Dunhuang Caves on the Silk Road
UW Allen Library North Ground Floor
The physical exhibit will be on display from December 12, 2022 to March 10, 2023 at the UW Allen Library North Ground Floor. It presents selected contents from the three virtual exhibits and curated physical resources from the UW Tateuchi EAL collection.
Stories behind the Dunhuang Caves
The exhibit is to provide a glimpse of Dunhuang’s history through the fine artworks from six selected caves of the Mogao Grottoes: Cave 254 (North Wei Dynasty 386-584 A.D.), Cave 285 (West Wei Dynasty 535-557 A.D.), Cave 220 (Tang Dynasty 618-907 A.D.), Cave 172 (High Tang Dynasty 618-904 A.D.), Cave 061 (Five Dynasties Period 907-979 A.D.) , and Cave 003 (Yuan Dynasty 1279-1368 A.D.). These caves exemplified the interchange of ideas, thoughts, and religions of the East and the West during these periods of time along the Silk Road.
The Library Cave and Dunhuang Manuscripts
Since the early 20th century when these manuscripts left Dunhuang, they were being collected and studied by major libraries, museums, and research institutions around the world. With the aid of the IDP, we present in this exhibition 20 (sets of) items that showcased the multitude of Dunhuang manuscripts. These manuscripts open a fascinating window into distant history, providing a close, realistic, and vivid view into the physical, artistic, and spiritual lives of various cultures.
Conservation and the Future of Dunhuang
In this last exhibit of the UW Dunhuang project, we trace Dunghuang, mainly the Mogao Caves’ development after it was finally in the hands of people who cared about the site and the great treasures they contained. Along the way, we commemorate those who devoted research, funding, and effort in preserving Dunhuang for the many generations after us.
