About 6 kilometers (3.73 miles) south of Dunhuang city and surrounded by the Echoing-Sand Mountain, Crescent Lake can be called a natural wonder in the Gobi Desert. Some say it reminds them of the eye of a beautiful woman: lucid, beautiful and amorous. Some say it looks like the mysterious, gentle and seductive lips of a pretty woman, or a slice of lush, sweet and crystal cantaloupe. Actually, it resembles a crescent fallen down into this desert. Having been lying among these sand dunes for thousands of years, although given many surprise attacks by sandstorms, Crescent Spring still gurgles clear.

Research has discovered that, in this special crescent landform, the wind created this depression. As the cross-ventilated theory states, the falling sands from the surrounding mountains would be sent back to the other side of nearby Echoing-Sand Mountains. Thus, the sands do not smother the spring. This particular earth movement keeps the sand dunes and spring in an eternally harmonious and almost paradoxical existence.

Here you can enjoy not only the rare view where an oasis meets the desert, but also some fun sand adventures, such as riding camels and dune surfing. After climbing to the top of the dunes, one can't help but marvel at the dramatic view. You have discovered the wondrous sight of Crescent Spring!

The Echoing-Sand Dunes, formerly known as Shesha Hills or Shajiaoshan Hills, are located 6 kilometres away from the city of Dunhuang. The Echoing-Sand stretch about 40 kilometres from east to west, and 20 kilometres from north to south. The dunes range from 80 to 90 metres in height. The Echoing-Sand are rolling like a " wriggling dragon" and glittering like golden hills with a clear spring shaped like a new moon lying in their bosom. The green spring water, resembling a jadeite, is inlaid on the golden dunes. Reeds grow luxuriously by the side of the spring, and, in gentle breeze, the water-surface ripples and the dunes are reflected in the water, forming a very spectacular view.

According to the record of The Old Tang Annals, The Echoing Sand Dunes are also called Shajiaoshan Hills. In fine days, sand roars like thunder which can be heard in the city, hence the name of Echoing Sand Dunee. When visitors climb up the dunes and slide downward from the summit, the sand can collapse with them and give out a peal of loud sound, like the howls of beasts and roar of thunder if it is listened to in the vicinity and like celestial melodies if it is listened to in the distance. Since the ancient times, this scenic spot has been regards as a riddle.

What has brought about the phenomenon of echoing sand dune? Up to now there is yet no satisfactory answer. Some Japanese think that perhaps there are ancient palaces under the dunes, the Russians deem that the quartz content in the singing sand is very considerable, and when quartz crystals are squeezed, they would produce electric charges which would in turn change into sound. Chinese scientists have carried out the study on the cause of the singing of sand for years and they believe that the singing of sand is a phenomenon of resonance. The Echoing Sand Dunes are as high as 80 to 90 metres and their ridges are as sharp as the edge of a knife.

The Dunhuang Museum is located in the downtown area of Dunhuang City. It is situated in a three-storey building that covers an area of 2,400 square meters (about 25,834 square feet). In front of the museum stand a group of carved figures depicting people leading their camels as they travel along the Silk Road.

Generally speaking, all of the exhibits in the museum are displayed in three sections. In the first section, the written sutras from the No.17 cave of the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang are shown. The written sutras are real evidence of Buddhist activities in Chinese history. In the second section, next to the sutras, a selection of the relics excavated from the graves in the Han Dynasty (206B.C.-220), Jin Dynasty (265-420), Sui Dynasty (581-618), and Tang Dynasty (618-907) are displayed. In this section, you will see the stone pagoda, pottery box, and stone beast figure, which was set in a grave and believed to drive the monsters or evil away. Kylin brick is a special kind of brick carved in high relief (a method of carving in which the design stands out from the flat surface) containing an incised inscription. Kylin is a mythical unicorn in Chinese legends and it was carved on the brick so vividly that it seems to gallop and fly. As an important city on the Silk Road, Dunhuang once was a major trade center in Western China. The third section of the display holds a number of exhibits that illustrate Dunhuang's flourishing culture, including some exquisite silk floret brocade and bamboo slips used for writing. Additionally, iron and bronze tools and weapons are also displayed.

