Thousand Buddha Caves are named after the fact that they are located west of the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang. They were carved on the cliffs on the banks of the Dang River, and were carved earlier than the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang. The structure, colored sculptures, and mural art styles are very similar to those of the Mogao Grottoes. There are about 16 caves in existence, and only about 9 of them can be viewed. The murals are colorful, but the statues are basically destroyed. The other caves cannot be climbed and can only be viewed from the bottom of the cliff. Due to inconvenient transportation, far fewer people come here to appreciate them than the Mogao Grottoes.
Attractions Location: Western border of Dunhuang City, Jiuquan City, Gansu Province
Tickets:
General ticket 30 RMB/foreign guest ticket 40 RMB (Monday to Sunday, January 1st - December 31st)
Half-price ticket: Chinese citizens aged 6 to 17 (including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan) can enjoy half-price discount with valid ID card;
Chinese citizens (including Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan) aged 60 to 69 can enjoy a 50% discount with valid ID cards;
Full-time domestic students with a master's degree or below (including foreign students studying in China) can enjoy a 50% discount on tickets with a valid ID card + student ID or valid ID card + student status information from the China Higher Education Student Information Network.
Opening hours:
08:30-17:00 (all day) (Monday to Sunday, April 1st to November 30th)
09:00-16:30 (December 1st to March 31st of the following year, Monday to Sunday)
Contact Details: 0937-8869852; 0937-8857158
Transportation:
This is a tour of Dunhuang West Line. Chartering a car for the West Line costs about 450-550 yuan a day. The journey from the city to this attraction takes about 2 hours.
Time reference: 1-3 hours
Spend a focused day visiting the Western Thousand Buddha Caves, appreciating the intricate Buddhist murals and carvings, and enjoying the serene desert surroundings.
Accommodation/Food: Stay in Dunhuang city hotels such as Silk Road Dunhuang Hotel or Jade Emu International Hotel. Enjoy local specialties like camel milk tea, lamb kebabs, and noodle dishes.
Souvenirs: Replica Buddhist statues, murals-themed postcards and prints, local handicrafts, and silk scarves.
Combine the spiritual journey at the caves with a deeper exploration of Dunhuang’s key attractions.
Accommodation/Food: Dunhuang city hotels. Try local specialties including honey dates and mutton dishes.
Souvenirs: Dunhuang silk products, painted fans, and traditional Tibetan-style jewelry.
Explore the Western Thousand Buddha Caves, Dunhuang’s cultural treasures, and natural wonders in the vicinity.
Accommodation/Food: Hotels in Dunhuang city or desert lodges near Mingsha Mountain. Sample local lamb hotpot and freshly made noodles.
Souvenirs: Desert-themed crafts, miniature camels, local herbal products, and sand art.
Extend your exploration to include historic and natural highlights around Dunhuang, balancing cultural sites with nature.
Accommodation/Food: Dunhuang city hotels or guesthouses near Yangguan. Enjoy local street food and traditional Tibetan bread.
Souvenirs: Silk Road maps and literature, local embroidered textiles, and stone carvings.
Explore Dunhuang’s famous caves and extend your visit to the Silk Road cultural corridor including nearby towns.
Accommodation/Food: Hotels in Dunhuang and Guazhou. Try local roasted lamb and desert melon.
Souvenirs: Desert minerals, local pottery, and ethnic jewelry.
Combine Dunhuang’s cave art with neighboring natural and cultural sites for a rich Silk Road journey.
Accommodation/Food: Dunhuang city accommodations. Enjoy local dairy products and hand-pulled noodles.
Souvenirs: Calligraphy brushes, silk paintings, and desert herbal teas.
Spend a full week immersing yourself in Dunhuang’s archaeological wonders, desert landscapes, and Silk Road history.
Accommodation/Food: Dunhuang city hotels. Try various local specialties like camel milk yogurt, mutton dumplings, and sweet desert fruits.
Souvenirs: Tibetan prayer flags, sand art souvenirs, local spices, and silk embroidery.
I got up in the morning, packed up and set off. The first stop was the ancient city of Dunhuang. I didn't want to take pictures, so I hurried past it. When I arrived at the West Thousand Buddha Caves, the scenic spot was not even open. After queuing up to scan the reservation ticket, I could enter. There are some water sources in front of the West Thousand Buddha Caves, lush trees, and beautiful scenery.
