If There Is a Next Life, I Wish to Be the Wind, Dancing Through a Thousand Splendors, Drunk Every Night in Dunhuang

A friend asked me: 'What do you think lies at the end of the desert?' This made me think of Dunhuang, a millennium-old sacred city in the desert where each step stirs up sand.

At the end of the desert, in Dunhuang, you'll find endless sunsets over the long river, countless stories along the Silk Road, and the unique customs of the Western Regions.

In my eyes, Dunhuang is drifting sand, the Gobi Desert, the camel bells of Loulan, the Buddhist caves halfway up the mountain, the flying Apsaras murals, the ancient paths through millennia, the silence of all things, and the bustling traffic...

A thousand years in an instant × Dream of Dunhuang

Some love the blooming flowers of Jiangnan, some love the snowstorms of the north, but I prefer the freedom of the northwest; I always feel the wind there is a work of art.

If there is one place in the world that can embrace a lonely yet free soul, I think it must be Dunhuang.

I yearn to build a thatched hut amidst the vast desert of Dunhuang, drinking wine and singing, living with passion and vengeance.

Dunhuang, a land hiding countless legends, possesses a magical allure that draws people to come and glimpse its beauty.

In the Eastern Han dynasty, Ying Shao annotated the "Book of Han," explaining the name Dunhuang: 'Dun means grand; Huang means prosperous.'

Desert yellow sand, wandering rovers, Buddhist cave murals, thousand-year-old temples, generals who fought a hundred battles here, flying Apsaras playing the pipa...

It was once the strategic throat of trade between East and West, a brilliant pearl on the Silk Road, bordering the Mongolian Plateau to the north, the Taklamakan Desert in Xinjiang to the west, and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to the south.

A thousand years of falling flowers, a thousand years of time, Dunhuang's sky rests on the lonely mountains, experiencing cycles of bloom and decay, vicissitudes, and prosperity.

That day, I led a camel to the distant land filled with wind and sand, along the ancient, ancient path, searching for the Dunhuang of my dreams.

When you go to Dunhuang, you must see the intertwined Crescent Moon Spring and Mingsha Mountain (Singing Sand Mountain).

The sand dunes under the scorching sun: one side glitters with blinding gold, the other is dark and gloomy, hidden in daylight. When the wind blows over the dunes, the sand vibrates with a buzzing sound like a giant dragon snoring.

Mingsha Mountain embraces a crescent-shaped spring, known as the 'No. 1 Spring in the Desert.' This small oasis shines brightly in the barren desert. Due to the terrain, when the wind blows, sand moves not downhill but from the bottom to the top, so Crescent Moon Spring is never buried by shifting sand; it remains clear and rippling, cool and pristine.

'The mountain sings because of its spirit; the water becomes lovely because of its magic.' Since ancient times, desert and clear springs rarely coexist, but in Dunhuang, this wonder exists. The clear Crescent Moon Spring lies quietly in the undulating Mingsha Mountain, like a solitary and aloof fairy, watching over the vast desert of the northwest.

As dusk fades, climb to the hilltop and lie down. The starry sky is crystal clear, shooting stars streak like flowing water. The night has an end; walk slowly, and don't forget to bring back a handful of stars into your dreams.

When you go to Dunhuang, you must see the mysterious Mogao Caves.

The Mogao Caves are hailed as the 'Oriental Louvre,' stretching across the eastern cliff of Mingsha Mountain, solemn and grand. They are the world's largest and most abundant Buddhist art site. The profound history and splendid culture contained within cannot be matched by any other religious cave, temple, or palace in the world today.

Dunhuang is silent, but history speaks. Every cave, every statue, every mural, every grain of sand tells a story of the past. Looking up at the exquisite murals, you feel as if you've stumbled into a gathering of gods and Buddhas from a thousand years ago, mysterious and magnificent. Time passes in an instant; the Buddha statues in Mogao Caves have smiled gently for a thousand years, gazing compassionately at all beings.

The walls and ceilings of the caves are covered with flying Apsaras, celestial musicians, and Buddhist deities, numerous and diverse in form. In this desolate land, amidst the boundless desert, the spirit and freedom of countless lives burst forth from Dunhuang's murals.

The flying Apsaras captivate countless people with their flowing sashes and billowing robes, dancing gracefully among the drifting clouds. This is both fantasy and reality: the Western Paradise described in sutras, the Pure Land, and also the most dreamlike and authentic depiction of the Tang Dynasty, the most glorious era unique to the Mogao Caves.

When you go to Dunhuang, you must witness the majestic scene of solitary smoke over the desert and the setting sun over the long river.

Looking into the distance, the rolling sand dunes wind like dragons. Under the repeated scorching of the sun, the sand shines as bright as gold. On calm days, the desert is gentle and serene; but once the wind rises, it lifts yellow sand, creating a pale yellow curtain that stretches for thousands of miles.

Camel caravans slowly advance across the desert at sunset; the ancient camel bells ring out again and again in the lingering light of the setting sun and the accumulated sand. Thinking back to those times, Zhang Qian, Huo Qubing, and Wang Zhaojun must have heard such sounds; a thousand years have passed, falling into the lonely wind and frost.

