Why We Love Dunhuang
Activity Overview
Episode publication activity over the past year
Episodes
EP 55: Which is the No. 1 auspicious beast in Dunhuang?
31 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Among all the mythical beasts in Dunhuang, the Chinese dragon, or loong, undoubtedly holds the top stop. Dunhuang not only has a diverse collection...
The luminous Dunhuang night market
28 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Dunhuang Night Market shines like a hidden gem amidst the dazzling culture and historical heritage of Dunhuang. What do locals in Dunhuang love to...
EP 54: Dunhuang is where my heart belongs
11 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The art treasures of Dunhuang have captivated generations of people. Among them is the “daughter of Dunhuang”, who has spent more than half a cent...
EP 53: A treasure book on the wall
04 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How did people make wine over 1000 years ago? How did the ancient blacksmiths do their work? Yulin Cave 3 is an encyclopedia where you can find all th...
EP 52: The State Preceptor Cave
28 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The murals of Yulin Cave 29 record a unique baldheaded hairstyle of the local males over 1000 years ago. What made the hairstyle so popular? And why w...
EP 51: A unique wedding in an earthly paradise
21 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Constructed on two sharp cliffs facing each other, and covering a period of more than 1500 years, the Yulin Caves are the twins of the Mogao Caves. It...
EP 50: Lawsuit of widow A’long
14 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
French Sinologist Paul Pelliot brought lots of precious Dunhuang Manuscripts back to France, among which, was a complicated lawsuit, that happened ove...
EP 49: The Sogdian letters
07 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Britain has the world largest collection of Dunhuang Manuscripts and other relics. What are some of the most amazing ones and what are the stories beh...
EP 48: A glance at the Dunhuang Manuscripts
30 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Why are the items found inside Dunhuang’s Library Cave so precious? What are the treasures included in the Dunhuang Manuscripts? Why is Dunhuang als...
EP 47: World earliest printed book
25 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Dunhuang Manuscripts constitute the largest repositories of religious, scientific, and literary texts detailing aspects of life in China and abroa...
EP 46: Love conquers all
16 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Among all the caves in the Dunhuang Mogao complex, Cave 465 is different in many ways. Why are there images of a male deity embracing a female deity i...
EP 45: How to save 10,000 dying fish ?
09 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When Dunhuang ushered in the Song Dynasty, could it still copy the glories of the Tang Dynasty? How could a man save 10,000 dying fish in Cave 55?
EP 44: Map of Mount Wutai
02 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Who is the Bodisatffa associated with wisdom? What can we learn from a huge map painting of a sacred mountain in China? Let’s find the answers in Ca...
EP 43: The 12 western zodiac signs
13 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Why did the 12 Western astrological signs appear in the Dunhuang Mogao Cave 61 a thousand years ago? What are the stories behind the cave donors?
EP 42: A competition of supernatural powers
06 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dunhuang Mogao Cave 196, built in the Late Tang period, shows a fierce and magnificent competition of magical powers.
EP 41: A cave in honor of General Zhang
31 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Cave 156 was constructed in Dunhuang in honor of a great general, who upheld the last glory of the fading Tang Dynasty.
EP 40: The most famous cave in Dunhuang
24 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Cave 17, otherwise known as the Library Cave, is perhaps, the most famous cave in Dunhuang. Why is there a vivid monk statue inside this cave? Who was...
EP 39: From High Tang to Middle Tang
17 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Guess who is the second most famous woman in the Tang Dynasty? Why is she blamed for triggering a major military rebellion that led to the decline of ...
EP 38: A fashion show in the kingdom of giants
09 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Inside Dunhuang Mogao Cave 130, we can find the second largest Buddha statue in Dunhuang, the largest Apsara and Bodhisattva images, as well as a gran...
EP 37: Buddha’s grand funeral
03 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Nirvana is the ‘ultimate state of being’ in Buddhism. Cave 148 of the Dunhuang Mogao complex is a special cave dedicated to this purpose, where it...
EP 36: Parable of the phantom city
24 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In Cave 103 of the Dunhuang Mogao complex, you can still find the long-lost landscape painting style of the Tang Dynasty, as well as a story about how...
EP 35: Regaining the joy of childhood
17 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Inside the Buddhist world of Dunhuang, there is also a playground for children. Let’s meet some kids who have special skills in Cave 79.
EP 34: The spring rain drops on the green land
10 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Although the Mogao Caves are located in the northern part of China, you can find pictured here poetic rural scenery which only belongs in the southern...
EP 33: A rendezvous with the group of seven
02 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The art of the Tang Dynasty reached its peak in the High Tang period. In this episode, we’ll visit the most representative cave built in this period...
EP 32: A pioneer of culture communication
26 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A non-Chinese figure was depicted on the wall of Dunhuang Cave 217. Who was he? Why was his name related to one of China’s most famous Buddhist moun...
EP 31: The beauty cave in Dunhuang
19 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Among all the Bodhisattva images in Dunhuang, Cave 57 has the most beautiful one. Let’s meet the Venus of the East!
EP 30: The giant Buddha and the powerful empress
12 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Cave 96 is an iconic building in Dunhuang. It not only has the largest statue in Dunhuang, but it is also related to the only female emperor in Chines...
EP 29: A Chinese diplomat and his celebrity effect
05 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Cave 323 tells stories of how Buddhism came to China, and the story was related to one of the most famous diplomats in ancient China.
EP 28: The paradises of east and west
29 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
History generally regards the Tang Dynasty, as a high point of Chinese civilization. Which cave in Dunhuang best represents the changing art style of ...
