Located at the midpoint of the Silk Road, the worldrenowned Mogao Caves of Dunhuang in Gansu Province comprise 492 manmade caves decorated with many Buddhist paintings, carvings, and sculptures. The earliest caves were begun circa 366—439, and the latest date from the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368).

The golden age of activity at Mogao was during the Tang dynasty (618-907)—the period in which Buddhism was at its height of influence in China—when more than two hundred caves were completed. In general Mogao cave decorations may be described as depictions of four subjects: the Buddhist Paradise, Buddhist stories, Bodhisattvas (Buddhists who have achieved enlightenment), and Buddhist worshippers, including donors and patrons. In addition to revealing much about Buddhist religious beliefs, the cave decorations document information about the daily life, social mores, and aesthetic tastes of their creators. The drawing and composition of the...