Mogao Grottos

Mogao Grottos , known as thousand-Buddha Caves , are re presentative of the grottos in Dunhuang . chiseled out on he eastern escarpment of Mount Minsha in five layers , the grottos extend more than 1,600 meters  from north to south . It s construction was commenced at the second year of the reign of emperor Jianyuan (366 A.D.) in the Earlier Qin Dynasty . There are now altogether 492 grottos from 16 dynasties , of which 32 were from the northern Wei-Western Wei Dynasties , 110 were from the Sui Dynasty , 247 were from the Tang Dynasty , 36 were from the Five Dynasties , 45 were from the Song Dynasty and 8 were from the Yuan dynasty . They contain more than 45,000 m(平方米) of mural paintings , 2,415 colored sculptures , 5 wooden structure of the Tang Dynasty , and more than 50,000 pieces of calligraphy and painting and other cultural works , forming the greatest trove of ancient Chinese artworks .
　　 Clay sculptures and frescos are the main artworks in the Mogao Grottos . The smallest Buddha statue there is only 10 cm . high . There are single Buddha statues and group Buddha statues . In the group statues , he statue of Buddha is located at the centre , flanked by the statues of Disciples , Bodhisattvas , Devarajas , and Herculean Guardians . They are mostly round sculptures done in the earlier periods and high sculptures , screen sculptures and mural sculptures done in the later periods . In addition , there are frescos as background . the amalgamation of sculpture and painting is a characteristic of Dunhuang Grottos . Particularly exquisite are the frescos . If the sections of the frescos are arrayed in line at a height of 2 m. they will constitute a 25 kilometer-long art gallery . These frescos reflect the life and laboring scenes , manifesting vividly the laboring and social life , the clothing and adornment , he architectural styles , music , dance and acrobatics of the respective periods . they are most precious graphic materials for studying the Chinese society and Sino-foreign cultural exchanges between the fourth and the fourteenth centuries .

 

2010-12-13

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