EP 27: Buddhism rises again
22 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Sui Dynasty united China but it only lasted for 37 years. However, more than 100 caves were built in Dunhuang during this period. What caused the ...
EP 26: The prince and the hungry tigress
15 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Northern Zhou Dynasty was not a period in favour of Buddhism in China, but Cave 428 built during this time has the largest number of donor images ...
EP 25: Fantastic beasts and Queen Mother of the West
08 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dunhuang Mogao Cave 249 is a grand gathering of magical animals and deities from Chinese mythology, as well as some from other cultures. Who are they ...
EP 24: Conversion of 500 bandits
01 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
With its design, rich content, religious objects, aesthetic ideals, and art form, Cave 285 is considered one of the most special in Dunhuang. It also ...
EP 23: The earliest-dated cave in Dunhuang
24 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What makes Cave 285 one of the most special ones in Dunhuang? Why it is the earliest-dated cave in Dunhuang? and what do the sun god and moon god look...
EP 22: Mona Lisa of the East
17 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Among all the Buddha statues in the Mogao Grottoes, which one has gained fame as the “Mona Lisa of the East” with his attractive and mysterious sm...
EP 21: The Nine-Colored Deer
10 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
On the mural paintings of Cave 257, you can find one of the most famous mythical creatures in china, the Nine-Colored Deer. What’s the story of this...
EP 20: King Sibi and the dove
03 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Why would a prince give up the secular world and pursue a religious life? Why would a king offer his flesh to save a dove? The wall paintings of Dunhu...
EP 19: The cross-legged Bodhisattva and dog-looking lions
27 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The earliest caves in Dunhuang were constructed about 1,600 years ago. What do the caves look like? How could ancient Chinese sculptors tackle the pro...
EP 18: Horses in Dunhuang
20 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the modern Olympic Games, equestrian is the only category of sport where athletes work with animals. The relation between humans and horses were al...
EP 17: Living in Dunhuang
13 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How did the Dunhuang people live more than a thousand years ago? What was their attitude towards life and death? Their happiness and struggles have al...
EP 16: Dunhuang dance and Tang performing arts
06 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Dunhuang dance has become a unique genre of traditional Chinese dance. Originating from the cave murals, what’s the charm of Dunhuang dance? Why...
EP 15: The flying apsaras
29 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you want to find some of the most beautiful flying figures in Dunhuang, you have to find the images of Feitian. They are the symbol of the Mogao Gr...
EP 14: Murals of Dunhuang Mogao Caves
22 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The murals of Dunhuang are of unique research and artistic value. They are seen as the ‘gene bank’ of Chinese paintings and have served as sources...
EP 13: Coloured Buddha statues in Dunhuang
15 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Among the over 2000 Buddha statues in the Dunhuang Mogao Caves, the tallest one is over 35 meters tall. Where is this Buddha statue located? How is it...
Mid-Autumn Festival special: over the moon in Dunhuang
08 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In Mogao Caves are numerous mural paintings depicting the moon gods or goddesses. Why would there be a jade rabbit and a toad in a painting of the moo...
EP 12: Sculptures of Dunhuang Mogao Caves
01 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Colored sculptures are the main features of the Dunhuang Grottoes. They have been preserved for more than a thousand years. Frozen in time, they are t...
EP 11: Cave-making in Dunhuang
25 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
There are more than 800 caves built on the cliffs in Dunhuang. Why were they built? Technically how were the caves built in the middle of a desert? Wh...
EP 10: From past to present: why we love Dunhuang
18 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Why does Dunhuang continue to attract people, past and present, from all around the world? What makes Dunhuang a land of miracles?
EP 09: The guardians of Dunhuang
11 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dunhuang has experienced many ups and downs through its long history, but the value of Dunhuang remained because it has always had its own guardians.
EP 08: A national tragedy
04 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Inside the Library Cave of Dunhuang Mogao Caves, there were over 50,000 cultural relics dating back to the late 4th to the 11th centuries. But now the...
Chinese Valentine’s Day Special: Can you feel love in Dunhuang?
29 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Love is essential and universal. But did the ancients also feel the same way? What was their perception of ideal love? Let’s find the answer from th...
EP 07: The first Western explorer of Mogao Caves
21 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
According to some people, he is a brilliant explorer and archaeologist. But some people say he is a robber, a liar, and a devil along the ancient Silk...
EP 06: The mystery of the Library Cave (Part Two)
14 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Library Cave had more than 50,000 historical items inside. What happened to the contents after they were discovered?
EP 05: The mystery of the Library Cave (Part One)
07 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
There are many mysteries surrounding the Mogao Caves, but undoubtedly one of the most significant revelations was the discovery of the Library Cave. W...
EP 04: Caves on the cliffs
01 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The building of the Mogao Caves on the cliffs of Minsha Mountain in Dunhuang lasted for 1,000 years. How were the caves built and why were they built?
EP 03: How Dunhuang became a Buddhist hub
24 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The ancient Silk Road not only brought commercial prosperity to Dunhuang, but also paved ways for the spread of Buddhism. In this episode, we will exp...
EP 02: The legend of Silk Road merchants
17 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
More than 2000 years ago, the people of Eurasia explored and opened up several routes of trade and cultural exchanges, which were called “the Silk R...
EP 01: Why Dunhuang matters?
10 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This episode tells you about a brief history of Dunhuang and its magnificent Mogao Grottoes. Who built those caves? Why were they built in the first p...
Introducing "Why We Love Dunhuang"
09 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dunhuang is a place born in legends. Its unique charm has attracted people around the globe to come and worship. In this podcast series, we bring you ...