Dunhuang

"This handsomely produced 2-volume set is the first comprehensive study of the Dunhuang cave-shrines published in English, and perhaps the most intelligently constructed book on the subject..." – Orientations Magazine

"An excellent starting place for those interested in the [Dunhuang] caves and their artworks...." – Archaeology Magazine

The Mogao cave temples near the town of Dunhuang, at the edge of the Gobi Desert in northwest China, are filled with one of the most extensive and exquisite collections of Buddhist paintings and sculptures in the world. These caves remain one of the most perfectly preserved of the world's great religious sanctuaries. Every surface is covered with painted clay stucco; graceful acrobats of the sky scatter flowers and garlands, while dancers and musicians celebrate the beauties of the Buddhist Pure Lands. Row upon row of miniature images of the Buddha, subtly varied in colouring or dress, adorn virtually every cave, giving the site its popular name, the Caves of the Thousand Buddhas.

This was the first publication of its kind, presenting the magnificent Dunhuang murals in unprecedented detail, accompanied by extensive commentary. Volume 1 features 400 colour plates of outstanding definition, while the accompanying essays are presented in Volume 2.