For The Silk Road Kung Fu Friendship Tour Part 19, click here.

Dunhuang Museum Caves. Circa 1908

Day 5 April 26, 2017, Wednesday

Recurring themes present themselves everywhere in the ancient city of Dunhuang, Gansu Province in Northwest China: music, dance, martial arts and Buddhism. Yet there is more, adventure, mystery, harmony at the end of conflict and - time – infinite it seems. Traveling in Central Asia is time traveling for this part of the world was for all practical purposes largely cut off from modern trade and economic development in the 1500s due to the rise of the “littoral states” that is - nations with ports. Yet, there are natural resources here, abundant underground oceans of oil, gold and other rare and precious metals, gems of all kinds and new life is blossoming – great cities are rising from the dust and detritus of history. Still, the past lives here as nowhere else – for they have more of it than anywhere. In the blink of the camel’s eye, a thousand years pass.

This day’s tour of Dunhuang Museum started with a great collection of old photos from the late 1800s and early 1900s – quite illuminating to see how things have changed there since the invention of photography, and of course I always photograph old photographs. Then winding our way through the museum collection I found great artifacts, the things of ordinary life spanning the millennia, tools, kitchen and dining ware, and of course, gorgeous weaponry and armor. There are both replicas and some original Dunhuang manuscripts in the collection too, for example some of the earliest translations of many Buddhist sutras into Chinese.

Dunhuang Camel Caravan. Circa 1907

Moving on after the Museum, always forward like the implacable camel, I came to Dunhuang’s Shi Qingzhensi – Dunhuang’s local, ancient Mosque.

According to Professor Ji Xianlin, a distinguished scholar on Dunhuang Studies, “there are only four, rather than five influential cultural systems in the world: Chinese, Indian, Greek and Islam, and they all met in Dunhuang.”

Finding this mosque was easier than finding the Jiayuguan Mosque last week maybe because I’d learned the word Qingzhensi or “Temple of Purity and Truth,” which I learned is used to refer to both Jewish and Muslim places of worship in China. In Beijing I’d learned the word “li bai” for mosque, but Qingzhensi is better I found out in Dunhuang.

Upon arrival I was a bit disappointed because it was a construction site and despite the signs in front with large beautiful pictures of how the masjid will look upon completion, there was no sign of a mosque inside yet. After a slightly confused moment, a rather beautiful female construction worker came out from the construction site effortlessly carrying an amazingly heavy bundle of wood and stone waste in a large basket. Then I recalled, a mosque isn’t just a building, it’s the people that make the mosque. Later I learned the mosque was still there as it has been for 1,300 years; the faithful simple pray in the cafeteria until completion of the prayer hall.

Recovering from that chance epiphany, we walked in and talked with a construction manager who referred us to the on-site member of the Muslim community overseeing the construction. After introductions he called Mr. Ma Ruqi Jusef the mosque manager, Imam (Islamic version of a minister), and teacher who arrived about 10 minutes later.

After a second round of introductions we went into one of the offices on the side and chatted about the construction and history of the ancient Dunhuang mosque.

Though everyone associates Dunhuang with Buddhism because of the fabulous Buddhist collections in the World Heritage Mogao Caves, Islam has been in China for 1,300 years, almost as long as Buddhism, and Dunhuang a major Silk Road crossroads from the beginning – and almost all the Silk Road countries have been or are Muslim – to some extent. Officially there are only around 21 million Muslims in China compared to some 240 million Buddhists, nonetheless people of different faiths live together harmoniously and Muslim restaurants are hugely popular in every Chinese city I’ve visited.

This Dunhuang Qingzhensi (Mosque) location has been used as a Silk Road center since time immemorial serving the needs of travelers and the local Muslim community.

Not long after, Ma Xuexing, the Executive Director of the mosque arrived and the interview continued with Jusef continuing to answer most of my questions. When I mentioned that “Ma” was such a famous name in Chinese Muslim martial arts, Mr. Ma and Mr. Ma started humorously debating whether Hebei or Ningxia was more famous for martial arts. A few years ago I visited Cangzhou in Hebei which is world renowned for martial arts (principally Bajichuan) and gymnastics, whereas Ningxia is the home and capital of the Hui Muslims, famous for being the most valiant of fighters during the rebellion against the tyrannical rule at the end of the last imperial Qing Dynasty. Anyways, those gentlemen were very funny to listen to.

We talked for a couple of hours and among other things I found out by this September the main prayer hall should be finished just in time for the Dunhuang Silk Road Exposition that will start that same month. “People from all over the world will come and we are working very hard to have a beautiful Prayer Hall by then,” said Imam Ma.

I asked Imam Ma about the ratio of Uighur to Hui in the neighborhood and he said their populations were about 10% to 90% respectively at this time. Uighur and Hui Muslim groups are quite different in some ways, in that Uighur retain their own traditional language base and lands, whereas the Hui are much more integrated into Chinese society and spread all round the country.

It was about time for Asr, or mid-afternoon prayer, so like the stalwart camel, it was “onwards!”

