Mogao Caves (Mogao Grottoes)
Hailed as "Art Gallery in the Desert" and the "Museum on the Walls", Dunhuang’s Mogao Grottoes, aka Mogao Caves, were listed as a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1987. It, together with the Longmen Grottoes, Yungang Grottoes, and Maijishan Grottoes, is one of the four famous ancient sculptural sites of China. Walking through these old caves is like a trip back in time, with a complete and chronological picture of Buddhist art. Each mural and statue tells a story from the Silk Road.
Mogao Grottoes Facts
Mogao Grottoes Overview
Situated 25 km southeast of Dunhuang City, the Mogao Grottoes (also named the Caves of Thousand Buddhas) were built into the desert cliffs above a river valley. It is so famous as the world's greatest treasure house of Buddhist art extant today. It is divided into north and south districts, totaling 735 grottoes in all. All the caves are linked by walkways and marked with the date of their carving and dynasty.
The existing 492 grottoes contain 45,000 square meters of murals and more than 2415 painted sculptures. The highest grotto in the Mogao Caves is more than 40 meters high, and the biggest figure is 33 meters tall. From the top story, you will get a view of a sweeping panorama of the 1600-meter expanse across the sheer cliff-side and of the nine-story tower jutting as the center of the remaining 492 grottoes. Their superb craftsmanship and rich imagination are amazing, so don’t miss them on your China Silk Road tours.
Recommended Silk Road tours with Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves History
The construction of the Mogao Grottoes in China started in 366 AD. At that time, the Buddhist monk Le Zun traveled westward and arrived at Dunhuang's Mingsha Mountain. There, he experienced a divine vision—a thousand radiant Buddhas appeared before him in a blaze of golden light. Deeply moved, he carved the first grotto into the eastern cliffs of the mountain. This cave was primarily a meditation cave for the seated Zen practice of Buddhism.
Generation after generation, the Mogao Caves were expanded and refined across dynasties—from the Eastern Jin Dynasty through the Northern Wei, Western Wei, Northern Zhou, Sui, Tang, Five Dynasties, Song, Xixia, and Yuan Dynasties.
Particularly, during the prosperous Tang Dynasty, one of the greatest dynasties of China, the Mogao Caves on the Silk Road reached their golden age. This era saw a dramatic expansion in the number of caves, with their art becoming richer in style and subject matter. Also, the techniques of murals and painted sculptures reached a very high level, showing the grandeur of the Great Tang.
The Art of the Mogao Caves
Mogao Caves, one of the top Buddhist Grottoes in China, is a must-visit attraction in Dunhuang during your China religious tours. These caves are a masterpiece of a three-dimensional art form combining architecture, sculpture, and murals.
Architecture
The Mogao Caves consist of variously sized grottoes interconnected by lengthy cliffside walkways. The main architectural styles of the caves include meditation caves for monks (e.g., Caves 268 and 285), central pillar caves, worship halls, colossal Buddha caves with giant statues like Cave 96 and 130, and nirvana caves with large reclining Buddhas such as Caves 148 and 158. Besides, there are also many wooden structures, including walkways, cave eaves, and pavilions.
Murals
The cave walls and ceilings are entirely covered with diverse murals depicting Buddhas, flying apsaras, celestial musicians, and fairies. Sutra transformation paintings, historical Buddhist narratives, and donor portraits can also be witnessed here and there. These colorful Mogao Caves’ murals demonstrate fluid brushwork that synthesizes Central Plains and Western Regions painting techniques. If aligned consecutively, the murals would extend over 30 kilometers, forming the world's longest, largest-scale, and most content-rich artistic gallery.
Painted Sculptures
The Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, China are like a vast sculpture museum, with more than 2,400 painted statues ranging from a 33-meter seated Buddha to tiny bodhisattvas just a few centimeters tall. These works mainly depict Buddhist figures, such as Buddhas, bodhisattvas, disciples, heavenly kings, guardians, arhats, and eminent monks. They exhibit diverse forms and lifelike appearances. Moreover, these sculptures achieved a breakthrough in Eastern aesthetics, and never miss them on your Gansu tours to the Mogao Caves.
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What to See in Mogao Grottoes
When traveling in the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, one of the best Chinese Buddhist caves, you’ll watch two films (lasting about 40 minutes) at the Digital Exhibition Center. Then, follow the tour guide to explore the ordinary caves and special caves. Afterwards, pay a visit to the Dunhuang Grotto Art Protection, Examination and Exhibition Center to admire the replica caves.
Mogao Grottoes Digital Exhibition Center
Opened in 2014 as part of the Mogao Caves' conservation revolution, this award-winning Mogao Grottoes Digital Exhibition Center lets you experience breathtaking 4K projections of restricted caves, take virtual "time travel" through 1,600 years of history, and see magnified details invisible to the naked eye in actual grottoes.
