Dunhuang, the Mogao Caves, where the heart aspires

Dunhuang, I have come again, having read the book 'My Heart Belongs to Dunhuang' by Fan Jinshi, the daughter of Dunhuang, which made me yearn to visit Dunhuang and the Mogao Caves once more. I can't quite remember how many times I've been to Dunhuang; each visit involved strolling through the ancient town, visiting the museum, camping in the desert... It was mainly for leisure. I wanted to see the Mogao Caves again; when I visited over a decade ago, I was merely astonished by its beauty, without being deeply moved. Over the years, after seeing the Longmen Grottoes, Maijishan Grottoes, Bingling Temple Grottoes... I've come to a belated realization of the grandeur of the Mogao Caves, and I truly can't think of words to describe it—extremely beautiful, extremely beautiful. I once saw an answer: Why should people study? Because knowledge can give you a broader perspective and more imagination; you will see a bigger world in the same thing. In the past, when I looked at Buddha statues, they were just statues to me, without understanding, there was no appreciation, nor could I speak of interest. Now, when I look at Buddha statues, I observe their expressions, attire, patterns on their clothes, jewelry, armlets, lotus pedestals, etc., and in the paintings, I notice the brushstrokes, lines, colors, scenes, stories, imagination... Suddenly, I am struck by the beauty that is both magnificent and fresh, bright yet profound, incomparably beautiful. I took a stroll through the Shazhou Night Market, where, in addition to the super delicious Hu Yang braised pancakes, red willow barbecue, hand-grabbed lamb, Fengsha chicken, lamb soup, and other delicacies, there were also colorful paintings with different tones, stories, patterns, designs... So beautiful, so beautiful. In the evening, I also watched the performance 'Encounter Dunhuang' again, with history rolling in. Even though I had watched documentaries like 'Dunhuang' and 'Hexi Corridor' before and had some understanding of the history, I was still repeatedly moved to tears. I finally understand why there is a difference between visiting Dunhuang only once and countless times. Facing the lives from a thousand years ago, gazing, with stories in the heart and eyes brimming with tears. Knowledge is a fierce tiger; only with a tiger in the heart can one see the rose.