A Review of the Functions of the Cultural Heritage of the Mogao Caves at Dunhuang

Abstract

The Mogao Caves, also known as the “Caves of a Thousand Buddhas,” were first constructed in the early 4th century and gradually expanded to more than 700 grottoes by the Yuan dynasty. Preserved within are extensive wall paintings, sculptures of Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and arhats, along with the invaluable Dunhuang manuscripts, encompassing Buddhist scriptures, Daoist texts, Confucian writings, and secular documents. This unique cultural complex is not only an unparalleled artistic and religious treasure but also a dynamic medium for cultural transmission and moral education. Historically, the Mogao Caves have functioned as a space for Buddhist devotion, while also carrying a didactic function that warns and instructs through visual narratives. In the modern context, their significance extends beyond religious and historical value to encompass heritage preservation, aesthetic appreciation, and even sustainable commercial development through tourism and digital dissemination. As such, the Mogao Caves represent a multidimensional cultural heritage site whose enduring relevance lies in the intersection of spiritual devotion, cultural memory, and contemporary socio-economic engagement