Classic Ordinary Caves
Mogao Cave 17: Recognized as the Mogao Grottoes Library Cave, it is a late Tang Dynasty treasure that once secretly housed over 50,000 Buddhist scriptures, paintings, and artifacts. The small square chamber has a pyramidal ceiling about 3 meters high, with a rectangular meditation platform on the north wall. On top sits the painted sculpture of Master Hongbian, a lifelike masterpiece of Dunhuang art.
Mogao Cave 61: Originally excavated during the Five Dynasties period and later renovated in the Yuan Dynasty, this cave of the Mogao Grottoes features a hall-style structure with an inverted pyramidal ceiling. Here you’ll find the earliest surviving Buddhist map of Mount Wutai region, along with life-sized portraits of Cao family.
Mogao Cave 96: Constructed in the Early Tang Dynasty, this cave is known colloquially as the "Nine-Story Pavilion," the Mogao Caves' landmark and largest architectural complex. Within its cavernous interior, the 35.5-meter "Northern Colossus" Maitreya Buddha emerges from living rock. It is the largest statue of Buddha in the Mogao Grottoes, ranking China’s third tallest after Leshan's 62-meter seated Buddha and Rong County's 36.67-meter statue.
Highlighted Special Caves
Mogao Cave 322: Built in the Early Tang period (618–704), Cave 322 of Mogao Grottoes preserves original sculptures and murals from that time. It has a pyramidal ceiling and a two-tiered niche on the west wall. Inside are seven statues: a Buddha in teaching pose with disciples Kāśyapa and Ānanda, two bodhisattvas, and two heavenly kings. The ceiling and walls are decorated with flying apsaras.
Mogao Cave 45: This cave contains the Mogao Caves’ sculptural masterpieces, including a famously elegant Bodhisattva, Śākyamuni Buddha with his two most devoted disciples, and guardian figures. The walls of Cave 45 in the Mogao Grottoes display splendid Tang paintings. The south side illustrates karmic consequences from scripture, while the north depicts a celestial paradise.
Mogao Cave 254: This cave is a fine example of East–West integration along the Silk Road, merging Indian “chaitya” design with Chinese wooden-style structure. It represents the Mogao Grotto stupa pillar structure with Buddha niches on four sides, once used for meditation. The ceiling of Cave 254 of the Mogao Grottoes has 34 heavenly beings painted among angled rafters, and the surrounding walls preserve some of the finest early murals of the Mogao Caves.
Mogao Cave 285: Created in 538 CE, this cave is the earliest dated cave and one of the most diverse in artistic style. The murals weave together Buddhist, Daoist, Hindu, and Greek influences, showing Chinese gods like Fuxi and Nuwa alongside foreign deities like thunder gods.
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Dunhuang Grotto Art Protection, Examination and Exhibition Center
This exhibition displays replicas of eight selected caves from the Mogao Grottoes and Yulin Grottoes, including Mogao Cave 285, Cave 220, and more. Visiting there, you can fully appreciate the artistic charm of the grottoes through these replicas, examining the Mogao Caves’ paintings, sculptures, and architectural details at close range. By the way, this is also a great place for taking pictures of the Mogao Caves.
Best Time to Visit Mogao Caves
Dunhuang’s inland location gives it a continental climate—hot days, cool nights, low rainfall, and over 3,000 hours of sunshine annually. The best time to visit the Mogao Caves is May–June and September–October. In May and June, sandstorms lessen and temperatures stay around 15–28°C, making it pleasant for cultural exploration. In September and October, temperatures range from 15 to 25°C with mostly clear air, providing excellent conditions for visiting the caves.
>> Check out Dunhuang weather and climate
Tips for Visiting Mogao Caves
- The regular Mogao Caves tour includes visiting 8 randomly selected ordinary caves, where you’ll follow a guide throughout the experience.
- There will be about 60 caves open daily, including 5 to 10 special caves (each priced 150 or 200 RMB).
- Flash photography and physical contact with cave walls are strictly forbidden.
- There is no restaurant in the scenic site, so you need to bring your own food and water.
- Check out the local weather before you go, and wear appropriate clothing and comfortable shoes.
- Dunhuang has long sunshine hours, and sun protection is necessary.
How to Get to Mogao Caves
By Air
Located just 13 kilometers from Dunhuang, Mogao International Airport offers flights to major cities in China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, Lanzhou, and Hong Kong. After landing, choose between the economical 10 RMB airport shuttle bus or a quick 30 RMB taxi ride to downtown Dunhuang. From there, take Bus No. 12 to the Mogao Caves for a fare of 8 RMB, with departures every hour and a journey time of around 40 minutes.
By Train
If you start your journey in Lanzhou, Zhangye, or Jiayuguan, taking a train also tends to be a good alternative. Upon reaching Dunhuang Railway Station, the Bus No. 12 can take you directly to the Mogao Grottoes.
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