After a group of people gathered, the guide led us to visit the caves. Although it is a "slum" compared to the Mogao Grottoes, it has its own characteristics. This trip to the caves started from frugality to luxury, and finally to the Mogao Grottoes.
There are only four open caves in the Western Thousand Buddha Caves. Although they are not as stunning as the Mogao Grottoes in terms of exquisiteness, fortunately there are few tourists. In each cave, two or three people gather around one to explain various questions, just like the art history class on Buddhist statues, which is very detailed.
In addition to the caves, Dang River is also worth seeing. I especially recommend the apricots here, which are super sweet.
The Western Thousand Buddha Caves were excavated earlier than the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang. The structure, colored sculptures, and mural art styles are very similar to those of the Mogao Grottoes. There are 16 caves in existence, and only 9 of them can be visited. In fact, it belongs to the same company as the Mogao Grottoes, and the guides inside are selected from the Mogao Grottoes, but the popularity of the Western Thousand Buddha Caves is not comparable to that of the Mogao Grottoes, and the ticket price is much cheaper than that of the Mogao Grottoes.
Similar to the Mogao Grottoes, the explanation here also requires a large group of people to be gathered before the tour guide takes you into the caves for a tour. Since there were not many people in the morning, we waited for about half an hour before a tour group was formed to go in. It is said that the queue here takes 4 hours during peak hours, and the tour time is only about 20 minutes. If you come during the National Day or Spring Festival, it is equivalent to visiting a popular Shanghai World Expo venue.
Due to the small number of people, the cultural protection measures here are much inferior to those of Mogao Grottoes. The guides also serve as cultural protection workers, and will sternly stop people from taking photos. It was learned that the guide who led us on the tour was a girl who graduated from Peking University with a degree in archaeology. There are not many people in this major, and girls are even more rare among them. It is really not easy for her to travel thousands of miles from Beijing to be a guide at the West Thousand Buddha Caves and endure the loneliness.
Although the West Thousand Buddha Caves are not as magnificent as the Mogao Grottoes, most of the murals in them have been severely damaged due to improper protection measures, and many of the Buddha statues have broken hands and feet. What impressed me most was that a sculpture in a cave was graffitied, making it look weird, which was really sad. From the perspective of cultural relics protection, the West Thousand Buddha Caves should be a greater warning to the world!
I visited the West Thousand Buddha Caves in the quiet interval of the sandstorm. It felt like the cave was in the ditch and could not be seen from the outside. When I went into the ditch, it felt like a small oasis with water and trees. The Dang River meandered beside it, clear and cool. The guide was very good, and introduced each cave from the roof to the main Buddha in the murals and the donors. Although there was no guide for the Mogao Grottoes, I could hear it clearly. It was worth going because I knew it by heart.
You can't buy tickets online in advance, you can only buy them on site, and you can only buy them with cash on site. After buying, there will be explanations, just like Mogao Grottoes, there will be 4~5 tears, and some things are only available in 7000 ordinary, and then you can see the original colors of 11 Buddha statues in Mogao Grottoes. The colors of many Buddha statues have turned black, but here you can only see a complete and very beautiful Buddha statue. You can't take pictures there, there are still relatively few open, and the cost performance is relatively high, and some of the things that the guides said have already been explained in Mogao Grottoes. Many things in it were repainted by someone in the Qing Dynasty, so many are not the most original, only one is the most original.
The Western Thousand Buddha Caves are from the same origin as the Mogao Grottoes, so just consider it as a warm-up before visiting the Mogao Grottoes.
Avoiding the noisy crowd and enjoying it quietly is a rare experience.
Western Thousand Buddha Caves and Mogao Grottoes are sister caves. As it just rained and the air humidity changed, we cannot visit them now. Let's leave some mystery and come back when we have the chance.
If you have been to Mogao Grottoes, this place is not very necessary, but you can go there on the way to Yadan Devil City, but you don’t have to go if you don’t want to.
The second stop of the Dunhuang West Line Tour, the caves are not well preserved...! There are only general caves, no special caves, and the overall level is still a little worse than Mogao Grottoes, Yulin Grottoes, and East Thousand Buddha Caves!
The West Thousand Buddha Caves are located to the west of the Mogao Grottoes, across a mountain ridge. This area of caves is basically from the same period as the Mogao Grottoes, and the artistic techniques are also very similar, but there are not as many as the Mogao Grottoes, and they are not as famous. The West Thousand Buddha Caves has fewer visitors, and the service is not as good as that of the Mogao Grottoes. If you really want to see the Buddha statues, coming here is a good choice.
