Known as Shazhou in ancient times, Dunhuang was served as a rest stop for traders as the gateway through which Buddhism, Islam and Christianity entered China.

Dunhuang is located at the western end of Hexi Corridor in Gansu Province in northwest of China. It is 2000 kilometers west of Beijing, right on the silk road that caravans would take to get from China to the Middle East. It is a small oasis surrounded by high mountain, deserts and the Gobi Desert with Dang River as the city's water supply. The city boasts 241 places of historic interests, and many of them are world-famous for its long history, such as Mogao Grottoes, one of the greatest reminders of the silk trade in ancient time. Other sights include the White Horse Pagoda, the Yangguan Pass and the Yumenguan Pass. These sights cannot rival in beauty with the caves, but it is quite some fun getting there through the desertlike landscape.

Area : Dunhuang has an area of 3,120 sqare kilometers.

Population : Dunhuang has a population of 0.1 million.

History : made a prefecture in 117B.C. by Emperor Han Wudi, and was a major point of interchange between China and the outside world during the Han and Tang dynasties