Also named "Thousand-Buddha Caves", the Mogao Grottoes of Dunhuang is situated on the cliff of The Mingsha Mountain, about 25km southeast of the Dunhuang Town. Stretching 1600 meters from south to north, it is a Buddhism treasure trove of art with a longstanding history of over 1600 years. Despits of the natural erosion and the human destruction, there are still 492 caves fully reserved. Within those caves, murals cover a total wall space of some 45,000 square meters and the number of the painted clay sculptures still in existence is 2,415. there are also five surviving timber structures whose history dates back to Tang and Song Dynasties. Hence the Mogao Grottoes can be ranked as the best preserved and the largest treasure trove of Buddhism arts not only in our country but also in the world. In 1989, the United Nation listed it as one of the cultural relics under special protection. In 1991, the UNESCO gave a formal testimonial to the Chinese government as to list the grottoes as a "worldwide cultural heritage". In the same year, it was also valued by the National Tourism Administration as one of the "forty best scenic spots across the country".
