Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves 柏孜克里克千佛洞

About Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves

Surviving painted surfaces and repeated Buddha imagery recall the patronage of the Uyghur kingdom of Qocho, while damaged and missing sections are an important part of the site’s history. Many famous murals were removed and are now held elsewhere. A visit should focus on the currently opened caves and the relationship between the shrines and their cliff setting.

Excavation of the caves began under the Qu rulers of Gaochang. During the Tang period the complex was known as Ningrong Temple (宁戎寺), and it later became a royal monastery under the Uyghur kingdom. Eighty-three caves survive, with murals in more than forty covering over 1,200 square metres. The site became a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level (全国重点文物保护单位) in 1982.

The paintings are mainly Buddhist, with some Manichaean imagery. Artists commonly laid out figures in pale ink, added colour and completed outlines in vermilion. Ochre grounds and warm colours predominate. To compensate for viewing conditions in confined interiors, painters enlarged heads and feet while reducing the proportions of waists and hands. Excavations also recovered more than a thousand manuscript fragments in languages including Chinese, Uyghur and Sogdian, alongside sculptures, textiles and wooden architectural elements.

What to look for

• Rock-cut shrines occupy a terrace above the Mutou valley.
• Surviving murals and painted ceilings preserve parts of a much larger Buddhist programme.

Location & getting there

Getting to Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves

Use the Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves entrance in Mutou Valley, east of Turpan. Confirm the day’s cave selection and follow the staff’s photography and conservation instructions; a site ticket does not imply access to every cave.