Why We Love Dunhuang

Among all the mythical beasts in Dunhuang, the Chinese dragon, or loong, undoubtedly holds the top stop.

Dunhuang not only has a diverse collection of different loong patterns, it's also the home to a very unique one that can hardly be found anywhere else.

The Dunhuang Night Market shines like a hidden gem amidst the dazzling culture and historical heritage of Dunhuang. What do locals in Dunhuang love to eat? Where can we find these special delicacies? What other interesting and enjoyable things are there to do and see?

The art treasures of Dunhuang have captivated generations of people. Among them is the “daughter of Dunhuang”, who has spent more than half a century researching and preserving the caves at the heart of the ancient Silk Road. Who is she? What’s her indissoluble bond with Dunhuang?

How did people make wine over 1000 years ago? How did the ancient blacksmiths do their work? Yulin Cave 3 is an encyclopedia where you can find all the answers.

The murals of Yulin Cave 29 record a unique baldheaded hairstyle of the local males over 1000 years ago. What made the hairstyle so popular? And why was the cave called the “State Preceptor Cave”?

Constructed on two sharp cliffs facing each other, and covering a period of more than 1500 years, the Yulin Caves are the twins of the Mogao Caves. It’s the only place in Dunhuang, where you can find an interethnic wedding being held in earthly heaven.

French Sinologist Paul Pelliot brought lots of precious Dunhuang Manuscripts back to France, among which, was a complicated lawsuit, that happened over 1,000 years ago, and which was recorded in detail.

Britain has the world largest collection of Dunhuang Manuscripts and other relics. What are some of the most amazing ones and what are the stories behind them? Who was the Sogdian woman who amazed world researchers more than 1,000 years later?

Why are the items found inside Dunhuang’s Library Cave so precious? What are the treasures included in the Dunhuang Manuscripts? Why is Dunhuang also related to the history of world astronomy?

The Dunhuang Manuscripts constitute the largest repositories of religious, scientific, and literary texts detailing aspects of life in China and abroad during the medieval period. Among them, you can find the world’s earliest printed book.