Mogao Caves
The Mogao Caves, meaning “a cave high up in the desert”, is a shrine of Buddhist art treasures that is located 25 km (15.5miles) from downtown Dunhuang on the eastern slope of Mingsha Shan (Mount Echoing Sand). A network of plank reinforced roads plying north to south 1600 meters (5, 249 feet) long lead to the cave openings, which are stacked five stories high, some even reaching up to a length of 50 meters (164 feet).
According to Tang Dynasty records, the Mogao Caves were founded by a monk, Lè Zūn (樂尊), who had a vision of thousand Buddhas under showers of golden rays. Inspired by this vision, he started the caves construction work that spanned hundreds of years and over ten dynasties. Hence, the Mogao Caves are also commonly known as the Caves of a Thousand Buddhas. Mogao cave sculptors improvised where the rock surface did not work well under their chisels: they placed clay statues in front of the cave walls, carved relief murals as backdrops, and painted the sidewalls and ceilings with art decors. The largest statue inside the cave is 34.5 meters (113 feet) high and the smallest, a mere 2 centimeters (0.79inches) high. Travelers will notice traces of Indian Buddhist art in the earlier works and sculptures but more recent works most often depict life and activities in ancient China; travelers will get to relive the daily routines and special events of ancient China as captured by artists of the past while exploring the 750 caves. Though the artistic qualities of the works inside the caves depend very much on the art patronages at the time, artists in each dynasty painted with their distinctive palette and style: visitor can easily tell the works made in the Tang Dynasty from those made in the Song Dynasty.
There are also over 50,000 manuscripts written in many languages apart from artifacts and sculptures inside the cave. Some people believe the artworks inside the Mogao caves, if taken out, can fill 25 kilometers (15.5miles) of gallery space. The Mogao Caves are a significant part of the Chinese culture: it’s a depository of more than a thousand years of historical and cultural exchanges between China and other nations.
Echoing-Sand Mountain (Mingsha Shan)
Have you ever heard of a mountain that echoes to the sound of sand as you slide down its slopes? Can you image a perennially limpid lake in the middle of desert sand? Here in Dunhuang, Gansu Province, you will have the chance to enjoy these wonderful spectacles of the Echoing-Sand Mountain.
The mountain is five kilometers (about three miles) away from the city of Dunhuang. Seen from afar, the mountain looks like a golden dragon winding its way over the horizon. As you approach it, you become aware that the sands on this mountain have five different colors: red, green, yellow, black and white. On days when strong winds blow, the fast shifting sands roar, but on day when the wind is little more than a light breeze, the sand produces gentle, dulcet sounds akin to music. It is the same when you are sliding down the mountainside: at first, the sand under your feet just whispers but the further you slide, the louder the sound, until it reaches a crescendo like that of a thunder or a drum beat. And it is because of this distinct attribute that the mountain is aptly named the Echoing-Sand Mountain.
You may wonder why the sand makes these different sounds. There is a legend that says how, in ancient times, a general with many soldiers came here to fight in a war with their enemies. While they were engaged in a fierce battle, a great gust of wind buried all the warriors in the sand and the sand mountain was formed. And according to this legend, even to this day, the soldiers continued to fight beneath the sand and the sounds you hear are said to be the roars of the soldiers below. However, the real reason why the sand roar, according to scientific research, is caused by friction and static created by the wind, which help form a natural boom box.
Today, the mountain is listed as a key national scenic spot. It is possible to climb it on foot or on the back of a camel. It is also possible to take a sand bath treatment.
Crescent Lake
Just as oil and water don't mix, neither do springs and deserts. But Crescent Spring is an exception. About 6 kilometers (3.73 miles) south of Dunhuang city, and surrounded by the Echoing-Sand Mountain, Crescent Spring can be called a natural wonder in the Gobi Desert. Encircled by the mountain, the Crescent Lake is so called because of its shape. While it mostly resembles a crescent fallen down into a desert, many had compared the lake to the eyes of a beautiful woman: lucid, beautiful and amorous; or a lip of a pretty lady: mysterious, gentle and seductive. The Crescent Spring still gurgles clear even after thousands of years of lying among the sand dunes and many surprise attacks by sandstorms; it is, thus, worthy of the reputation as the first spring in the desert. The water in the lake is so pure and sweet that it looks like an emerald set in the sand. Many of the visitors who have made their way down the mountain like to drink from the lake. According to historical record, the lake has been in existence for hundreds of years without ever being buried by the sand, a really geological wonder. Althoughaccording to measurement made in 1960, the average depth of the lake was 4 to 5 meters, with maximum depth 7.5 meters. In the following 40 years, the depth of lake continually declined. In the early 1990s, the area of the lake had shrunken to only 1.37-acre with average depth of 0.9 meter.
