A Radiant Pearl
Day: Singing Sand Mountain & Crescent Moon Spring – Mogao Caves – Shazhou Night Market – Dunhuang Grand Ceremony
“Just beyond the sky, far, far away, there is a beautiful crescent moon spring. It is the mirror of the sky, the eye of the desert, a paradise for stars to bathe.” Before coming to Dunhuang, for me this was just a song—Tian Zhen’s “Crescent Moon Spring.” Now, standing here, the scene before me is like a painting, and also like a dream! In August, Dunhuang’s sky is azure, the white clouds are leisurely, and the sunlight is naturally the most dazzling. Looking at Mingsha Mountain from afar, the rolling yellow sand stretches endlessly, its line joining the sky clearly defined, as if carefully outlined by an artist’s brush. The roar of helicopters echoes overhead, as people gaze down at this scroll from the sky. Halfway up the mountain, orderly camel caravans pass through, cutting the vast desert into irregular blocks. The tourists on the camels wear bright clothes—red or green—adding a riot of color to the desert. The jingling camel bells also drew us in. When I mounted a camel, I realized it was taller than I expected—I could only get on after it knelt down. Camels are certainly not impatient; they walk smoothly and steadily, like riding a very slow boat, no wonder they are called “ships of the desert.” For many years, desert people relied on this means of transport for trade and long journeys, creating centuries of prosperity. Countless camel footprints must have been left on the ancient Silk Road. After reaching the top, the view down was even more breathtaking! Between two sand dunes lay a spring of water, bright as a mirror and crystal clear. This was the Crescent Moon Spring we had longed for. The spring is shaded by poplars and desert dates; from afar, it truly looks like the mirror of the sky and the eye of the desert, watching the sky and the passing people. One cannot help but marvel at the wonders of nature!
Exploring the Mogao Caves at the western end of the Hexi Corridor inspired great reverence! Driving through the Gobi, soon a north-south cliff face appeared before us, with caves densely packed like a honeycomb. A spring-fed river gurgled past the caves, and rows of tamarisks and white poplars lined the bank—this is China’s most magnificent religious site. In 138 BC, Zhang Qian’s mission to the Western Regions opened this momentous Silk Road. Inside the caves, it was pitch dark, with only the beam of the guide’s flashlight illuminating the murals, making the painted figures and the central statues seem to come alive. They are groups of devout monks and nuns in kasayas paying homage; they are painters and sculptors who worked day and night, never resting... I admired the flying apsaras murals. They are graceful women: some play the pipa, some blow transverse flutes, some beat waist drums; some dance together in groups, chatting and laughing; some play the zither backwards while singing; some hold their palms together in worship; some carry flower baskets or vases, scattering petals and incense; some wear silk sashes, their postures elegant... And the Buddha statues are lifelike.
Under the desert sunset, who plays the pipa backwards? If you want to see where Dunhuang’s past prosperity is reflected, it must be the Shazhou Night Market. Dunhuang’s night falls after nine o’clock. No need to worry about getting lost when heading to the night market—just remember the lyrics from “Flying Apsaras”: “Under the desert sunset, who plays the pipa backwards?” The sun sets behind the statue of the Celestial Maiden; when you reach the statue, you’re at the entrance of the night market. By then, you don’t even need your eyes—just follow the sizzle of oil smoke with your nose, or the clinking of cups with your ears, and you’ll easily find your way. “With wine and nightlight cups from grapes, I long to drink, but the pipa on horseback urges me.” The Shazhou Night Market is not on the scale of the thousand-year-old East-West trade bazaar; it’s mainly divided into souvenirs and food. The most famous product of Jiuquan is undoubtedly the nightlight cup. “With wine and nightlight cups from grapes, I long to drink, but the pipa on horseback urges me. Don’t laugh if I lie drunk on the battlefield; how many warriors ever returned from ancient wars?” Nightlight cups are finely crafted from dark green jade, with walls as thin as paper and translucent grain patterns. In ancient times, the nightlight cups from Jiuquan and Turpan wine were a perfect match—these two treasures met in Dunhuang, reflecting the luxury of ancient Dunhuang life. Actually, nightlight cups do not glow in the dark; they just reflect light more brightly in dim surroundings. The romantic ancients believed that using a nightlight cup to hold wine on a full moon night created a mood surpassing ancient poetry.
“Dunhuang Grand Ceremony” returns to nature, using the desert as an important element of the stage. Every detail is closer to Dunhuang’s history and culture, reproducing the historical culture and humanistic features of the strategic town of Dunhuang on the ancient Silk Road. From history, dance, music, and daily life, the life and entertainment scenes of Dunhuang’s people rush toward you, as if from another time. It is also the first permanent desert live performance in China. The show uses high-tech stage design, brilliant lighting, and a 360-degree rotating audience platform, offering the audience an unparalleled visual and auditory experience.
