Mogao Grottos in Gansu Province,

13. Grottos

The colorful painting world of Mogao Grottos shows to the world that its characteristic originated not only from the Chinese style, it absorbed the goodness from arts of ancient India, Greece and Iran. Therefore, it is a shining pearl of mixture of eastern and western arts. Especially, some Buddhist story paintings are so vivid and beautiful. For example, the stories about the whole life of Sakyamuni, his goodies and contribution of their moral efforts to others. In addition, murals of Buddha, Bodhisattva, kings of the paradise, mighty fighters, minor thousand-Buddha, and flying Buddhist angels, with the background of mountains and rivers, beautify the mystic grottos into an Buddhist world with wind blowing and clouds floating.