Dunhuang History

Dunhuang County, which was built in the 6th year of Yuanding of Wu Enterer (111 BC), Han Dynasty, owns a history of over 2,000 years. At the beginning of Western Han, the Huns occupied this area. In 117 BC, during the reign of Emperor Wu (147-87 B.C.E.) of the Western Han dynasty, Dunhuang was appointed as a prefecture, and became a major point of interchange between ancient China and Central Asia.

Located near the historic junction of the Northern and Southern Silk Roads, Dunhuang's military significance as China's first line of defense from a western attack is clear. Besides, it was also an important place for trade and culture, becoming a large metropolis, which connected the people of Han Nationalities with the tribes in the Western China. From Western Han to Western Liang, Dunhuang suffered from chaos caused by wars, and rose and fell for over 400 years.

In 366 AD, Monk Yue Seng opened up the Mogao Grottoes for the first time. And in Northern Wei, they had become very prosperous. After the founding of the Sui Dynasty, the Silk Road was ensured unblocked and the Buddhism in Dunhuang reached its height. In Tang Dynasty, lots of caves, murals and sculptures were made. In 645 AD of Tang Dynasty, Monk Xuanzang got back to Chang’an (the present-day Xi'an) via Dunhuang after getting Buddhist scriptures from the Western Regions.

In 781 AD, Dunhuang fall to the hands of Tubo Dynasty. In 851 AD, Zhang Yi, a rich person in Shazhou recaptured this land by convening a lot of people of Han, Hui and Longqiang Nationalities to revolt. But in 1036 AD, Li Yuanhao, the leader of Dangxiang Nationality captured Dunhuang. And in the same year, the world-famous "Dunhuang Surviving Works" were sealed up for safekeeping in Mogao Grottoes. In 1036 AD, Dunhuang became the territory of Western Xia. After the collapse of Western Xia in 1227 AD, Dunhuang was controlled by the Mongols. In Yuan Dynasty, the culture in Dunhuang became unprecedented prosperous and the business transaction between this land and Western Regions became more and more frequent.

Dunhuang was under the control of Ming Dynasty in 1403 AD. And in 1524 AD, it became a part of Tulufan Kingdom. During the rein of Emperor Kangxi in Qing Dynasty, the royal troops recaptured Dunhuang. And in the first year of his reign, Emperor YongZheng set up Shazhou Section in Dunhuang and promoted it to Shazhou Guard two years later. In 1760 AD, the authorities of Qing Dynasty promoted Shazhou to Dunhuang County.

After its peaceful liberation in 1949, the People's Government of Dunhuang County was established. In 1987, it was changed from a county to a city and was designated by the State Council as one of the first cities open to foreigners. In 1986, it was named the Chinese famous cultural and history cit by the nation. In 1992, Dunhuang was established as the tour and economy development by Gansu province.

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