The 30 yuan ticket is much cheaper than the 200 yuan ticket for Mogao Grottoes.
The Western Thousand Buddha Caves and the ancient city of Dunhuang are on the same line. There should be 4 caves to see. The murals preserved in them are not as good as those in the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang. If you are interested in grottoes, you can't miss it. The ticket is ¥20 with a guide, which is also okay.
To some extent, the murals in the Western Thousand Buddha Caves are actually better preserved. Compared with the shocking Mogao Grottoes, the Western Thousand Buddha Caves are much more low-key and quiet. Fewer tourists visit, but avoid the oxidation damage to the murals by body temperature and carbon dioxide exhaled. It can be said that it is a gain in the east but a loss in the west! Fewer tourists allow the tour guides to have more time to focus on their business, so here they can almost answer questions for tourists one by one, for example, explaining the painting process of the murals in the caves, the change process of the image of the flying fairy, the repair process of the Buddha statues, and the change process of the image of the Buddha statues in different periods, in addition to the introduction of the precious pigments used in the murals!
As the cave is well preserved as a whole, the changes in the appearance of Buddha statues from different eras can be traced.
Driving in the Gobi Desert, there was no tall building except Mingsha Mountain in the distance. When I arrived at the parking lot, there was nothing but a monument, which made me wonder if I had gone to the wrong place.
When we reached a gap, we discovered that there were steps leading to the river valley below, and the cave was hidden underneath.
Actually, you can only visit 4 caves in the West Thousand Buddha Caves, but fortunately the tour guide is beautiful and gentle, and the explanation is very accurate. After 20 minutes of listening, it is very interesting. It is a good appetizer before the Mogao Grottoes. Moreover, there are cave art from the early Wei and Jin Dynasties here, which can echo the Mogao Grottoes from a distance, so it is still highly recommended.
The West Thousand Buddha Caves are part of the Mogao Grottoes, and taking photos and videos is strictly prohibited. I just took a quick look at the caves and murals protected by anti-theft doors... Even the tour guide was too lazy to explain~
The same type of caves as Mogao Grottoes. There are guides, and you can see 4 caves in the peak season. Few people come, usually 15-20 people enter in a group. If you want to go to Mogao Grottoes, this is not recommended. Because the quality of the murals and colored sculptures is not very good. Of course, I like exceptions in this regard.
The Western Thousand Buddha Caves were carved on the cliffs on the bank of the Dang River. Looking at the Dang River from afar, one has a feeling of sudden openness and majesty.
The caves are carved on the cliffs of the Dang River. Tickets are 30 yuan per person. The tour pass is invalid without a tour group. Students can get half price and need to show their ID cards. It’s ok to say you didn’t bring your own. There must be more than 10 tourists before a guide will lead you to see the caves. If you don’t have enough people, they won’t sell tickets. It’s awesome. You have to wait all the time. Although the murals and colored sculptures in the caves show signs of partial reconstruction by later generations, even so, the West Thousand Buddha Caves still preserve many early original works, which are still very precious. After visiting the caves, you can go inside to the river valley. The scenery is pleasant. The clear Dang River and the swaying birch forest can make you temporarily forget that you are in the desolate northwest.
Due to the scarcity of tourists, you can only visit the caves in a group with a tour guide. I remember visiting about three or four caves. Although they are not as large as the Mogao Grottoes, they are enough to feel the exquisiteness of the murals and the vividness of the colored sculptures. At the same time, I also saw that when Zhang Daqian was copying here, he tore off the traces of later murals in order to see more exquisite Tang Dynasty murals. As to whether his act of stripping off the murals is destruction or promotion, it depends on one's own opinion.
The Western Thousand Buddha Caves are located on the cliffs on the north bank of the Dang River, more than 30 kilometers southwest of Dunhuang City. Although it is not as famous as the Mogao Grottoes, it is also an important part of the Dunhuang Grottoes. The excavation time lasted from the Northern Wei Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty. There are 16 numbered caves, 5 of which are open to the public.
In most of the travel guides I have read, it is said that the West Thousand Buddha Caves is a relatively unpopular attraction with few tourists. However, when we arrived at the scenic spot, we saw a sea of people. Later, when we were queuing, we found that many people who came here chose to come here because they could not buy tickets for Mogao Grottoes. In fact, in comparison, the West Thousand Buddha Caves costs 30 yuan to see 5 caves with explanations, while the Mogao Grottoes emergency ticket costs 100 yuan to see only 4 caves without explanations. The former is obviously more cost-effective, and you may not be able to buy the latter.