There is also a story about the lake: in the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC- 24), a general called Li Guang, together with a group of soldiers, captured a powerful and swift horse from Dawan, a western state of China at that time. When passing the Echoing-Sand Mountain upon their return, the soldiers became too thirsty to continue their march. General Li drew his sword and thrust it into the side of the mountain causing water to spring forth and so formed the lake. You may be wondering how come the surrounding deserts never consumed the lake. Researchers have discovered that in this special crescent landform, the wind created the depression: cross-ventilated theory, and the falling sands from the surrounding mountains would be sent back to the other side of nearby Echoing-Sand Mountains. And because of this particular earth movement, the sands do not smother the spring; the sand dunes and the spring will exist eternally in a harmonious but paradoxical existence.
Here you can enjoy not only the rare view where an oasis meets the desert, but also some fun sand adventures such as: camel riding, dune surfing, and sand sliding.
Jiayuguan Pass of the Great Wall
Located about six kilometers (four miles) southwest of Jiangyuguan City, the Jiayuguan Pass represents the western starting point of a section of the Great Wall constructed during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The pass, which takes its name from the Jiayu Hill, covers an area of 33,500 square meters (eight acres) and lies at the base of a narrow valley. Commonly referred to as the finest example of its kind on earth, the pass is the best preserved of the Great Wall's ancient military fortresses. The Jiayuguan Pass was constructed as far back as 1372. According to legend, when Jiayuguan was being planned, the official in charge asked the designer to estimate the exact number of bricks required and the designer gave him a number. The official questioned his judgment, asking him if that would be enough, so the designer added one brick. When Jiayuguan was finished, there was one brick left over, which was placed loose on one of the gates where it remains today.
The Jiayuguan Pass is constructed in three concentric layers: the central area is made up of an inner city, containing the largest of the pass' buildings; an outer city section, surrounded by a large wall dotted with watchtowers, turrets, and high-terrace pavilions; and finally, for purposes of defense, a moat. All of these features combined to make it a daunting prospect for any would-be attackers. The inner city is a trapezoid-shaped area encompassing about 25,000 square meters (six acres) of land. It is enclosed by the city wall, which spans 640 meters (2,100 feet) and reaches a height of up to 11 meters (36 feet). The inner city has both east and west gates, known as the Guanghua and Rouyuan respectively. Each of the city gates is also protected by its own smaller guard tower. The tower defending the west gate is known as Luo City, and from it hangs a plaque with characters that read: “天下第一雄关” (The Greatest Pass under Heaven).
Some tourist spots within the inner city include: Youji Jiangjun (an official title)'s Mansion, Wenchang Hall and Jing Pavilion. Found outside the fort's east gate are the Guandi Temple, a series of grand archways and a theater tower. On the west side stands a grand stele housed in a pavilion; the four Chinese characters found etched on its surface - 'Tian', 'Xia', 'Xiong' and 'Guan' - were written by Li Tingchen, a Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) commander. There are also a number of other historical sites to be found in the Jiayuguan Pass region: the two most notable ones are the Overhanging Great Wall in the north and the First Frusta in the south.
Overhanging Great Wall
Located seven miles from Jiayuguan City in Gansu Province and four miles northwest of the pass city of Jiayuguan Pass, the Overhanging Great Wall is an important part of the defensive work of Jiayuguan Pass. It was built in 1539 during the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) in order to strengthen the defensive capability of the Jiayuguan area. Built on the eastern slope of Mt. Heishan (Black Mountain), the Great Wall is not visible to anyone looking from west to east. In the ancient times, enemies often thought they could enter Inner-China from the Heishan Canyon as long as they rounded the Jiayuguan Pass. They were mistaken: after they went over the mountain with great difficulty, they found a very firm Great Wall in their path that was impossible to cross.
Viewed from a distance, the Great Wall appears very like a dragon overhanging from the slopes of the mountain. The wall was built by using local gravel and layers upon layers of the local yellow soil. It consists of a main path, battlements and three observation posts. Originally, it measured 0.9 miles long, however, due to natural disasters and human destruction, only 820 yards of the wall remains. Its imposing appearance and manner are very much like those of Badaling Great Wall in Beijing, and so, it is reputed as 'the Western Badaling Great Wall'.
The Overhang Great Wall starts from the foot of Mt. Heishan and takes you all the way up to the peak of the mountain. Some the steps are so steep that it's not easy for some people to reach the summit. Standing at the peak of the Mountain, you will get to see the boundless desert extending to faraway places and rare oasis drop-ins.
