Dunhuang Caves

The Dunhuang caves, also called the Mogao Caves or Mogao Grottoes, are a system of temples. There are 492 temples on the 15.5 mile (25 km) stretch southeastward from the oasis of Dunhuang in Gansu province on the edge of China’s Taklamakan Desert. Construction of these shrines began in 366 B.C. Since then, the shrines have been used to store scriptures and artwork. The Buddhist art found within the caves spans 1000 years of history, and contains some of the finest examples of this genre. In 366 B.C., a Buddhist monk again excavation of the cave based on his vision of a thousand Buddhas. Eventually, more than 1000 temples were created. Buddhist monks retreated to these caves seeking enlightenment. Between the fourth and 14th centuries, Buddhist monks collected scriptures. Pilgrims painted inside the caves. The scriptures and artwork were used as aids to meditation and to teach the illiterate Chinese peasants about Buddhism. After the 11th century, the caves were walled off. They were used as storage for the venerated manuscripts and paraphernalia that were often damaged and used. A century before, printed books became more common. Handwritten manuscripts were replaced with printed books; discarded manuscripts were stored in the … Continue reading Dunhuang Caves →

The post Dunhuang Caves appeared first on Richard Cassaro.

Richard Cassaro is a journalist, speaker and author of “Written In Stone: Decoding The Secret Masonic Religion Hidden In Gothic Cathedrals And World Architecture.” The book uncovers a lost Wisdom Tradition that was practiced globally in antiquity, found memorialized in pyramids, Triptychs, and identical images worldwide. The central tenets of this tradition have been perpetuated in Western Secret Societies. The most visible of these is the so-called “Masonic Fraternity,” an age-old chivalric Order whose ranks have included Europe’s Gothic cathedral builders and America’s Founding Fathers. Richard has two websites: www.DeeperTruth.com and www.RichardCassaro.com