The Mogao Caves, also named Thousand-Buddha Caves, are praised as "a glittering pearl that adorns the Silk Road", and they are the most famous caves in China. Located 25km southeast of Dunhuang County, these caves are carved out of the sandstone cliffs of Mingsha Mountain, extending some 1600m from south to north. Constructed in 10 dynasties from the 4th to the 14th century, its 45000 square meters of mural paintings and more than 2000 color statues are regarded as the greatest treasure-house of Buddhist art existing in the world.

Most of Dunhuang's art dates from the Northern and Western Wei, Northern Zhou, Sui and Tang dynasties, although examples from the Five Dynasties, Northern Song, Western Xia and Yuan can also be found. The Northern Wei, Western Wei, Northern Zhou and Tang caves are in the best state of preservation.The caves are generally rectangular or square with recessed, decorated ceilings. The focal point of each is a group of brightly painted statues representing Buddha and the Bodhisattvas.

The smaller statues are composed of terracotta coated with a kind of plaster surface so that intricate details could be etched into the surface.The walls and ceilings were plastered with layers of cement and clay and then painted with watercolour. Large sections of the murals are made up of decorative patterns using motifs from nature, architecture or textiles.Many of the caves have been touched up at one time or another.

Northern Wei, Western Wei& Northern Zhou Caves

The Turkic-speaking Tuobas, who invaded and conquered the country in the 4th century, inhabited the region north of China and founded the Northern Wei dynasty around AD 386.

Friction between groups who wanted to maintain the traditional Tuoba lifestyle and those who wanted to assimilate with the Chinese eventually split the Tuoba empire in the middle of the 6th century.

The eastern part adopted the Chinese way of life and the rulers took the dynasty name of Northern Qi. The western part took the dynasty name of Northern Zhou and tried in vain to revert to Tuoba customs. By AD 567, however, they had managed to defeat the Qi to take control of all of northern China.

The fall of the Han dynasty in AD 220 sent Confucianism into decline. This, plus the turmoil of the Tuoba invasions, made Buddhism's teachings of nirvana and personal salvation highly appealing to many people. The religion spread rapidly and made a new and decisive impact on Chinese art, which can be seen in the Buddhist statues at Mogao.

The art of this period is characterised by its attempt to depict the spirituality of those who had achieved enlightenment and transcended the material world through their asceticism. The Wei statues are slim, ethereal figures with fine chiselled features and comparatively large heads, and clearly show the influence of Indian Buddhist art and teachings.