 Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves is at the Mutou Valley of the Flaming Mountain. There were originally hundreds of such caves. Unfortunately this area is highly exposed to natural erosion, which have severely damaged quite a few of them. Now there are 83 caves in good condition 50 percent of which are decorated with murals. The total murals find here reach up to 1,200 square meters.
The chiseling work began during the Gaochang Kingdom Period from 499 AD to 640 AD while large constructions were conducted from the 6th century to the 14th century for around 800 years.
The caves were palace temples of the Huihu Kingdom ( Huihu was the ancestor of today’s Uygur) The features of the murals of that period were greatly influenced by that of the Tang Dynasty. They have precise designs, distinctive lines and bright colors. The figures are simple, with round heads, elongated ears and puppet-like segmented bodies which are boldly outlined.
|
