TV documentary portrays Dunhuang charm

Another great link between ancient China and the west is the silk road and Dunhuang is not only an important stop in the ancient Silk road, it's also a site famous for its Buddhist caves.

The CCTV documentary "Dunhuang" began showing on the first day of this lunar new year. It has already enjoyed high viewing figures, and has aroused great interest from experts and the viewing public alike.

"Dunhuang" took six years to make. It follows on from  another historical documentary series "Forbidden City", which was made by the same production team.

The series feature exquisite murals, rarely seen relics, and a stylish representation of a mystic grotto.

The town of Dunhuang, located in northwest China's Gansu province, is renowned as being a key site on the famous silk road. It is the location of the mystic Dunhuang grottos.

There are 492 grottos of varying sizes, each housing mesmerizing murals and sculptures. The site was built over a period of a thousand years, between the 4th and the 14th century AD. It was discovered accidentally by a monk at the turn of 20th century.

The TV documentary shows the huge art treasures of Dunhuang, while portraying the lives of some key figures related to the site. The documentary reveals murals and Buddhist scriptures from Dunhuang, some of which are now in overseas museums.

The crew were given exclusive access to sixty seven caves which were previously closed to visitors. These include the No.3 cave, with its mural of the "thousand-armed goddess of mercy".

Chai Jianhong, general secretary of Dunhuang & Turpan Association, said, "This documentary popularizes the history and culture of Dunhuang. At the same time, it is a highly significant research project. So it's excellent in both ways - experts praise its depth, and the viewing public are entertained, while developing their interest in the site."

The ten episode TV production has also received rave reviews after being broadcast in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Broadcast rights to the documentary have also been bought by Japan and Thailand, who are producing translations.

"Dunhuang" took six years to make. It follows on from another historical documentary series "Forbidden City", which was made by the same production team.