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China to Build Museum for "Sutras Cave" In Dunhuang
China is to build a museum to display the cultural relics found in the world-famous "Sutras Cave " of Mogao Grotto in Dunhuang, west China's Gansu province.
The museum, scheduled for opening in July, will be built on the former residence of Taoist Wang Yuanlu, who found the Cave by chance about 100 years ago.
Dunhuang, located on the ancient Silk Road, has recorded and pictured the social life, people's ideology, belief of China in the Middle Ages (from the 3rd to the 9th century). It gathers the civilized results in philosophy, arts, literature, history, science, politics, economy and military affairs.
The "Sutras Cave," actually a small stone room, contained thousands of cultural relics, priceless manuscripts, documents, Buddhist instruments through the ages.
Discovery of the room immediately attracted many foreign careerists and explorers, who came and stole hundreds of hand- copied sutras and printed sutras, exquisite embroidery objects, colored sculptures. A considerable portion of the cultural relics from the "Sutras Cave" have been found in museums, cultural organizations and individuals in more than 10 countries.
Chen Yanke, best known Chinese scholar, described the history of the discovery of the "Sutras Cave" as "a heartbreaking history.
" Peng Jingzhang, researcher with the Dunhuang Academy, said that the purpose of the museum is to remind Chinese people that the heartbreaking history of Dunhuang should not happen again.
The museum is to exhibit about 1,000 pieces of cultural antiques found in the "Sutras Cave" together with other replicas, introduction charts and graphs, video materials and computer search service.
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