6. The Mogao Grottos of Dunhuang

The Buddhist art at one of the Mogao Grottos.

On the eastern slope of Rattling Sand Mountain (Mingshashan) southeast of Dunhuang in Gansu Province, the Mogao Grottos (also known as the Thousand Buddha Caves) house the largest, best preserved and richest Buddhist art in the world. In AD 366, Buddhist monk Yue Seng chiseled out the first cave here and his work was carried on through several dynasties, resulting in the fantastic collection of devotional art that can been seen today. (more)