What are the historical values and artistic features of Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes?

It was built in the Sixteen Kingdoms period. According to the Tang Dynasty's "Li Kerang Rebuilds the Monument of Mogao Grottoes", in the second year of Yuan Dynasty (355), monks passed this mountain and suddenly saw the golden light shining like a million buddhas, so they dug the first grotto on the rock wall. Since then, Zen master Fa Liang and others have continued to build caves here to practice, which are called "desert grottoes", meaning "high places in the desert".

Later generations renamed it "Mogao Grottoes" because of the common "desert" and "Mo". During the Northern Wei, Western Wei and Northern Zhou Dynasties, the rulers believed in Buddhism, and the construction of grottoes was supported by princes and nobles, which developed rapidly. During the Sui and Tang Dynasties, with the prosperity of the Silk Road, the Mogao Grottoes flourished, and there were more than a thousand caves in Wu Zetian.

After the Anshi Rebellion, Dunhuang was occupied by Tubo and Guiyi Army successively, but the carving activities were not greatly affected. During the Uighur period, the Mogao Grottoes reached the largest peak in history, and the famous or clear and complete portraits and Buddhist sculptures seen at present were basically restored and built during this period.

Extended data:

Value at purchase price

The construction of Dunhuang Grottoes and its historical process, the long history of Dunhuang, the influential clans and surnames in the local area, and the relationship between Dunhuang and neighboring ethnic groups and the western regions are not or rarely recorded in history. There are thousands of portraits of patrons in Dunhuang Grottoes, of which more than 1000 still have titles. Can understand a lot of historical situations and historical clues.

Inscriptions such as Bunsen Sutra, Buddhist Biography, Futian Sutra, Maitreya Sutra, Baoyu Sutra, Shurangama Sutra and Providers can help us understand the situation of ancient economic life. The changes in Goblet of Fire and Nirvana provide the battle charts of ancient military drills, expeditions, expeditions, offensives and defenses, as well as precious video materials of weapons and equipment.

There are sports materials in Dunhuang murals, such as riding and shooting, shooting at the target, horse skills, vault, sumo wrestling, weightlifting (elephant holding and bell holding), chess, pot throwing, martial arts, swimming, polo and kicking.