Dunhuang is located at the intersection of Gansu, Qinghai and Xinjiang. The city has a population of more than 6.5438+0.8 million, and its economy is dominated by agriculture, followed by tourism service, which is famous for Dunhuang's once brilliant and profound cultural connotation.
Dunhuang faces the majestic Qilian Mountains in the south, the vast Taklimakan Desert in the west, the rugged Beisai Mountain in the north and the Sanxian Mountain in the east. The area is 310.2 million square kilometers. It has a warm temperate climate. The annual rainfall is only 39.9 mm, but the evaporation is as high as 2400 mm, with plenty of sunshine and a long frost-free period. In this small natural basin surrounded by mountains, the snow water of Danghe River moistens fertile soil, and the shade of green trees blocks the black wind and yellow sand; Grain and cotton are harvested in drought and flood, and fruits and vegetables are fragrant all year round; The wonders of the desert are mysterious, and the Gobi is strange; Cultural relics are world-famous and talented people come forth in large numbers ... The beautiful Dunhuang is a rich, magical and charming land. "Dun, big also; Yellow, sheng also. " The magnificent Dunhuang has a long history and splendid culture! As early as the end of primitive society, the Sanmiao people who migrated to Hexi after the defeat of the tribal war in the Central Plains flourished here. They focused on hunting and began to master primitive agricultural production techniques. Neolithic stone knives, axes, pottery and bronzes were unearthed in Dunhuang area. Dunhuang in Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties belonged to Guguazhou, and there were descendants of Sanmiao. At that time, Qiang people and Rong people settled nomadic here. Many rock paintings left by nomadic people found in Dunhuang area are still vivid. During the Warring States Period and the Qin Dynasty, the Dayue family, Wusun family and Sai family lived in Dunhuang. Later, Dayue became stronger and merged with the original Qiangrong. At the end of the Warring States period, Dayue people drove away Wusun people and Saizhong people and monopolized Dunhuang until the end of Qin Dynasty and the beginning of Han Dynasty.
Dunhuang has experienced the baptism of Han style and Tang rain, with splendid culture and numerous historical sites, including the Mogao Grottoes, Yulin Grottoes, the West Thousand Buddha Cave and other major landscapes. The Mogao Grottoes, also known as Dunhuang Grottoes, is known as the "Pearl of Oriental Art" and is the largest existing grottoes in China, with 492 caves, more than 45,000 square meters of murals and more than 2,000 pieces of colored sculptures, which have been preserved for ten dynasties and thousands of years. The themes are mostly taken from Buddhist stories, and there are also murals reflecting folk customs, farming, hunting, weddings, funerals and celebrations at that time. These murals are superb in color sculpture skills and are recognized as "the dawn of human civilization", which is a treasure house of Buddhist art in the world.
In the second year of Song Ningzong's accession to the throne (A.D. 1206), Temujin (Genghis Khan) in Yuan Taizu unified the tribes in Mobei and established a powerful tribal alliance. 1227, the Mongolian army destroyed Xixia and conquered Shazhou, and Hexi area was owned by the Yuan Dynasty. Since then, Dunhuang has been upgraded to Shazhou Road, which belongs to Gansu Province. Later, he was promoted to the general manager of Shazhou. The Western Expedition of Yuan Dynasty must pass through Dunhuang. At that time, there were many garrisons in Guazhou and Shazhou, with numerous camps and farmers and soldiers all over Danghe and Shule River basins. Dunhuang once showed a scene of economic and cultural prosperity, and its trade with the western regions was more frequent. Kyle Polo, a famous Italian traveler, roamed the Central Plains through Dunhuang during this period. The rulers of the Yuan Dynasty also believed in Buddhism. The excavation of the Mogao Grottoes continues. There are about 10 existing caves in the Yuan Dynasty. Since the Yuan Dynasty, Hexi Qianli has gradually lost its former glory.