Mogao Caves, China

For centuries on end, the Mogao Caves in China have served as an efficient and trustworthy depository and storehouse of traditions, cultures, languages and religions. The Mogao Caves in China, also called the "Mogao Grottoes", is located in the Gansu Province of China and lies en route the Silk Road. From the positioning of the Mogao Caves in China it is evident how the place came to be such a melting pot of cultures and traditions. The Mogao Caves in China were born of a vision seen by a monk of a thousand illuminated Buddhas in the place. Thus the monk set about realizing what he had envisioned.

The construction of the Mogao Caves in China took centuries to build and witnessed the rise and fall of 10 dynasties during this tenure. The work began in the era of the Tang Dynasty, in around the year 337 and was finished sometime in the 14th century. The caves, also renowned by the name of the "Caves of a Thousand Buddhas", are exemplary instances of rock carvings and architecture. Though most of the statues of the images of Buddha are made of clay, the decorations are done up with the use of murals and paintings. The styles applied are typically from Indian-Buddhist schools. Today there are around 750 caves in good condition for your inspection. Aside o0f these caves, there are also 492 temples, 2,400 painted statues, 50,000 manuscripts and 45,000 Sq Meters of murals. Together all these aspects found in the caves throw immense light into the Chinese society and its practices for a tenure of hundreds of years.