Top 10 Famous Tourist Attractions and Sightseeing in Dunhuang

In the vast expanse of Northwest China, Dunhuang stands as an ancient and mysterious city, akin to a brilliant jewel set at the throats of the Silk Road. Here, not only does a millennia of history lie deeply embedded, but also breathtaking natural landscapes and rich cultural heritage await exploration. Following are the Gansu top 10 attractions.

Top 1: Dunhuang Mogao Caves

Mogao Caves

The Mogao Caves, located at the western end of the Hexi Corridor in Dunhuang. They carved from the Sixteen Kingdoms period to the Yuan Dynasty, spanning approximately 1,000 years, which is unparalleled among Chinese cave complexes. These caves serve as a brilliant artistic repository and an important testament to the dialogue and exchange between different civilizations along the ancient Silk Road.

Currently, the Mogao Caves feature 735 caves, preserved over 45,000 square meters of murals and more than 2,400 clay sculptures, along with five wooden eaves from the Tang and Song Dynasties, which reflect the evolution of stone grotto art and hold a prestigious historical position within this art form. The painted and sculpted Buddhist figures and Buddhist scriptures within the caves are places for practitioners to worship and meditate. Because the rock in the Mogao Grottoes is loose and not suitable for stone carving, the statues are mainly made of clay murals. The Buddhist figures and wall paintings in the cave integrate these two art forms into a cohesive whole. The craftsmanship of the clay sculptures is exquisite and rich in imaginative detail, while the murals feature grand and diverse compositions, vibrant colors, and intricate, flowing lines.

Dunhuang cave art is a multidimensional art form that integrates architecture, sculpture, and painting. Built upon the excellent traditions of the Han culture and those of the neighboring Western regions, ancient artists incorporate foreign techniques, creating Buddhist artworks that feature the local characteristics of Dunhuang and folk customs of Chinese nationality

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• Address: No. 217 Provincial Road
• Open Hours: 08:00 AM – 06:00 PM
• Tour Length: 1 day

Top 2: Mingsha Mountain & Crescent Spring

Mingsha Mountain (Singing Sand Dunes) stretches 40 kilometers east to west and about 20 kilometers north to south, with its highest peak reaching 1,715 meters, made up of fine sand in red, yellow, green, black, and white colors. As the westerly and northerly winds carrying much sand encounter the mountain, the sand particles are deposited, and over time, Mingsha Mountain took shape. For thousands of years, Mingsha Mountain has stood tall, and the sound of the sand remains as vibrant as ever. Viewed from above, the mountain’s winding ridges and layered contours create a wave-like appearance, with alternating light and shadow forming a striking contrast. From below, the towering dunes resemble the majestic pyramids of ancient Egypt, shimmering in the sunlight.

Crescent Spring, nestled within Mingsha Mountain, is a crescent-shaped body of water, deep in the east and shallow in the west, and the deepest point is about 5 meters. The spring was formed due to a combination of loose geological structures, low-lying terrain, and relatively high regional groundwater levels. Crescent Spring is sweet and clear that sparkles like a jade gem amidst the sandy sea, nestled among the towering sand dunes. With a gentle breeze sweeping across, the sand dunes sing with wind while the water ripples softly. The harmonious coexistence of sand and water, mountain and spring, makes it the unique natural wonder of "The Best Spring in the Desert".

• Address: Mingshan Road, Dunhuang City
• Open Hours: 06:00 AM – 07:30 PM
• Tour Length: 4-6 hours

Top 3: Dunhuang Yardang National Geopark

Dunhuang Yardang National Geopark, commonly known as "Dunhuang Devil City", is the largest and most mature Yardang landform group discovered in the world, celebrated as one of "China's three most beautiful Yardang landscapes."

The Yardang landforms stand out with their hard, shallow red soil, stretching approximately 15 kilometers east-west and 2 kilometers north-south, contrasting sharply with the blue Gobi Desert. Against a backdrop of blue skies and white clouds, the scenery is especially magnificent. Locals refer to this unique landscape, characterized by its eerie formations and whistling winds, as "Devil City".

Visiting the Yardang landforms at different times, the experience can be distinct. In the morning, as the sun rises and bathes the land in golden light, looking afar at the high place, the dawn colors blend beautifully with the Yardang formations. At noon, under the blazing sun, the bizarre shapes of Yardang group seem enveloped in a mystical haze. In the evening, as the sun sets and a gentle breeze stirs, the sky fills with sunglow, imparting a sense of tranquility and solemn beauty.