Unlike Dunhuang, where there are multiple caves for guides to choose different routes, the West Thousand Buddha Caves has the same route for everyone here, so we can only set out in groups of 20. We waited in line for a full hour before we started to visit. After looking at the five caves, I felt that the statues in the West Thousand Buddha Caves were not well preserved. Either they were gone or their original appearance was destroyed by the low-level restoration in the Qing Dynasty. However, the murals were in a relatively better condition. For example, the flesh-pink Bodhisattva statues are still preserved, and there are Tang Dynasty portraits hidden under the Song Dynasty murals.
You are not allowed to take photos in the caves.
I visited four caves, queued but didn't have to wait, and there were explanations. I was deeply impressed by the rich painting techniques of the Tang Dynasty. Behind a wooden door, there is a quiet splendor that travels through time and space for thousands of years.
During the peak season, the queue is very long and the tour takes half an hour. I didn't go to the Mogao Grottoes, so the caves here are a supplement to the other ones. I think it's quite interesting.
Compared with Mogao Grottoes, the West Thousand Buddha Caves are low-key and simple, more primitive, and more precious. The caves are severely damaged, and it is more of a man-made disaster than a natural disaster. Some murals have been covered by layers, from the Northern Zhou Dynasty to the Republic of China, and there are even inscriptions by Zhang Daqian. Like Mogao Grottoes, the West Thousand Buddha Caves is affiliated to the Dunhuang Academy and a national key cultural relic protection unit, but it is not just a 5A scenic spot. Photography is also not allowed inside the West Thousand Buddha Caves, and you can only take some exterior shots.
Because I couldn't buy a ticket to Mogao Grottoes, I went to the West Thousand Buddha Caves. The scale and fame are certainly smaller than Mogao Grottoes, but it is said to be earlier and more authentic than Mogao Grottoes.
There was a long queue at the entrance, and it took an hour and a half before it was our turn. There were 5 caves and the explanation lasted less than 20 minutes. The experience was very average.
The West Thousand Buddha Caves were excavated on the cliffs on the bank of the Dang River. They were built earlier than the Mogao Grottoes, but due to the late protection, the caves here are severely damaged. The original statues were almost completely destroyed. The relatively intact ones were rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty. The sculptures of the Qing Dynasty have dull expressions and gaudy colors. Compared with the statues of the Northern Wei Dynasty, Sui and Tang Dynasties, they are living negative teaching materials and are simply funny. The most worth seeing in the West Thousand Buddha Caves are two groups of flying figures. One group is the early flying figures in a kneeling position, with wings behind them. The other group is a sketch of the flying figures. Although it is not completed, a few strokes outline the light and graceful figure of the flying figures, which is very different from the early flying figures. These two groups of flying figures are precious materials that cannot be seen in the Mogao Grottoes.
When we arrived, there were too many people and the queues were so long that it gave us a headache. We just wandered around and left without buying tickets to go in (I later heard that the Buddha Cave is similar to the Mogao Grottoes and is worth a visit. It can accommodate a large number of people at a time. The main reason was that I didn't do a good job of planning in advance, so I missed this and was a little disappointed). Tickets are 40 per person
The ticket of West Thousand Buddha Caves (West Thousand Buddha Caves is earlier than Mogao Grottoes, but due to historical reasons, it is much damaged and smaller than Mogao Grottoes) is 40 yuan, and you can see 4 caves with explanations. However, because each cave is limited to 20 people at a time, the journey takes about half an hour. If there are many people, the waiting time will be very long.
Personally, I think the Western Thousand Buddha Caves is also worth a visit!
Currently, about five caves are open to the public. Caves 3 and 4 were originally painted in the Sui and Tang dynasties, and were repaired in the Western Xia Dynasty and redrawn in the Ming and Qing dynasties. The artistic style characteristics of each dynasty are distinct. Cave 5 is a cross-section of a Northern Wei clay sculpture after being washed by rain. There are reeds and Achnatherum splendens inside, and the clay sculpture is wrapped outside. You can directly see how the statue was made. If you want to learn about the caves that are not open to the public, you can refer to the book "Research on Dunhuang West Thousand Buddha Caves".
