For our eighteenth episode, we chat with Dunhuang Academy Scholar-in-Residence, Dr. Neil Schmid.

As one of the world’s leading authorities on medieval Buddhism’s visual culture, Neil covers the importance and implications of the grotto art – from seasonal fruits pictured to social and political inferences. He also gives us his recommendations as a Dunhuang resident, on what to see, do, eat and drink in the city.

Listen to Episode 18:

Episode Overview:

• 00:52 – Introduction to Neil Schmid
• 01:57 – Introduction to Dunhuang from Mei
• 03:00 – How Neil first became interested in Dunhuang and the Mogao Grottoes
• 03:34 – Baihua texts on Dunhuang
• 05:54 – How does one study Buddhist cave art
• 06:51 – The caves as Buddhist spaces
• 07:36 – The caves as social and political places
• 09:07 – Layout of the caves and Dunhuang
• 11:34 – How the caves were made
• 17:54 – Other Buddhist grottoes in Gansu
• 18:25 – History of the Mogao Grottoes
• 27:11 – Gansu compared to other famous Buddhist grottoes in China
• 31:36 – What does Mogao tell us about daily life at that point in history
• 32:45 – Food representation in the Mogao paintings
• 36:30 – Ethnic and geographic diversity in/around Dunhuang
• 38:29 – Neil’s travel tips for Dunhuang

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Places, resources and tips mentioned in the podcast:

Other Buddhist cave sites near Dunhuang

• Yulin Caves
• Eastern Thousand Buddha Caves
• Western Thousand Buddha Caves
• Wei and Jin Dynasty Tombs
• Majishan Grottoes

Books/travelogues mentioned

• Compensations of Plunder: How China Lost Its Treasures by Justin Jacobs
• The Gobi Desert: The Adventures of Three Women Travelling Across the Gobi Desert in the 1920s by Mildred Cable and Francesca French
• The Sacred Oasis: Caves Of The Thousand Buddhas, Tun Huang by Irene Vongehr Vincent

Regional food/drink mentioned

• Mantou (馒头) – steamed buns
• Yuqian (榆钱) – elm seeds
• Heigouqijiu (黑枸杞酒) – black goji liquor
• Yaojiu (药酒) – medicinal liquor
• Buyang (补养) – medicinal tonic
• Suoyang (锁阳) – Chinese cynomorium

Neil’s Dunhuang restaurant and bar recommendations

• Vegetarian restaurant  – Green Lotus (清連素食)
• Bar – Moni (末尼) (from Sakyamuni 释迦摩尼). The full name is 末尼敦煌文化庭院静吧.
• Can sit on a kang (炕) heated bed
• Dongyi boutique (东驿敦煌酒店) (English name is New Century)
• Other boutique is Jangala Dunhuang (敦煌碧玥酒店)
• Hotel at Mogao – The Mogao Hotel (莫高山庄)
• The Silk Road Dunhuang Hotel – WildChina’s recommendation

Transportation

• Domestic flight to Dunhuang airport
• Overnight train from Lanzhou to Dunhuang ~14 hours (Neil recommends a private Deluxe Soft Sleeper cabin)
• High-speed train from Lanzhou to Dunhuang ~8 hours

Seasons to visit

• Spring and Autumn (avoiding Chinese national holidays)