MOGAO GROTTOES THE WORLD RENOWNED MOGAO GROTTOES,ALSO KNOWN AS CAVES OF A THOUSAND BUDDHAS, IS THELARGEST AND RICHEST ANCIENT ART TREASURE IN THEWORLD. IT IS A TREASURE TROVE OF BUDDHISTMANUSCRIPTS, WALL PAINTINGS, STATUARY, ANDARTWORKS INCLUDING ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS,SCULPTURES AND MURALS. WITH 492 CAVES, THE MOGAOGROTTOES WAS PUT IN THE WORLD HERITAGES BY THEUNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC ANDCULTURAL ORGANIZATION UNESCO IN 1987. MINGSHASAND DUNES AND CRESCENT MOON LAKE RIGHT BEHINDTHE SILK ROAD DUNHUANG HOTEL, MINGSHA SAND DUNESAND CRESCENT ARE KNOWN AS FAMOUS NATURAL WONDERS.AS ITS NAME IMPLIES IN CHINESE, MINGSHA SANDDUNES MEANS THE DEAFENING SOUND OF THE MOVINGSANDS MADE WHEN THE WIND SWEEPS ACROSS THEM. ITIS COMPOSED OF MANY SAND DUNES AND IT COVERS 40KM FROM EAST TO WEST AND 20 KM FROM SOUTH TONORTH. THE SMALL AND MYSTERIOUS NATURALMASTERPIECE CRESCENT MOON LAKE IS SHAPED CLEARLYBY THE SAND DUNES. YOU CAN ENJOY STEEP CLIMBINGTHE MINGSHA SAND DUNES AND SLIDING DOWN FROM THETOP. YOU CAN ALSO TAKE A SLOW RIDING INTO THESAND DUNES ON CAMELBACK. YUMENGUAN AND YANGGUANPASSES ONCE IMPORTANT GATEWAYS TO CENTRAL ASIA,INDIA AND EUROPE, THE TWO GRAND HAN DYNASTY GATESARE ABOUT 68 KM APART. THEY ARE FAMOUS ANCIENTTOWER RUINS FROM WHERE LOTS OF RELICS WEREDISCOVERED. YUMENGUAN LIES ABOUT 90 KM NORTHWESTOF DUNHUANG WHILE YANGGUAN, WHICH IS AN ANCIENTBEACON TOWER, IS ABOUT 70 KM SOUTH OF DUNHUANG.WHITE HORSE PAGODA BAI MA TA A KUCHEAN MONK,KUMARAJIVA, TRAVELED WITH HIS GALLANT WHITE STEEDFROM EAST ALONG THE SILK ROAD IN AD384. HOWEVER,THE WHITE DEED DIED IN DUNHUANG. KUMARAJIVA BUILTTHE WHITE HORSE PAGODA TO COMMEMORATE HIS HOLLYSTEED.