Mogao Caves, Dunhuang

Carved into a cliff at the eastern foot of Mingsha Mountain near Dunhuang in Gansu province, the Mogao Caves stand as the most celebrated grotto complex of the Dunhuang Grottoes.

For over a thousand years, vibrant murals and delicate painted sculptures here have quietly witnessed the meeting of cultures along the legendary Silk Road. As spring winds sweep across the vast Gobi Desert, this UNESCO World Heritage Site emerges from the golden sands — mysterious, timeless and breathtaking.