The Beauty Of Dunhuang

Dunhuang (敦煌) was a major stop on the ancient Silk Road and is best known for the nearby Mogao Caves (莫高窟). Dunhuang is situated in an oasis containing Crescent Lake (月牙泉) and Singing Sand Dunes (鳴沙山), named after the sound of the wind whipping off the dunes, the singing sand phenomenon. Dunhuang commands a strategic position at the crossroads of the ancient Southern Silk Route and the main road leading from India via Lhasa to Mongolia and Southern Siberia, as well as controlling the entrance to the narrow Hexi Corridor (河西走廊), which led straight to the heart of the north Chinese plains and the ancient capitals of Chang'an (長安) and Luoyang (洛陽).