In which dynasty were Mogao Grottoes first built? Why are they known as the Pearl of Oriental Art?

There are many famous sculptures in Mogao Grottoes. The statues are all round, with rich and full shapes, and the style is more Central Plains. There are tall statues that did not exist in previous dynasties. The group of statues is mostly seven or nine. In the Sui Dynasty, it was mainly one Buddha, two disciples, two Bodhisattvas or four Bodhisattvas. In the Tang Dynasty, it was mainly one Buddha, two disciples, two Bodhisattvas and two Heavenly Kings, and some also added two strong men. The murals of Mogao Grottoes during this period were rich in themes, magnificent in scenes, and gorgeous in colors, and the artistic skills reached an unprecedented level. So in which dynasty was Mogao Grottoes built? Why is Mogao Grottoes known as the Pearl of Oriental Art? Let's take a look at the introduction of Encyclopedia Knowledge Network below!

Contents of this article

1. In which dynasty were Mogao Grottoes first built?

2. Why is Mogao Grottoes known as the Pearl of Oriental Art?

3. Design a slogan for Mogao Grottoes

4. A passage describing the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang

In which dynasty were Mogao Grottoes first built?

Mogao Grottoes were first built during the Former Qin period of the Sixteen Kingdoms.

Mogao Grottoes, also known as the Thousand Buddha Caves, was built in the Former Qin Dynasty and has been built in the Sixteen Kingdoms, Northern Dynasties, Sui, Tang, Five Dynasties, Western Xia, Yuan and other dynasties, forming a huge scale. There are 735 caves, 45,000 square meters of murals, and 2,415 clay sculptures. It is the largest and most content-rich Buddhist art site in the world. Mogao Grottoes is located in Dunhuang at the western end of the Hexi Corridor. It was carved on the cliff at the eastern foot of Mingsha Mountain, 25 kilometers southeast of Dunhuang City. It faces Dangquan in front and Sanwei Mountain, a branch of Qilian Mountain in the east. In 1961, Mogao Grottoes was announced by the State Council of the People's Republic of China as one of the first batch of national key cultural relics protection units. In 1987, Mogao Grottoes was listed as a World Cultural Heritage. Mogao Grottoes is known as one of the four major grottoes in China, along with Yungang Grottoes in Datong, Shanxi, Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang, Henan, and Maijishan Grottoes in Tianshui, Gansu.

Why is Mogao Grottoes known as the Pearl of Oriental Art?

Here are the reasons:

1. There are many preserved documents.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Sutra Cave was discovered, which contained 50,000 to 60,000 manuscripts, documents and cultural relics from the 4th to the 10th century. This attracted great attention from scholars at home and abroad, and formed the famous Dunhuang Studies.

2. Because it is well preserved.

There are 492 existing caves, 45,000 square meters of murals, more than 2,400 colored sculptures, more than 4,000 flying figures, 5 Tang and Song Dynasty wooden structures, and thousands of lotus pillars and floor tiles. It is a comprehensive art palace composed of architecture, painting, and sculpture. It is the largest and best-preserved treasure house of Buddhist art in the world.

3. High artistic value.

The Dunhuang Grottoes, with the Mogao Grottoes as its center, were listed on the World Heritage List by UNESCO in 1987. As a national art treasure of my country, it has high historical and artistic value, is a rare treasure, and is a national art treasure of my country and a pearl of human cultural heritage.

Designing slogans for Mogao Grottoes

1. Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, Gansu, is a pearl in the northwest of the motherland.

2. Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes are a treasure of art and a crystallization of wisdom.

3. Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, the pride of flying apsaras and the palace of art.

4. The murals are extremely charming, and Mogao is even more so.

5. The brilliant pearl Mogao Grottoes shines on you and me.

6. The treasure house of world civilization, the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang.

A passage describing the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang

As a treasure house of art, Mogao Grottoes is a place where artistic styles from different times converge into a colorful landscape. Dunhuang Tang Dynasty art represents the most brilliant era of Chinese Buddhist art. Foreign art and Chinese national art blend seamlessly, and Dunhuang Tang Dynasty art is unprecedentedly rich and colorful. The majestic and vigorous giant Buddha statues that are more than ten meters tall; the clever and delicate little Bodhisattvas that are only more than ten centimeters tall; the huge sutras with grand scenes and dense figures; and the single figure paintings with vivid images and distinct personalities are all impressive.