Ancient Town Gu Cheng Movie Set

Day 6 April 27, 2017, Thursday

This day started at Dunhuang “Ancient” Town of Gu Cheng. Originally based on a Song Dynasty painting of an ancient city, Gu Cheng is actually a movie set built in 1987 for a historical feature film co-sponsored by Chinese and Japanese film makers, simply called: “Dunhuang.” Nonetheless, this is one of the coolest Silk Road sites to visit because it’s not empty like most (real) ancient sites. A lot of huge excellent movies were filmed here and consequently very real props can be found including a fantastic costume rental place where for a very modest price one can rent all manner of ancient clothes and take photos in the very real looking ancient city. The magic of movies, suspended reality is here in force. This is one of the best places to visit in China, not only for the highly detailed exterior and interior reconstructions, but also for movie nostalgia, many of which I’ve seen and truly enjoyed.

Western 1000 Buddha Caves (Xi Qian Fo Dong)

Stepping back to the 21st Century we hopped in the car provided by the caravansarai-looking-hotel and paid our respects at more ancient Buddhist Grottoes, the Western 1000 Buddha Caves then walked a few hundred meters downhill through some tall trees in the oasis there to the shore of the Dang River where I took a little dip in the rapidly flowing icy clean water. It is water that makes an oasis like Dunhuang, and the magnificent cultures past, present and future possible there in the otherwise burning and freezing Gobi Desert. In my Silk Road travels I’ve seen the remains of several civilizations that dried up and died for lack of water. Yet, the Dang River still flows, nourishing Dunhuang, and still lends life to the perky tall old trees and grasses in front of the Western 1000 Buddha caves. Here too no doubt stopped Buddhist pilgrim Xuanzang on his way back from India in the year 645.

Although not ransacked like Mogao caves by foreign adventurers, ironically water damage has resulted in some of the Buddhas showing a bit of wear and tear over the past thousand plus years. Fortunately, the caves, Buddha’s and other artworks are beautifully protected now.

Old Oasis of Dunhuang

Yangguan Pass and Museum

In Chines,e the south of a hill or mountain, and north of a river is called Yang, and this mountain pass is south of Longtou Mountain and lies 70 km southwest of Dunhuang. Though the town is gone, disintegrated into the dust of history, the walls of an ancient military granary still reside there baking in the desert, scant testimony to its part in the thriving Jin Dynasty (1115 to 1234) Silk Road pass it was. Yangguan Pass was subsequently abandoned in the Tang Dynasty – as the western border moved outwards. I quite liked the silence and untouched nature of this ancient monument as it hasn’t been restored and retains the feel of the nearly thousand years it has subsequently witnessed. The tiny store there unfortunately had no history books or even a pamphlet with information on this ancient gateway to the west.

Around five PM, it was time to meet with new friends Charlie and Mr. Li for a night in Ming Shashan Whistling Sand Desert Mountains. The camel ride, sunset on the crest of a large dune, dinner cooked over a fire at night, endless brilliant stars, crescent moon, quiescent camels, good company, humorous and philosophical discussion all made for a great night.

Mr. Li told stories about people who were injured and sick and their noble camels always brought them home however far the distance. Typically camel caravans have at most 18 camels in a single file, led by a puller that walks. Camels are survivors like no other creature. Their bodies preserve water so well their dung doesn’t have to be dried to use for fire. In fact Mr. Li made a long fire from camel dung in a shallow ditch we dug, then when it had burned down a bit put a couple of inches of sand over it and we slept on top. Warm and comfy! Of course I was up before dawn for my required 1000 kicks and punches and found balancing on a sand dune peak at daybreak just a wee bit more difficult than one might think. The camels however were not impressed as they have seen it all before. One yawned, another laughed.

It is an old Saudi proverb that “if a camel gets his nose in the tent, the body will soon follow.” Why? Camels are usually curious animals. An ancient Muslim proverb says: “Trust in Allah, but tie your camel.” Why? Ask the camel.

Swift, strong and enduring of hardships, loyal to his master, a fast learner but independent thinker, frugal and generous, king of the hottest, driest, harshest places on earth, we all have something to learn from the wisdom of the camel. Look into the eyes of the camel under the light of the moon, and you may see yourself looking back in a fresh or ancient way.

Day 7 April 28, 2017, Friday

On his way to India in search of sacred texts, Xuanzang took the southern route around the Gobi/Taklamakan Deserts. On his return trip from India to Xian, Xuanzang took the northern route, walking through some very strange territories many of which I revisited on this trip. In the Duhuang area this would start at the most northwest Silk Road sites I visited during this week, the Yadan Landforms, then due east to Hecang Fortress, and continuing southeast he would come to Yumenguan Pass. After that possibly Yangguan, West Thousand Buddha Caves, then after crossing the Dang River he might have visited White Horse Pagoda (Baimata), skirted Mingsha Whistling Sand Desert Mountains but stopped at Crescent Lake on the side, then gone on to Mogao Grottos. This would be the natural Silk Road route I think. I didn’t do this in perfect order, but today I started at the outer most sites and moved in.