• Address: No. 303 Provincial Road, Dunhuang City
• Open Hours: 08:30 AM – 07:30 PM
• Tour Length: 2-3 hours

Top 4: Yumen Pass

Yumen Pass, located near today's Dunhuang City in Gansu Province, was established during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty as a gateway to the Western Regions. The remaining structure of Yumen Pass is well-preserved, with an overall square shape measuring 24 meters east-west and 26.4 meters north-south, standing 9.7 meters high, all built from yellow clay.

The Yumen Pass in history, with the sound of camel bells, a continuous stream of caravans, and envoys coming and going, is a prosperous scene. However, over time, it lost its former glory. Today, while it may not possess the grandeur of the past, it still stands resilient on the Gobi Desert, serving as a testament to history. Looking far from the sites of the pass, one can see marshes are all around, ravines crisscrossing, the Great Wall winding and watchtowers standing, with towering populus trees dotting the landscape. The swaying reeds complement the majestic posture of the ancient pass, making it seem to travel through time, allowing visitors to imagine the prosperous era of yesteryear.

Amidst the sites of Yumen Pass, one can imagine the prosperous scene back then and feel the vicissitudes of history and time, experiencing a special nostalgia of longing for bygone days.

• Address: 80 km northwest of the Gobi Beach, Dunhuang City
• Open Hours: 07:00 AM – 06:00 PM
• Tour Length: 2-4 hours

Top 5: Yang Pass

Yang Pass, located 70 kilometers southwest of Dunhuang, Gansu, was established during the Western Han Dynasty and, like Yumen Pass, served as a gateway to the Western Regions, essential for the southern route of the Silk Road. Named for its position south (the side of Yang) of Yumen Pass, Yang Pass fell into disrepair after the Song Dynasty as western land trade declined.

After strong winds reveal their outlines, the remnants of buildings, farmland, and irrigation channels are still visible. Since ancient times, Yang Pass has evoked a sense of desolation and solitude. Though it no longer enjoys its past prosperity, the ruins of walls and beacon towers continue to narrate its glorious history.

The vast Gobi Desert stretches endlessly, while the Nanhu oasis gleams like jade, with desert vegetation dancing like ribbons in the wind and the Altyn Mountains hanging majestically in the southern sky, and also mirages add a touch of mystery to the desert. In the Scenic Area, the Yangguan Museum, designed in a Han architectural style, stands elegantly and majestically, harmonizing with the surrounding historical relics and the desert oasis, that the ancient and contemporary landscapes are one integrated mass that leaves visitors in awe.

• Address: 70km southwest of downtown, Yangguan Town, Dunhuang City
• Open Hours: 08:00 AM – 08:30 PM
• Tour Length: 2-3 hours

Top 6: Dunhuang Museum

Dunhuang Museum was established in 1979, featuring an architectural design that integrates elements of the Great Wall, beacon towers, and ancient castle styles, and serves as an important platform for promoting Dunhuang culture and showcasing ancient civilization, as well as being a significant research base for Dunhuang studies.

Currently, the museum houses 13,481 items across 14 categories, including stone tools, pottery, bronze ware, ceramics, silk, Han bamboo slips, and brick inscriptions, tracing back from the Neolithic period to the Ming and Qing dynasties. Among the exhibits are clay pots and stone tools dating back 3,000 to 4,000 years, demonstrating that the ancestors of Dunhuang thrived in this "desert oasis". The artifacts from the Yang Pass and Yumen Pass sites, as well as from the Han Great Wall's watchtowers and post stations are the most colorful, with exquisite silk, early paper, and many other military and daily supplies used by border soldiers, telling the story of Dunhuang's ancient legacy.

These unearthed artifacts collectively represent the rich history of Dunhuang from the Bronze Age to the Ming and Qing dynasties, which is the historical imprint of the brilliance and prosperity along the Silk Road.

• Address: No. 1390 Mingshan North Road, Dunhuang City
• Open Hours: 09:00 AM – 06:00 PM around Tuesday to Sunday
• Tour Length: 1-2 hours

Top 7: Dunhuang Ancient City

Dunhuang Ancient City, designed in the style of Tang and Song architecture, is a complete city often referred to as "the museum of ancient architectural art in Northwest China". Covering an area of 150,000 square meters, with a construction area of 15,000 square meters, it features five streets that showcase diverse architectural styles from the Tang and Song dynasties, allowing visitors to experience a magical sense of regional history.

