ABSTRACT
Today a small town with a population of 14,000, Dunhuang was an important oasis settlement in the days of the ancient Silk Road, when its population reached 76,000. Dunhuang was a source of provisions for caravans heading west across the desert beyond Lop Nor. The nearby Mogao Caves, which are responsible for attracting most of the visitors to the town today, owe their existence in some measure to the Silk Road merchants, many of whom financed paintings in this Buddhist cave complex either to secure religious blessings, and there fore safety, on the journey, or to express thanks for a trip already completed.
