Jiayuguan Museum of the Great Wall

This is the first museum of its kind which focuses on the Great Wall of China through the different dynasties. It lies just outside the walls of Jiayuguan.

Jiayuguan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

                                      This is part of the surviving Great wall from the Han Dynasty

It is original and definitely the best exhibit of the museum!

Bricks with painting found on the Great Wall

馬踏飛燕

 Bronze Galloping Horse Treading On A Flying Swallow

This is a replica as the original is in the Lanzhou Museum

This horse was created 2000 years ago. It is 34.5 cm high and 41 cm long and has accurate proportion of a real horse. It also depicts the real posture of a galloping horse with three of its legs raised high into the air while balancing on its fourth leg. The analysis of its mechanics shows that the centre of gravity of the horse is at the swallow; thus enabling the statue to stand on its own.

These bronze soldiers were found in the Leitai Tomb of the Eastern Han Dynasty in Wuwei.

Hexi Corridor

The Hexi Corridor is a long narrow passage stretching from the border between Xinjiang and Gansu to Lanzhou. The south of the corridor is the Plateau of Tibet, which is too high and too cold. To the north of the corridor lies the Gobi Desert, which is too hot and too dry. Thus this corridor provided an access between the two barriers for the East and the West.

Cities along the Hexi Corridor

Mogao Caves

This is definitely the most important site along the Silk Road. The caves contain the best preserved and largest collection of Buddhist art in the world spanning over a period of 1000 years. 

"Mogao Caves"

A World Heritage Site

These stupas are the tombs of the monks who lived here

The Flying Devi

Unfortunately, photography is strictly prohibited and visitors are not allowed to bring any bags into the site. We were only allowed to visit five random caves and the three giant Buddhas. I shall repeat what I said in my post on the Bezeklik Thousand Buddhas Caves about preservation.

The following photographs were taken from the internet

Northern Giant Buddha

It is 35 m tall and  is the 2nd largest Buddha in the world. It was built during the Tang Dynasty in 618.

Southern Giant Buddha 

It is the 3rd largest Buddha in the world built in 705 during the Tang Dynasty. The body is 26 m high and the head is out of proportion at 7 m long. This was done on purpose so that the Buddha would appear proportion to the people looking up. The other interesting points are the Buddha's robe and its giant toes.

A 50 feet long Reclining Buddha

Murals on the wall

This building houses the giant Buddha

Dunhuang

Dunhuang was the western most military garrison in China (the Chinese border then was here). It was the last stop on the Silk Road before it split north and south to skirt the Taklamakan Desert. It provided the only access westward (or eastward) for China.

Our hotel in Dunhuang

Grapes Sweet Grapes

Camel Hoof

After an enjoyable camel ride at the Mingsha Shan, we were served camel hoof for dinner.

Stir fried camel hoof

Crescent Moon Lake

This crescent shaped lake is surrounded by the Mingsha Shan. It has been a vital source of water here for thousands of years and served as a important stop along the Silk Road.

"Yueya Quan"

(Crescent Moon Lake)

"The First Spring"

It is indeed a natural wonder of the Gobi Desert. The sand did not bury it and it did not dry up.

The sand dune towering over the spring

Sadly, the lake has shrunk to one-third its original size since 1970s. This is because the population has increased and the farmers tapping from its source to water the crops.

Camels going home after sunset

A crescent above the crescent lake

Mingsha Shan

This mountain is 20 km wide and stretches 40 km from east to west and is completely covered by sand. It is the sand dunes of the Gobi Desert.

The entrance to Mingsha Shan and Crescent Moon Lake

"Mingsha Shan"

The highlight here is the camel ride up to the dune

We camel up the dune in a single file

The sand dune can reach a height of 250 m

We were here on 21/8/12

It is said that when the wind blows, the shifting sand will produce an echoing sound. But with the number of people there, we didn't think we could hear a thing.