Unlike the Mogao Grottoes, which have gravel walls, the walls of the Western Thousand Buddha Caves are mostly pebbles, so most of the caves have dome-shaped ceilings. The murals in the caves are mainly from the Uighur period, and some Buddha statues and murals were repaired during the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China (the repairs were really ugly, and the most impressive thing was that one Buddha statue had eyelashes painted on it). Moreover, the style of the flying apsaras in the Uighur period is very different from the Tang Dynasty flying apsaras murals in the Mogao Grottoes. The physique is not as soft, but more robust.
It is also great for people who study Chinese painting art to come and have a look.
Located on the cliff on the north bank of Danghe River, the West Thousand Buddha Caves and Mogao Grottoes have similar artistic styles.
There are fewer tourists here, so you can better appreciate the clay sculptures and murals in the caves.
Like the Mogao Grottoes, there are also free explanations here to answer your questions.
Like the Mogao Grottoes, the caves are also open in turns. In order to protect the cultural relics, photography is not allowed inside the niches.
The same feeling as what I saw online before, I think the Western Thousand Buddha Caves are more interesting. Although they are not as well preserved as the Mogao Grottoes, there will be more interactions with the tour guide (the female tour guide who led us has a nice voice! Super magnetic! May God give you one too~), the key is that there are not so many people, plus the four of us, there are only 8 people, we can ask her questions from time to time, and she will communicate with us, watching and talking while communicating. Although I have never believed in Buddhism and have never done homework on this before, I just treat it as listening to a story. It feels good, but I also feel unfair for the cultural relics. The Western Thousand Buddha Caves have a longer history than the Mogao Grottoes. In addition to natural damage, they have also been damaged by humans due to improper protection. The status is too different from that of the Mogao Grottoes. It took about half an hour to browse and explain.
This place is located just to the west of Mogao Grottoes and is named "Western Thousand Buddha Caves". It is separated from Mogao Grottoes by only Mingsha Mountain. Compared with the sacred Mogao Grottoes in the hearts of thousands of people, the Western Thousand Buddha Caves is undoubtedly unknown. It has been quietly sitting on the cliffs of the Dang River for thousands of years. Only the remaining murals and statues still retain their bright colors, immersed in the vicissitudes of history.
We first arrived at the parking lot of the West Thousand Buddha Caves. Even the parking lot was a desert, and this desert was just above the West Thousand Buddha Caves. We had to walk down the winding steps on the cliff to reach the caves. However, the iron door of the caves was closed, so we had to continue walking down the steps to the bottom of the cliff, buy tickets at the ticket office, and then wait until 10-15 people gathered to form a small group, and then the guide would open the door and take the group to visit the caves.
The Western Thousand Buddha Caves, commonly known as the Thousand Buddha Caves, were carved on the cliffs on the banks of the Dang River.
The Western Thousand Buddha Caves are the first stop of the Silk Road entering China. Most of the caves preserved are from the Northern and Southern Dynasties, which is earlier than the Mogao Caves. By comparison, it is found that the images on the murals of the Western Thousand Buddha Caves are more similar to Westerners, with high noses and sunken eyes, while those in the Mogao Caves are closer to the appearance of Han people, which also indirectly confirms the process of the sinicization of Buddhism.
The West Thousand Buddha Caves are sparsely visited and are a very low-key cave. Tour guides lead groups of tourists on a tour, allowing tourists to get close to these relics from thousands of years ago.
The guide told me that these caves were part of people's daily life in the past. They would carve a Buddha statue in each cave to pray for blessings or even practice. All the sculptures were made of local materials, such as glutinous rice, egg white, and hemp, and then made of clay and supported by wood. All the pigments were brought in from the Silk Road.
The Western Thousand Buddha Caves is a tourist attraction on the west line of Dunhuang. From a personal perspective, I highly recommend it. Although I only visited a few caves, unlike the Mogao Grottoes, here you can face to face, carefully, and slowly appreciate every corner and every stroke on the wall...as if this thousand years is right before your eyes.
There's nothing interesting here. If you don't have time, you don't have to come.
The West Thousand Buddha Caves are about 35 kilometers away from the city of Dunhuang. They are located west of the Mogao Grottoes, hence the name. Not many people come to the West Thousand Buddha Caves, after all, the Mogao Grottoes are larger and more famous, but my friend is particularly interested in grottoes and Buddhist culture, and doesn't want to miss any of them, so we went to the West Thousand Buddha Caves first. Because this place is mainly for protection, I remember that only three or four caves can be visited, and there are guides to explain these caves for us. It took less than an hour to wait and visit.