Yadan Landforms - After Xuanzang’s phenomenal 16 year journey to India and back, the Dunhuang Yadan National Park – very strangely shaped huge colored rocks in an otherwise flat black desert must have seemed surreal, perhaps even hallucinatory – life on a strange planet.

Continuing his walk east along the Silk Road he had to notice the black mountains and black gravely desert on the left, contrasted by the more normal tan sand colored landscape on the right, punctuated here and there with huge red rocks on the way to his next stop. It seemed like a dream.

Hecang Castle was built during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC to 220 AD) and thus was quite ancient even in Xuanzang’s time. He might not have stopped here, instead proceeding directly to Yumenguan. I loved this place anyways because it was not rebuilt so the spirits there were not confused with modern ideas. There were no books or pamphlets or anything about the place in the small nearby shop which did have a few tourist books about Dunhuang and Yumenguan. This if anything enhanced the mystery and romance of the ancient frontier Hecang Castle. A good place for a spot of tea also.

Yumenguan Pass – Jade Gate

This is it – the legendary Jade Gate, a later-day “end of the wall,” end of “civilization.”

Ninety kilometers northwest of Dunhuang this huge square shaped stone tower/gate remains undaunted by time, though the walls are gone. They’re recently installed yellow wooden stairs and fence to protect the property. It looks bit odd like putting a bright yellow tutu on a grizzled noble tiger. Nonetheless, this was an essential entry/exit point from China for much of history. Xuanzang had to pass through Loulan and then here – the Jade Gate in the early Tang Dynasty (mid-Seventh Century) on the way back from India. It’s built a little strangely because the gates on this ancient monument are not North/South or West/East, but rather he would have as I did, entered from the western gate and exited the northern which was within the high thick walls protecting China from the wilderness beyond. A majestic doorway in time, this monument has eternity encoded in every grain of sand – well that’s what the camel told me.

Day 8 April 29, 2017, Saturday

White Horse Temple, or more accurately Puguang Temple, no longer exists as it was washed away in a flood according to the lady that sold the tickets, except for the most ancient Stupa which holds the key and lasting memory of the White Dragon of the Western Sea. This stupa was built in memory of the white horse of the monk Kumarajiva – an Indian born in the Qiuzi Kingdom, present day Kucha in Xinjiang. He brought sacred texts to China, but when he got to this spot in present day Dunhuang - something happened. I copied the following from the wall around the Stupa:

“Kumarajiva had a dream, and in that dream the white horse he’d ridden (across deserts and mountains, through rivers and ice storms) spoke to him: ‘Master, I must confess that I am really the White Dragon of the Western Sea. Since the road to Yangguan is so hazardous and the sea of sand around it boundless I had to come to carry you to fulfill your task of preaching the scriptures. Ahead of you there are no more treacherous roads. I shall go no further. Let us say farewell.’ With these words the white horse arose to depart. But Kumarajiva could not bear to part with the horse. He caught it by the tail and begged: ‘Do you want to forsake the great cause of promulgating the Buddhist scriptures by abandoning me half way?’ The white horse turned its head and tried to explain to him. ‘I have fulfilled my task. Ahead of you, not far from here you will find Crescent Moon Spring where the heavenly steeds gather. There you will find another white horse waiting for you. It will accompany you to the east.’ After this a white flame shot out of the stable into the west. Just then the monk woke up. Another monk came and said to him the white horse is dead. Kumarajiva was very sad. He erected a sacrificial alter for the white horse and performed Buddhist rites at it for nine days. In the courtyard of Puguang Temple he built the White Horse Pagoda.”

White Horse Pagoda (Baimata)

The Diamond Sutra was one of the scriptures Kumarajiva brought with him to China in the year 402, and it was first translated by him a couple of hundred years before Xuanzang was born. It endured as the most commonly read translation for many centuries after.

Walking around outside of the temple grounds I noticed parts of the ancient monastery walls mostly buried under wildlife. A few hundred meters further uphill I saw more than a dozen gleaming bulldozers all parked in neat rows. But, they too looked peaceful, pointed in the opposite direction of the old monastery.

From there I walked across the Dang River, noting the designs on the stone bridge, alternating stupas and Islamic domes, presenting an accurate harmony of different cultures along this ancient Silk Road location. Looking to the southwest along the river from the bridge I saw the natural beauty of old Dunhuang, and to the northeast I saw high-rises and the new Dunhuang.

Market

One of the hardest parts of traveling is finding where local people eat and shop for fruits and vegetables, as well as traditional folk arts. My last stop on this journey was at Sha Zhou Market which is part of the old, real city of Dunhuang.

After this it was a train back to Jiayuguan, and then the next day a plane back to Beijing.

Day 9 April 30, 2017, Sunday
1:00 pm flight back to Beijing.
Day 14 May 5, 2017, Friday

The Gobi came to visit me! BBC reported: “Dust storm chokes Beijing and Northern China.” Reading on I found indeed, the Gobi desert came to visit Beijing. The camel in me rejoiced.

AFTERTHOUGHT

For The Silk Road Kung Fu Friendship Tour Part 21, click here.