La Route de la Soie

China: Dunhuang (1x13)

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Between the Dunhuang oasis’ dunes, our guide meets a woman camel breeder. The oasis has become a popular tourist spot but its fragile ecosystem has to be protected. The valley of the 1000 Buddhas stretches outwards from the edge of Dunhuang. This extraordinary archaeological site comprises no fewer than 492 caves, with cave-paintings dating from the fourth to the fourteenth century. One cave contains a 36 meters tall statue of Buddha – the biggest Buddha recorded in the history of China.