The tour setup is not very reasonable, 15 people in a group, the progress is very slow, far away from the city of Dunhuang
The Mogao Grottoes we are familiar with are only the best developed and protected areas. The Western Thousand Buddha Caves are an area that was developed early but not protected in time. It is located to the west of the Mogao Grottoes and you can visit it if you have time. In addition, due to technical reasons, many places in the Mogao Grottoes have not been developed. There are many caves around them after scientific and technological measurements.
The master was worried that we wouldn't be able to buy tickets for the Mogao Grottoes the next day, so he took us to the West Thousand Buddha Caves first. Photography was not allowed inside, so I forgot the details again.
The ticket costs 30 yuan, the quality is not as good as Yulin Grottoes and Mogao Grottoes, and you can visit 5 caves.
It was not originally planned in the itinerary, but the driver took us to see it. Friends who are going to go there should pay attention to the time, as it closes early.
The Western Thousand Buddha Caves were carved on the cliffs on the banks of the Dang River. They were carved earlier than the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang. The structure, colored sculptures, and mural art styles are very similar to those of the Mogao Grottoes. It is only 30km away from Dunhuang City, and the ticket is only 30 yuan, which is a good deal. When I arrived at the location shown by the navigation, I only saw a few cars parked, and there was no trace of the ticket office for the scenic spot. I walked around and found that the scenic spot was all below. There were no big signs on the roadside, and no buildings could be seen on the ground. If you didn't come here specifically to look for it, you really wouldn't know that there was a scenic spot here, which shows that they don't want to make money at all.
The West Thousand Buddha Caves are small and not very famous, so there are few tourists. If there are 10 to 20 people, there will be a special guide to lead everyone to visit the five caves that are now open to the public, and you can carefully look at the murals. In order to protect the murals, you are not allowed to take pictures in the caves.
After the visit, you can walk to the Dang River. Under the loess cliff is the narrow water of the Dang River in autumn, which feels grand and desolate.
These grottoes were excavated earlier than the Mogao Grottoes. If you cannot buy reservation tickets for the Mogao Grottoes, you can come here to make up for it. It will be worth the trip.
Very beautiful and simple cave, compared with Mogao Grottoes, it can be said to be simple 233333 But it is still quite good. Because there are few people, the guide will talk to us more about history and stories, which is very interesting. It's just that it's too dark inside the cave, and the guide can't see clearly with the flashlight. I wonder if it has improved now.
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The West Thousand Buddha Caves are located on the cliffs of the Danghe Gorge. There are far fewer people visiting here than the Mogao Grottoes, but you still need to queue. We bought tickets and queued, then entered the cave area to visit.
Cave 4 (Sui Dynasty)
Cave 5 (Early Tang Dynasty)
Cave 11 (Northern Zhou Dynasty)
Cave 16 (Late Tang Dynasty)
Cave 18 (Mid-Tang): This cave is worth mentioning. The dancers in the Avalokitesvara Sutra Transformation gave a thumbs-up to the same as in Cave 25 in Yulin. There are also accompaniments of instruments such as konghou, xiao, and drums (more types of instruments than in Cave 25 in Yulin). The Medicine Buddha Sutra Transformation is also good. This cave was only opened yesterday. It was worth it to have the chance to visit it.
The guide spoke a little stiffly, but whenever we had questions, she would patiently answer them. She told us that the Dang River outside the cave had no water before, and only in the past two days did the reservoir release water and the gurgling river flow. On the banks of the Dang River, in the green woods in the desert, birds were singing up and down. At this time, a simple pancake or a piece of Guazhou melon seemed to be a kind of happiness.
Because we were on a spontaneous trip and didn't make a reservation for the Mogao Grottoes in advance, the local driver recommended us to go to the Western Thousand Buddha Caves, where there are caves older than the Mogao Grottoes. Unfortunately, we didn't visit them on the day we went there, which was a pity. The caves were severely oxidized so we couldn't take photos. Please cherish our country's magnificent cultural heritage. The ticket price is 50/person. Most of the attractions in Dunhuang can be used with student ID cards or local ID cards for half-price or free tickets
The second cave we visited. The guide used headphones to give the explanation.
The ticket price is 30 yuan per person, and there are free tour guides. This attraction is mainly composed of murals and Buddha statues. Murals are one of the arts of Dunhuang and are similar to the Mogao Grottoes.
