The Mogao Grottoes are located on the cliff of the eastern foot of Mingsha Mountain, 25 kilometers southeast of Dunhuang City, Gansu Province. They face Dangquan Spring in front and overlook Sanwei Mountain to the east.
Historical EvolutionFirst constructed in the 2nd year of Jianyuan in the Former Qin Dynasty (366 AD) by Monk Le Zun, the grottoes were continuously expanded through dynasties including the Sixteen Kingdoms, Northern Wei, Western Wei, Northern Zhou, Sui, Tang, Five Dynasties, Song, and Western Xia. The construction basically ended in the Yuan Dynasty, spanning over a thousand years.
