[2024 Turpan Attraction] Travel Guide for Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves (Updated Oct)

Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves, located in the middle section of Flaming Mountain, about 45 kilometers east of Turpan City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

2024.9.30 Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves, located on the cliff on the west bank of the Mutougou River Valley in the middle section of Flaming Mountain, about 45 kilometers east of Turpan City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, is the most abundant cave and mural content in the existing grottoes in Turpan, and it is also one of the larger Buddhist grotto temples in Xinjiang. Historical evolution ‌Excavation time‌: It was excavated in the late Northern and Southern Dynasties, and experienced the Tang, Five Dynasties, Song, and Yuan Dynasties for a long period of seven centuries. ‌Prosperous period‌: The period of Gaochang Huihu was the most prosperous stage of the grotto group. It was once the royal temple of Gaochang King. ‌Decline and destruction‌: At the end of the 13th century AD, with the eastward migration of the Gaochang royal family to Yongchang, Gansu, and the introduction of Islam into Turpan, Buddhism gradually declined, and the Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves also declined and were destroyed in the conflict of heterodoxy. In addition, at the beginning of this century, it was repeatedly looted and destroyed by powers such as Russia, Germany, Britain, and Japan, which further aggravated its damage. Caves and murals ‌Number of caves‌: There were originally 83 caves, 57 of which are now in existence, and more than 40 of them have murals. ‌Mural content‌: The total area of ​​the murals is 1,200 square meters, and the content is extremely rich, including the story of "The Buddha's Life Change" centered on large standing Buddha images, Buddhist story paintings, marriage story paintings, and thousands of Buddha statues, etc., aiming to praise the Dharma and provide good men and women for worship. ‌Characteristic caves‌: ‌No. 17 and 18 caves‌: Excavated in the 6th to 7th centuries AD, they are the earliest excavated caves in the grotto group. ‌No. 16 cave‌: Excavated in the middle of the Tang Dynasty, there is a "Ji Le Tu" in the cave, and the ancient musical instrument Xiao Hulei (Dragon Head Pipa) appeared for the first time in the picture. ‌No. 20 cave‌: The murals depict the images of Gaochang Huihu King and Queen, with bright colors, smooth lines, and exquisite painting. ‌No. 33 cave‌: There is a tribute map on the back wall that shows the disciples mourning after the Buddha's Nirvana. ‌No. 38 cave‌: The murals reflect the life scenes of ancient Manichaeism. ‌No. 82 and 83 caves‌: They are small memorial caves built specifically for high monks in Buddhist temples. Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves is not only a large-scale Buddhist art treasure house, but also carries rich historical and cultural information. There are still many ancient Huihu, Chinese, and Brahmi inscriptions in the cave, which are valuable materials for studying ancient characters. Despite the vicissitudes of life, the remaining Buddha seats are still gorgeous and exquisite, and the remaining murals are rich in content and colorful, showing the superb skills and profound cultural heritage of ancient artists. On February 23, 1982, Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves was announced by the State Council as the second batch of national key cultural relics protection units.

Where the Paintings Are

Where the Paintings Are On the outskirts of Turpan, the Bezeklik Caves house a super interesting - though greatly damaged - set of caves that are home to paintings of highly artistic and religious artwork. They're hidden within one of the valleys of the Flaming Mountains, and are said to mark the beginning of Buddhism in China. Today there are said to be around 70+ grottoes but only just over half still have their original murals. At the time of our visit, we could only enter a handful of caves, the others were all locked up, but what we did manage to see was super interesting, and if you're in the area it is well worth the detour and can still give you a glimpse into what the past, precious artwork woulld have been like back in the day. Find it: Bezeklik Caves, Flaming Mountain Area, Gaochang District, Turpan #momentsmission

Today's Thousand Buddha Caves reveal a mystery in the low-key. On the periphery of the cave, Buddha statues of various sizes are arranged in order, and the temples piled up in mud are faintly visible. The remnants of the ruin are still showing the glory of being a Buddhist center. One side of the Thousand Buddha Cave faces a steep cliff, so the sinister environment adds a lot of legendary colors. If you want to enter the grotto, you need to climb up the stone steps and pass through the ruins of Gaochangs back to the kings temple until you reach the mouth of the first cave. The exhaustion that arises when climbing upwards will be extinguished as soon as it enters the cave of the 18th. After the heartbeat gradually became flat, and the eyes also adapted to the darkness inside the cave, the incredible rich content inside the cave was presented in turn. This central pillar-shaped cave has the oldest murals in the entire grotto. The upper part and the top of the tunnel completely preserve the contents of the early murals. On both sides of the wall, there are thousands of Buddhas with round necks and shoulders, and the hands are held in front of the abdomen, with meticulous details. Lifelike expressiveness is breathtaking.