Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves

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Bezeklik caves

The Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves (Simplified Chinese:柏孜克里千佛洞; Hanyu Pinyin: Bózīkèlǐ Qiān Fó Dòng) are complex of Buddhist cave grottos dating from the 5th to the 9th centuries between the cities of Turpan and Shanshan (Loulan) at the north-east of the Taklamakan Desert near the ancient ruins of Gaochang in the Mutou Valley, a gorge in the Flaming Mountains, China.^[1] They are high on the cliffs of the west Mutou Valley under the Flaming Mountains.^[2]

[edit] Bezeklik murals

There are 77 rock-cut caves at the site. Most have rectangular spaces with rounded arch ceilings often divided into four sections, each with a mural of Buddha. The effect is of entire ceiling covers with hundreds of Buddha murals. Some ceilings are painted with a large Buddha surrounded by other figures, including Indians, Persians and Europeans. The quality of the murals vary with some being artistically naive while others are masterpieces of religious art.^[3]

Many of the murals were damaged by local Muslim population whose religion proscribed figurative images of sentient beings, the eyes and mouths in particular were often gouged out. Later European explorers discovered intact murals and many were removed and dispersed around the world. Some of the most important murals were removed by German explorer Albert von Le Coq and sent to Germany. However, many of them, especially the large pieces which were affixed onto museum walls and therefore cannot be removed for safekeeping, were destroyed during the Second World War when Berlin was bombed by the Allies.^[4] Other pieces may now be found in various museums around the world, such as the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Tokyo National Museum in Japan, British Museum in London, as well museums in Korea and India.

A digital recreation of the Bezeklik murals removed by explorers was shown in Japan.^[5]^[6]

[edit] Gallery

View on caves
View on to the valley
Frescoes of Buddhas
Frescoes of Buddhas
A Uyghur prince
Uyghur Princes wearing robes and headgears. Bezeklik, Cave 9, ca. 8th/9th century CE, wall painting. Located at the Museum für Indische Kunst, Berlin-Dahlem.
Uyghur princesses, cave 9, ca. 8-9th century CE, Museum für Asiatische Kunst
A possible Tocharian monk (left) with an East Asian buddhist monk (right)