The Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, also known as the One-Thousand-Buddha Grottoes, are located on the eastern, rocky side of Singing Sand Mountain, 25 km away from the southeast of Dunhang City, Gansu Province. It is 1,680 m in length from south to north. The carving of those grottoes was started in 366 and lasted about 1,000 years. The Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes were put on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List in 1987.

Now, there are 492 grottoes in existence, with some 45,000 square meters of murals and 2,400-odd painted clay figures. The painted clay figures vary greatly in size, with the largest one being 33 m high and the smallest only 10 cm. The Mogao Grottoes are the largest, oldest and richest of its kind in the world.

Chinese researchers have started to cooperate with their foreign counterparts in the preservation of murals and painted clay figures there since 1980s.