The history of the murals in the Western Thousand Buddha Caves is a little longer than that of the Mogao Grottoes. The tour guide said that the ancients painted murals or Buddha statues here to pray for a safe return from the frontier. The conditions in the past and the environment outside the frontier should have been worse than it is now. Over time, many Buddhist caves were formed. Although some of them were destroyed later, they were restored and protected later, and some of the murals were still preserved intact.
Suggestion: bring a small flashlight with you, so that you can look at the murals you think are beautiful for a longer time. Taking photos is not allowed in the Buddha Cave, because carbon dioxide will cause the murals to turn black. If more than 10 people go in and out at a time, if everyone wants to take photos, the stay time will be too long. This is probably one of the reasons. It is not easy to preserve historical relics. I hope everyone can consciously protect this hard-won cave and let the cultural history of the ancients continue to be passed down.
On the way, I consulted with group members who had been to Mogao Grottoes. They said that Mogao Grottoes is more spectacular and diverse than Western Thousand Buddha Caves, but Western Thousand Buddha Caves also has its own characteristics. For those of us who have not been to Mogao Grottoes, it can be regarded as a general understanding of the history of Dunhuang murals.
The wind and sand were too strong that day so the tour was closed and I only looked at the entrance
The distance between the Great Wall of Han, Xiaofangpan City, and Hecang City is quite far, so it is more convenient to drive by yourself.
The ticket is 40 yuan per person, and you also need to buy a ticket to Yadan Devil City, which is equivalent to a toll. PS: The road is now repaired, but you must pay attention to the speed limit.
Don't miss the Buddha statues and murals in the West Thousand Buddha Caves Valley
The ticket price here is much lower than that of Mogao Grottoes, but the number of caves to visit is also reduced accordingly, you can only visit four, and you are also not allowed to take photos.
There were not many tour guides, and each group of about 15 people went in. He gave a very attentive explanation and showed us some details of the pictures of murals and costumes stored on his phone. He told us that in the Buddhist world at such an early time, there were already popular costumes such as stockings, belly-baring tops, and miniskirts. It seems that the ancients were not much different from modern people in terms of fashion, and maybe they were even better in some aesthetics.
The picture on the discount ticket is the preaching picture in Cave 9, which depicts many flying apsaras. The tour guide said that in the Buddhist world, flying apsaras have several main functions. One is dancing and scattering flowers, like literary and artistic workers; the other is protecting the Dharma, that is, beating some little ghosts that disrupt the order of the preaching.
There are free guided tours and a mini version of the Mogao Grottoes, which I think is enough for someone like me who doesn't know much about history.
The scale is not as good as that of Mogao Grottoes, and the murals are not as exquisite as those of Mogao Grottoes, but the history is longer.
What attracted me was not the Thousand Buddha Caves itself, but the cliff behind it. . . Standing opposite and looking at it, the first glance was magnificent, the second glance was lonely. No matter how many thousands of years have passed, it has been there silently, a kind of vicissitudes that travel through time and space, as if it has been waiting there, and what it is waiting for may be your arrival. . . It is suitable for being in a daze there quietly, picking up stones and taking pictures. .
It feels a bit like a miniature Mogao Grottoes, with murals, mainly from the Northern Wei Dynasty. It is not as famous and large as the Mogao Grottoes, and there are fewer people.
Nice scenery, very clean, well managed.
The real surprise is the Western Thousand Buddha Caves.
Just because the Western Thousand Buddha Caves are far less famous than the Mogao Grottoes, I always thought it was also a money-making attraction and didn’t hold much hope.
However, the Western Thousand Buddha Caves and Mogao Grottoes are of the same origin. It is named after its location to the west of Mogao Grottoes, and is separated from Mogao Grottoes by only the Mingsha Mountain. It has been sitting quietly on the cliffs of the Dang River for thousands of years, watching the yellow sand with the sunset, turning into the dust of the past.
The Western Thousand Buddha Caves are located in the west of Dunhuang, so it is called "Western Thousand Buddha Caves", but in terms of its scale it is far smaller than the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang!
Not many people come here. The ticket is 40 yuan, but the caves are severely damaged. You can see 4 caves, and there is a tour guide leading you, who is a beautiful female tour guide.
If you want to collect the tickets, you can buy them on site. They are in postcard style. It is 2 to 3 yuan cheaper to order them online, but you will only be given a small printed piece of paper.