At dusk, the lingering sunset clouds at the edge of the sky seem like beacon fires connecting to the sky. Shadows are stretched long by the scorching sun, like a seal carved into the desert. Solitary smoke over the desert, setting sun over the long river—such frank and magnificent beauty stirs a surge of grandeur in one's heart.

The desert remains the same, extending endlessly beneath the horizon, but the once-thriving caravans are gone. The desolate sound of the Qiang flute, like a lingering dream of the Han and Tang dynasties, has become an ever-tightening knot on the Silk Road.

When you go to Dunhuang, you must see the Yumen Pass (Jade Gate Pass), where the spring wind never reaches.

Yumen Pass was built during the Eastern Han dynasty, also known as Xiaofangpan City. It is said to have gotten its name because jade from Hetian entered the Central Plains through this pass. In the past, Yumen Pass was bustling with people shouting, horses neighing, envoys traveling, camel bells ringing, and merchants coming and going. Today, it is just a small square castle, standing alone in the desolate northwest.

Climbing the ancient pass and looking into the distance, I feel a mix of emotions. The Yumen Pass I imagined with poetic charm is actually so bleak in reality. The Yumen Pass, where the spring wind never reaches, is truly lonely. If not for a persistent longing, who would travel a thousand miles to pay homage?

The broken walls of the Han Great Wall and Yumen Pass still stand alone at the end of the Hexi Corridor, neglected by all. A thousand years ago, Zhang Qian's caravan set out from here, grand and mighty. Now, looking at the border fortress, one can't help but feel a sense of desolate isolation.

When you go to Dunhuang, you must see the Yang Pass (Sun Pass), where no old friends are found westward.

Yang Pass was a gateway on the Silk Road, originally just an ancient city buried by shifting sand. It has been rendered sorrowful and mournful by countless literati throughout history. 'I urge you to drink one more cup of wine; west of Yang Pass, there will be no old friends.' Do not grieve, do not look back; the road ahead is long and winding.

A thousand years have passed; Yang Pass has long vanished, leaving only a beacon tower ruin and the wind and sand of the world to recount its former glory. Standing at the Yang Pass beacon tower, it feels like traveling back to the Han and Tang dynasties: smoke rises from all sides, banners flap in the wind, and looking east toward Chang'an, it's as if the defending general swore to live or die with the city.

When you go to Dunhuang, you must see the awe-inspiring Yadan Ghost City (Devil City).

Yadan Ghost City lies in the wind gap of Lop Nur. The strong wind erodes the land, producing shrill howls like thousands of wild beasts roaring. Sculpted by the wind into various shapes—like boats, swords, dragons, and horses... Whenever the wind rises, it whips up sand and gravel, blocking the sky; sometimes the sound is like a thunderous rage, sometimes like a weeping woman, sorrowful and plaintive.

The wind here has been blowing for tens of thousands of years. These desolate mounds gather solitude, fully displaying the vastness and wildness of the northwest. Standing in the Gobi Desert, there is an awe-inspiring power: the sky is so high, the earth so vast, and humans so insignificant.

Watching the sunset at Ghost City is fantastically spectacular, with a unique charm. The round setting sun hugs the desert's ridgeline, sinking inch by inch into the desolation. When the last glow disappears below the horizon, the earth is dyed red.

When you go to Dunhuang, you must see the Dunhuang Ancient City with its chivalrous spirit.

The ancient city is a film studio built in imitation of Tang and Song architecture, recreating the grandeur of the northwest stronghold Dunhuang during the Tang and Song dynasties, rich with Western Region customs. The city is equipped with everything: city towers, taverns, pawnshops, post stations... as if traveling back to a 'jianghu' of unpredictable sunshine and rain.

Many films and TV series, such as 'New Dragon Gate Inn,' 'Dunhuang Night Talk,' 'Mirage,' have been shot here. Looking back suddenly, it seems to see a chivalrous swordsman in plain clothes, holding a long sword, with robes fluttering, heroic and spirited. Drink a bowl of strong liquor, swallowing the wind and frost of a thousand years.

When you go to Dunhuang, you must see the lively Shazhou Night Market.

The Shazhou Night Market is located on Yangguan East Road in Dunhuang, the largest night market in the city. During peak season, it can stay open until dawn. The market offers craft souvenirs, sculptures, replica murals, and luminous cups.

The night market is mostly filled with barbecue stalls, one next to another, exuding the ruggedness of the northwest, hailed as the 'Night View' and 'Romantic Painting' of Dunhuang. It gathers Dunhuang cuisine: donkey meat yellow noodles, pulled noodles, sour soup noodles, minced meat noodles, pies and other traditional wheaten foods, as well as Dunhuang lamb offal, roasted lamb chops, grilled fish, lamb skewers, and other local snacks.

First go to your frontier, then return to my Jiangnan. My greatest dream is to go with you beyond Yanmen Pass, to ride horses, hunt, herd cattle and sheep, and live a carefree life together forever. I am not afraid to wait for you; I am only afraid that you will forget that I am waiting for you.

May I assume the form of the wind,

Dancing through a thousand splendors,

Drunk every night in Dunhuang.