The museum also exhibits relics excavated from the local area, such as paper, coins, a model of the Great Wall as it appeared during the Han Dynasty, and a torch from one of its beacon towers. There is a special room for the paintings and calligraphy work of well-known artists through the ages. This room also holds priceless hand-copied books on ancient geography, military history and sutras written in the Tibetan language.

The Dunhuang Museum reflects the flourishing social development and cultural exchange between China and the West during the time when Dunhuang was a major center along the Silk Road. A trip to the Dunhuang Museum will provide visitors with a greater understanding of the history and culture of the Chinese people and their ancient civilization.

Widely regarded as a Mecca for historians and artists, the Mogao Grottoes at Dunhuang is known as the world's greatest treasure house of Buddhist art extant today. Their construction started in AD 366. The existing 492 grottoes contain 45,000 square metres of murals and more than 2,415 painted sculptures, which spanned 100 consecutive dynasties in more than 1,600 years.

The Mogao Grottoes at Dunhuang is divided into north and south districts, totalling 735 grottoes in all. All the caves are linked by walkways and marked with the date of this carving and the dynasty. A visit to the Dunhuang Grottoes will give the visitor a complete and chronological picture of Buddhist art from the Eastern Jin through the Northern Wei, Western Wei, Northern Zhou, Sui,Tang, Five Dynasties, Song, Xixia,and Yuan dynasties-more than one thousand years of history. The murals in grottoes hewn during the Northern Dynasty depict events in the life of Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism.

The Dunhuang Grottoes, of which Mogao Grottoes, of which Mogao Grotto is the major group, are paramount not only for their artistry, but they also depict aspects of social life in various historical periods and the friendly contacts between China and other countries. The grottoes' valuable historical data has aroused the keen interest of historians, archaeologists and students of religion and art history both at home and abroad.

These artworks represent the pinnacle of ancient Chinese art and culture Most of them are related to religious and folklore stories. For its wealth of priceless artifacts, the Mogao Grottoes was among the first relic areas in China to have been listed as a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1987. Since the grottoes were opened to tourists in 1979, they have attracted more than 3 million domestic and overseas visitors. The provincial government has long been working closely with relics experts from the State Bureau, trying to minimize the impact of weather conditions and tourists to the Mogao Grottoes. Extensive monitoring systems have been established in the in the grottoes to track the slights changes in indoor conditions. Strict rules have been set up to limit the number of tourists entering the grottoes in a specified period of time to prevent damage caused by sudden increases in humidity and carbon dioxide. The Dunhuang frescoes are gems of ancient Chinese art.

Jiayuguan Pass is the first pass at the west end of the Great Wall of China and was built during the Ming Dynasty. It is located 6 kilometers southwest of Jiayuguan City, which is in Gansu Province. It is located at the foot of Jiayuguan Hill, and earned the name 'The First and Greatest Pass under the Heaven'. This is different from 'The First Pass under the Heaven', which is located at the east end of the Great Wall near Qinhuangdao City, in Hebei Province.

The Pass is located at the narrowest point of the western section of the Hexi Corridor, and Jiayuguan often has the meaning of 'Nice Valley'. It was also part of the ancient Silk Road.

The pass is trapezoid-shaped with a perimeter of 733 meters and with an area of more than 33,500 square meters. The total length of the city wall is 733 meters and the height is 11 meters. There are two gates-with one located on the east and west sides of the pass. On each gate, there is a building. On the building at the west gate, the Chinese inscription of 'Jiayuguan Pass' is written on a tablet. The south and north sides of the pass are connected to the Great Wall. There is a turret on each corner of the pass. On the north side inside the two gates, there are wide roads leading to the top of the pass.

The structure was initially built in 1372, during the Ming Dynasty, and has a history of more than 600 years. A legend says that when Jiayuguan Pass was to be built, the official in charge of this project asked the designer to count how many bricks and other materials would be used. The designer gave him a specific number. When the project was finished, one brick was left and that was placed on the pass as a symbol of commemoration.

Jiayuguan itself consists of three defense lines: an inner city, an outer city, and a moat.

Around Jiayuguan Pass, there are many historic sites, such as the Mogao Caves. Today, Jiayuguan Pass is the most intact ancient military building preserved from all the passes on the Great Wall. Many frescos were found in the areas around Jiayuguan Pass.