Dunhuang Ancient City is built in 1987 for a large historical drama and based on the "Along the River During the Qingming Festival", as the original site has long been lost to the sands of time, with only fragmented walls remaining on the south, north, and west sides. In the city, the towering city walls, along with temples, silk shops, taverns, pawnshops, and posthouses, each with distinct styles, vividly showcase the grandeur and historical depth of ancient Dunhuang and other Silk Road hubs. Dunhuang Ancient City beautifully reimagines the significance of Dunhuang during the Tang and Song periods, becoming the largest film and television shooting base in Western China.

• Address: 16 kilometers southwest of Dunhuang City
• Open Hours: 08:00 AM – 08:00 PM
• Tour Length: 1-2 days

Top 8: Leiyin Temple

According to legend, an ancient Leiyin Temple once stood near Crescent Spring but was buried by shifting sands. In 1989, it was rebuilt with donations from domestic and international Buddhist organizations and the Dunhuang Buddhist Association, and it was completed and opened to the public in June 1991.

Dunhuang is a vital hub along the ancient Silk Road, where East-West transportation converges and the four major cultural systems of China, India, Greece, and Islam intersect. From the Han to the Song dynasties, it served as a place for eminent monks to promote Buddhism and a necessary stop for monks from the Central Plains traveling westward to seek teachings. Notable figures such as An Shigao, Dharmarakṣa, Faxian, Kumārajīva, and Xuanzang left indelible marks of their journeys here.

Today, Leiyin Temple covers over 180 acres, making it the largest Buddhist activity site in Dunhuang. The entire complex is oriented north-south, built on the mountain with overlapping temples, known for their concentration, compactness, and elegance. The design unfolds along a central axis, with horizontal symmetry, gradually extending upward, seamlessly integrating flat and elevated platforms, solemn and extraordinary.

• Address: X274, Dunhuang City
• Open Hours: 08:00 AM – 06:00 PM
• Tour Length: 1-2 hours

Top 9: West Thousand Buddha Caves

West Thousand Buddha Caves, named for their location west of the Mogao Caves (commonly known as the Thousand Buddha Caves) in Dunhuang, are approximately 35 kilometers from the city center. Carved into the cliffs along the Dang River, their construction dates from the Northern Wei period through the Five Dynasties era, an essential part of Dunhuang art. According to records in the Dunhuang manuscripts housed in Paris, the caves were likely excavated even before the Mogao Caves, or at least during the same period.

Due to long-term erosion and collapses from river activity, only 22 caves remain. Inside many statues were re-carved during the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China, while a few retain their original forms, and the murals share stylistic similarities with those from the Mogao Caves. West Thousand Buddha Caves exhibit unique characteristics in their cave art, particularly as many caves have undergone multiple renovations over time, showcasing stylistic features from various eras within a single cave. Together, West Thousand Buddha Caves and Mogao Caves complement each other, creating the brilliant artistry of Dunhuang's cave complex.

• Address: No. 215 National Road near Danghe reservoir, Dunhuang City
• Open Hours: 09:00 AM – 05:00 PM
• Tour Length: 1-2 hours

Top 10: Dang River Line

To the west of Dunhuang City lies the scenic Dang River, a 3.6-kilometer-long waterway that is part of a national-level water conservancy scenic area known as the Dang River Line, with its rich historical and cultural heritage of Dunhuang, forming a rare urban landscape along the Hexi Corridor.

Originally the flood discharge channel for the Dang River Reservoir during summer, the Line has been transformed into a popular tourist destination reflecting typical Dunhuang characteristics. The river harmonizes beautifully with ancient-style buildings along its shores. Marble guardrails inscribed with inspirational quotes and elements of Dunhuang culture run throughout, allowing visitors to be constantly immersed in art and culture.

At night, the Dang River Line becomes a sea of lights and a world of water. The banks are illuminated with dazzling lights, and pavilions and towers appear majestic under the glow. Strolling along the waterfront among variously shaped landscape lights, visitors are captivated and enchanted by the beautiful night scenery, lingering.

• Address: Yangguan Middle Road, Dunhuang City
• Open Hours: 00:00 AM – 12:00 PM
• Tour Length: 2-3 hours

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