Travelogue

| Gateway to the Silk Road | Guizhou Landscape |
| Dream away in Yangshuo | Where memories linger |
| Grand Canal at Hangzhou Ending | Curing Cuisines | Tea Tour |
| A Challenging Trip | Expedition to fairyland |
| Snacks at Kunming | Lijiang Impression |
| A Quiet Village Tour | Splash off Your Bad Luck |
| Summer Escape to a Holy Island | Suzhou’s History |
| In the Heart of a Miao Village | No-frills cruise along the Yangtze |

Gateway to the Silk Road

Bidisha Bagchi

Dunhuang lies at an important junction of the Silk Road, the ancient caravan trail that stretched for more than 7,000 kilometres from China to the Mediterranean. It served as a highway not just for merchandise, but also for exchange of religious, cultural and artistic ideas. By the 4th century, the Silk Road had made Dunhuang commercially prosperous and a prominent Buddhist community.

Our flight from Beijing landed at the Dunhuang airport on schedule and immediately there was a feeling of contentment; we would be taking a wondrous trip down the Silk Road as it wound through the dunes of Dunhuang.

"An oasis in the Gobi Desert" - that's how Dunhuang was described to us and sparing a couple of days more to experience this ethnic grandeur was not difficult. Dunhuang is not very well known; a small town in the province of Gansu in Northwest China, hosting a few exotic features of the region - the echoing sand mountains, the Mogao caves and the historical Silk Road. There wasn't any looking back for any of us.

Ancient arts

Set into a cliff wall above the echoing sands are the famous Mogao Grottoes. We left to visit these superb artistic caves with plans to return to the dunes in time to view the sunset. The Mogao caves are filled with one of the most extensive and beautiful collections of Buddhist paintings and sculptures in the world. The caves remain one of the most perfectly preserved religious sites.

Constructed over a very long period, from the 4th to the 14th centuries, the caves represent Buddhist art, sutras, murals and sculptures.

During its prime days, the complex had thousands of caves, of which only a few hundreds remain. Almost every grotto contains colourful paintings of Buddha and other religious figures or the social activities of different dynasties. The caves carved on the cliff wall provide research material for the study of all aspects of Chinese medieval society. Unfortunately, as in other caves around the world, photography is prohibited here.

The Caves of the Western Thousand Buddhas nearby are also worth a visit. Even though the caves are limited in number and are not as gorgeous as the Mogao, the general ambience was very serene, maybe because it wasn't crowded with tourists.

Echoing sand mountain

Our next stop, the echoing sand mountains, was a photographer's delight. The dunes here do not shift like the ones back home in Jaisalmer, India. They have been in the same position for ages, yet they are as picturesque as the shifting ones. Also known as the sand dunes of Mingsha, the superb desert scenery, with the dunes surrounded by ridges and cliffs, reaches up to a considerable height. The climb to the top of the dunes is difficult but the dramatic view back across the desert sands towards the oasis is absolutely breathtaking.

To reach the top, bicycles, cabs and camels can be arranged. Dune surfing, sand gliding and even aerial tours of the dunes are available. Descending the dunes was equally thrilling, sliding down the side to the sound of rumbling sand as the wind swept across like thunder.

Eventually, it was time for the sun to bid farewell. The entire sky was set ablaze with colours. The temperature dropped quickly. Quietly the blazing sky faded away and the big, round red ball dipped below the horizon. It was a magnificent sight as the sand took on the palette of the sky. As the sun set, millions of twinkling stars took centre stage. The show was over and everyone clapped.

The place says goodbye

On our way back our driver suggested that we return to the hotel to rest for the day as the next day was scheduled for the historical Yang Guan.

The South Pass or Yang Guan was the last post of the Han Dynasty (206BC-AD220) Silk Road; deserted, barren, rugged yet hauntingly beautiful. Located on the edge of the Gobi Desert, Yang Guan was the last station before starting the journey on the 7,000-kilometre-long trek from ancient China.

The ancient traveller leaving China along this road would pass through Dunhuang before his journey westwards. Silk was traded along this stretch from China across Asia to the eastern Roman Empire and southern Asia. Standing on this corridor, one's imaginations can travel to far away places; as far as the eye can see, up to the never-ending blue horizon. Such is the rugged beauty of the place and its surroundings.

The concrete corridor on top of a hill is now a sort of monument that surely gives an idea about the anxieties and worries the traders must have gone through before stepping onto this route. Just below the hill is the site of a trading town that ultimately was destroyed by continuous strong swirling winds around the hills. Lighthouses that relayed messages to and from its counterparts for thousands of miles, still stand but are no longer in use.

The grand museum established in 1979 houses almost 4,000 historic cultural relics, including documents behind the scriptures in the Mogao, stone tablets, cooking vessels, rare embossed bricks from the Han Dynasty and silk and brocade evidence of the Silk Road.

The courtyard in front of the main building is adorned with sculptures of people leading camels along the ancient trail. The entire display is simple yet very informative and interesting.

We returned to our hotel with a heart full of happiness for being able to witness a historical monument, geographical beauty and cultural treasures, all in one place.

For detailed information, you can just drop in an email and you will get a quick reply within 12 hours.
john@chinahuangshan.com congzhang35@hotmail.com

Link Partners:
www.photoexplorertours.com/china.htm