Labrang Monastery
The Labrang Monastery, one of the six great monasteries of the Geluk (Yellow Hat) school of Tibetan Buddhism, is located at the foot of the Phoenix Mountain, northwest of Xiahe County in Gannan Tibetan Nationality Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province. A propitious place in the hearts of the Tibetan: it stands by the Daxia River and faces the Dragon Mountain. There is a beautiful legend regarding the Dragon and Phoenix Mountains surrounding the Labrang Monastery. A long time ago, it was said that this place was a boundless sea. After countless changes, mountains and lands appeared. One day, a golden-wing phoenix flew here and rested on one of the mountains in the south. It was so thirsty that it drank all the water; thus the sea dried up. A dragon in the sea was greatly shocked, so it cavorted out of the water, which led to the emergence of a spring at the site where the phoenix drank. As the spring water effused more and more, the Daxia River was formed. So the dragon became the Dragon Mountain and the phoenix became the Phoenix Mountain.
The Labrang Monastery was built on the Zhaxiqi (means auspiciousness) shoal, which is located north of the basin. The architectural layout of the Labrang Monastery resembles those of the Tibetan style and the construction patterns combined both Han and Tibetan styles. The epitomes of the whole Monastery are the two White Towers located in the northeast and in the northwest of the monastery. The grand sutra and Buddha halls are located in the northwestern tower centered in the Grand Sutra Hall. Other halls spread in a shape similar to a crescent moon. The Grand Sutra Hall is the primary place for the religious activities of the Labrang Monks and. On the inside walls there are portraits of Buddha and built-in shrines of Buddha and bookcases.
Located in the northwest of the Grand Sutra Hall, the Grand Golden Tile Hall is the highest building in the Labrang Monastery and is strongly tinged with a Nepalese flavor. It is six-storied high and the roof is covered with bronze bricks that are covered in gold. In front of the hall gate a stele hangs, and on it are Han, Tibetan, Manchu and Mongolian characters written by the Emperor Jiaqing (1760-1820) of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Inside the hall there is a bronze figure of Buddha created by Nepalese artisans. The Labrang Monastery boasts tens of thousands of statues of Buddha made of gold, silver, copper, and aluminum. There are also statues sculpted with ivory, sandalwood, jade, crystal and clay. These Buddha statues are all lifelike with kind-looking faces, which give visitors a real enjoyment of beauty. In addition, the monastery possesses many Buddha hats and many Buddhist treasures adorned with pearls, jadeite, agate and diamonds.
The Labrang Monastery holds seven large-scale summon ceremonies a year; the grandest ones are the Summons Ceremony on the first lunar month and the Buddhist Doctrine Explaining Ritual on the seventh lunar month
Jiuzhaigou
Located in the north of Sichuan Province, Jiuzhaigou County (previously known as Nanping County until it was renamed in 1998) is part of the Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture. Since the opening of the Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area in 1984, more and more visitors are flocking to the region annually, and the prosperous tourist industry now accounts for a large proportion of local revenue.
Lying on the highest tableland in the world between the Sichuan Basin and the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, the Jiuzhaigou Valley covers altitudes ranging from 2,000 meters (656,168 feet) to about 4,300 meters (14,107,612 feet). Jiuzhaigou, with its large numbers of lakes and waterfalls, rich variety of endangered plants and animals, was awarded the status of UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve in 1997; it was also recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. The reserve has received a string of other titles including that of a National Geological Park, an AAAA Class Scenic Spot in China and a Green Globe 21.
With some of the most beautiful and inspiring scenery on earth, some of the reserves scenic spots are consider holy by the local Tibetan and Qiang people, it is no wonder that a number of mysterious legends surround the wonderful landscape of Jiuzhaigou. Consequently, many people are drawn to the area as much by its reputation as by its beauty. And with its park open all year round, the authorities have ensured that the fragile environment is sufficiently protected with a range of comprehensive tourist facilities.
In previous years, it had been difficult for visitors to get to Jiuzhaigou due to its isolated location, but this is no longer a concern due to the construction of the Jiuzhaigou Ring Way, which links the reserve with Chengdu and Jiuhuang Airport. The construction of the Ring Way has made gaining access to the park a great deal easier. Today most visitors transfer at Chengdu onto long-distance buses or flights going to Jiuzhaigou. The route on the ring way passes through a number of attractions and is surrounded by beautiful natural sceneries, providing many distractions for anyone making the journey. The route offers opportunities to enjoy the great Dujiangyan Irrigation Project, the beautiful Mt.Siguniangshan (Four Maiden's Mountain) Scenic Area and the world famous Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area.