Mogao Caves – Heritmap

Written by Jane Ji

Image from Trip.com, Mogao Caves

敦煌莫高窟的壁画让我深深着迷。那些飞舞的飞天、宁静的佛像，历经千年依然生动。站在洞窟里，仿佛能感受到古代画师们倾注的心血。

但令人担忧的是，随着游客增多，洞窟内的温湿度变化加速了壁画的褪色和剥落，这些珍贵的艺术正面临威胁。

The murals of the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang obsesses me. The dancing apsaras and serene Buddha statues remain vivid even after thousands of years. Standing in the caves, I can almost feel the effort made by the ancient painters poured into their creations.

But what is worrying is that with the increase in the number of tourists, changes in temperature and humidity in the caves have accelerated the fading and peeling of the murals, and these precious works of art are facing threats.

Written by 初恋99

敦煌莫高窟：千年壁画的守护与传承

细数中国境内令我印象最深的文化遗址币是敦煌莫高窟。犹记第220窟的唐代壁画，鲜艳的色彩与生动的乐舞场景跨越千年依然震撼人心，，梦幻的飞天与虔诚的僧侣众像展现盛唐艺术的辉煌。然而，岁月不饶人，自然风化与游客呼吸带来的温湿度变化正威胁这些脆弱遗产。

为了经典永留，我有以下保护建议；首先，景点方可以限流预约：严格执行每日游览人数上限，推广数字展厅从而缓解实体压力；其次，我们可以科技“护航”：例如利用纳米材料加固壁画，使用感应系统实时监测洞窟环境数据等；再次，注重实体保护的同时也要加强传统文化的延伸：我们可以在景点周边建设数字体验馆，通过VR技术分流游客并普及保护知识。

唯有平衡开放与保护，才能让文明之光永续闪烁。

Dunhuang Mogao Caves: Guardianship and Transmission of a Millennium of Murals

Among all the cultural heritage sites in China, the one that impressed me most is the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang. I still remember the Tang dynasty murals in Cave 220: the vivid colors and lively musical and dance scenes remain awe-inspiring after more than a thousand years. The dreamlike flying apsaras and the devout monks reflect the splendor of Tang art. Yet time shows no mercy—natural weathering and the shifts in temperature and humidity caused by visitors’ breathing now threaten these fragile treasures.

To ensure these classics endure, I have several suggestions for preservation: First, the site can adopt strict visitor caps and a reservation system, while promoting digital exhibition halls to relieve pressure on the physical caves. Second, we can let technology “escort” protection efforts: using nanomaterials to reinforce murals, or deploying sensor systems to monitor cave conditions in real time. Third, alongside physical protection, we should also strengthen cultural extension: for example, building digital experience centers around the site where VR technology can both divert visitors and spread knowledge of preservation.

Only by balancing openness with protection can the light of civilization continue to shine across the ages.

Written by 袁熙珺

莫高窟位于甘肃敦煌，是世界上现存最大，内容最丰富的佛教艺术地。它始建于前秦，历经千年营建。现存洞窟735个，壁画4.5万多平方米，彩塑2400余尊。石窟以彩塑为主体，四壁及顶均彩绘壁画，是石窟建筑、彩塑和壁画三者合一的佛教遗存。莫高窟于1938年被列为《世界遗产名录》，是当之无愧的“石室宝藏”。

在保护上

建议持续完善的综合防沙治沙体系，引入更高更先进的设备，精准治沙。

对壁画进行深入研究，运用更科学的材料进行对壁画的保护。

对已有壁画进行电子数字记录。

对参观莫高窟的旅游人流量进行更科学管控。

对莫高窟所处的环境进行科学的干预，让世界遗产留存的更久。

The Mogao Caves, located in Dunhuang, Gansu Province, are the largest and most richly endowed repository of Buddhist art in the world. Founded during the Former Qin dynasty, the caves were expanded over more than a millennium. Today, 735 caves survive, containing over 45,000 square meters of murals and more than 2,400 painted sculptures. With sculpture as the core, murals covering the walls and ceilings, the Mogao Caves integrate cave architecture, sculpture, and painting into a single Buddhist legacy. In 1938, they were inscribed on the World Heritage List, rightfully known as the “Treasure House in Stone.”

On protection:

It is recommended to continue improving the comprehensive sand prevention and control system, introducing more advanced equipment for precise treatment.

Conduct in-depth research on the murals and use more scientific materials for their preservation.

Digitally record the existing murals.

Implement more scientific visitor management to regulate the flow of tourists.

Apply scientific interventions to the surrounding environment of the Mogao Caves, so that this world heritage may endure even longer.