We had no plan to visit the Western Thousand Buddha Caves, after all, the most famous one in Dunhuang is the Mogao Grottoes. As a result, there were too many tourists and we couldn't buy tickets, so we took S to see the Western Thousand Buddha Caves. After all, it would be a bit unreasonable to come to Dunhuang without visiting the Buddhist caves. The Western Thousand Buddha Caves are located in the Danghe River Valley, so there are towering ancient trees here, and next to it is the Danghe River flowing slowly in the pebble beach.
Taking photos is not allowed in the caves. Visitors are allowed to enter in batches and there are special people to explain the process. It takes about half an hour. The West Thousand Buddha Caves is the weakest in Dunhuang in terms of scale and exquisiteness. If the Mogao Grottoes are purple equipment level, then the West Thousand Buddha Caves are green at most.
It is recommended that if you cannot buy tickets for Mogao Grottoes and think Yulin Grottoes are too far away, you can come here to make up for the lost mood and take a quick look.
It is also a mural cave with few people. If you go to the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, you can skip this one.
In general, it is very small, but because there are few people, it is relatively leisurely. You can hear detailed explanations and take photos at the door. You can sigh at the accumulation of thousands of years of history.
When I first arrived in Dunhuang, I was overwhelmed by the heat and didn't feel much.
An oasis appeared under the vast and lonely Gobi Desert, with red willows and towering ancient trees, which is magical. This magical place is the Danghe River Valley where the West Thousand Buddha Caves are located. The structure, colored sculptures, and mural art style of the West Thousand Buddha Caves are similar to those of the Mogao Grottoes system. It is named because it is located to the west of the Mogao Grottoes. Most of the caves were excavated during the Northern Wei Dynasty. There is the largest flying fairy mural in Dunhuang, as well as an unfinished flying fairy draft mural. Most of these were built with funds raised by ordinary people in ancient times, while the Mogao Grottoes were mostly built with funds funded by dignitaries and wealthy merchants in ancient times.
On the way to Yangguan, it is located by the river below the ground. You have to look at the road signs on the road. There are fewer caves and there are tour guides. Taking photos is prohibited. You can see 4-5 caves. If you can't buy a ticket for Mogao Grottoes, you can come and have a look. The Buddha statues and murals are similar. There is a small park outside the scenic area, close to the Dang River. You can walk to the river. The mountains opposite are very distinctive. If you have enough time, you can take photos by the river.
I went there in the afternoon and queued for a long time, but the tour was only for a short while. I still had to listen to the guide's explanation while I was there. The ancient monuments can only shine in the culture.
The Western Thousand Buddha Caves are considered to be the best alternative to the Mogao Grottoes, but there are only 9 caves left.
I didn't make an appointment to visit Mogao Grottoes, so I had to settle for the next best thing. But I didn't expect that the West Thousand Buddha Caves would bring me an unexpected surprise. It is park-like, an oasis in the desert. Only 4 caves are open, but the murals are very beautiful. Although they were carved and painted by the people at that time, they are not inferior to the official Mogao Grottoes. The guide said something very well: the level of the painter's skills depends on his faith, not on whether it is official or private. Tickets are 30 yuan.
The cave is similar to the Mogao Grottoes, but there is a reservoir upstream, and the place where it flows is very beautiful. Pictures speak louder than words.
I didn't go to see the Buddha cave, but walked outside. It was also shocking. I saw this scene by passing through a park where locals rested....
We stayed there for more than two hours, and the master waited for us outside for more than two hours.
Going down the stairs, you will see a different view. The mottled rock walls are matched with towering trees, the wind is gentle and the sun is bright. How can you describe it except for beauty and comfort? Tickets are only accepted in cash!
Because I haven't been to Mogao Grottoes yet, it's a good choice to come to the West Thousand Buddha Caves first. Although it's not as magnificent and exquisite as the Mogao Grottoes, it's shocking enough for me, who is visiting for the first time, and I praise it again and again! The West Thousand Buddha Caves will only be led by the tour guide at a specific time and with enough people. The caves are all locked, and there are temperature and humidity detection instruments inside. The murals in the caves are full of murals. Listen carefully to the explanations. Taking pictures is not allowed, and touching is not allowed. You have to pay special attention to breathing inside. The staff said that the murals were colorful when they were first opened, and they were instantly oxidized when they encountered air, and many of them turned black. It's a pity! Now there will be fewer and fewer open visits, because maybe one day in the future, they will be oxidized and gone.