First, the important geographical location of Dunhuang

Dunhuang is located in the northwest of the motherland and the western end of Hexi Corridor, at the junction of Gansu, Qinghai and New Provinces. Dunhuang was the largest transportation hub on the Silk Road in ancient times. From the northeast of Dunhuang, through Anxi, it can lead to the Central Plains; It goes out of Yangguan in the west and connects with Ruoqiang County (Shanshan) in Xinjiang along the South Road of the Silk Road. Yumenguan in the northwest and Hami and Lop Nur areas along the North Road of the Silk Road; Dunhuang goes south through Aksai, crosses Altun Mountain and reaches Golmud.

Dunhuang, located at the westernmost end of Hexi Corridor, is a pearl on the Silk Road and a treasure house of culture. The natural geographical location of Hexi Corridor (a series of mountains at the southern end of Inner Mongolia Plateau in the north: Longshou Mountain? Helishan? Mazong Mountain, with Qilian Mountain in the south, is a natural long geographical passage. ) The desert in the north and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in the south.

topographic map of Hexi Corridor

Hexi Corridor is an ancient international corridor (east to Chang 'an, west to the Western Regions, west to Central Asia and West Asia, such as Persia and Afghanistan; North Europe; To South India. The confluence of ancient Chinese civilization, two river basin civilization, ancient Indian civilization and Mediterranean civilization is the main artery of the Silk Road.

Ancient Silk Road

Dunhuang's position on the Silk Road (the Silk Road runs from Chang 'an to the west, passes through Hexi Corridor, and is the four major towns in Hexi, Wuwei, Zhangye, Jiuquan and Dunhuang. Dunhuang is the pearl of the Silk Road at the westernmost end. ) Wang Wei has it in "Send Yuan Er Shi An Xi". Advise you to have a glass of wine, and go out to Yangguan for no reason? The famous sentence.

Mr. Ji Xianlin's "The Position and Function of Dunhuang Studies and Turpan Studies in the Cultural History of China" says:

There are only four cultural systems with a long history, vast territory, self-contained systems and far-reaching influence in the world: China, India, Greece and Islam, and there is no fifth one; There is only one place where these four cultural systems converge, namely Dunhuang in China and Xinjiang, and there is no second one.

the interpretation of Dunhuang: Ying Shao's interpretation in the Eastern Han Dynasty? Dunhuang? Name:? Dun, Daya; Huang, Sheng Ye. ? Li Jifu, a Tang Dynasty, said:? Dun, Daya, is famous for its wide opening to the western regions. ? The name of Dunhuang itself is closely related to the development of Silk Road traffic.

Second, the origin of Dunhuang studies

Wang Yuanlu, the host of Mogao Grottoes

The origin of Dunhuang studies is closely related to the discovery of the Sutra Cave (Cave 17) in Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes. On June 22nd, 19 (May 26th of the lunar calendar), Wang Yuanlu, the host of the Mogao Grottoes, hired several guys to clean up the accumulated sand in the tunnel of Cave 16, and accidentally discovered the Tibetan Sutra Cave.

Cave 17 of the Mogao Grottoes

From then on, from 197 to 1914, Englishman Aurel Stein, Frenchman pelliot, Japanese Zuicho Tachibana, Ji Chuan Koichiro and Russian S.F.Oldenburg came one after another, bringing tens of thousands of exquisite documents, silk paintings and other cultural relics.

Dunhuang documents in the Tibetan Scripture Cave

The dispersion of Dunhuang documents

In p>197, Stein in England took the first batch of writing volumes;

In p>198, pelliot took away another batch of writing volumes;

In the autumn of p>199, pelliot exhibited his Dunhuang scrolls in Beijing, which was greatly surprised by scholars such as Luo Zhenyu, Wang Renjun and Jiang Bofu.

In p>191, the Qing government began to escort scriptures, but it was greatly damaged.

In p>1912, Zuicho Tachibana and Ji Chuan Koichiro stole about 1 volumes.

In p>1914, Stein stole a batch of writing volumes again;

1914? In 1915, Russia's Odenburg went to Dunhuang several times and stole about 18, volumes.

Third, a scholar of Dunhuang studies proposed Dunhuang studies? One was first proposed by Chen Yinque, a master of Chinese studies, in 193. In that year, Chen Yuan, a famous scholar and professor of Beiping Normal University, finished the book Dunhuang Robbery Records, so he asked Mr. Chen Yinque to preface it. Chen Yinque said in the preface:? The knowledge of an era must have its new materials and new problems. It is a new academic trend of this era to use this material to study and solve problems. ? Dunhuang scholars are the new academic trend in the world today. Over the past 2 years, from Japan in the east to Britain and France in the west, scholars from various countries have made contributions to their respective areas of study. ?

Looking back on the history of Dunhuang studies in the past hundred years, the research on Dunhuang studies has been from small to large, from zero to system, from disorder to organization and planning, and the research and protection complement each other, which has made remarkable achievements. Since the 198s and 199s? Dunhuang in China, Dunhuang studies abroad? The passive situation has been gradually reversed. Today, the research centers and highlands are in China. Such achievements are inseparable from the promotion of several generations of scholars. Dunhuang Research Institute has held many international seminars on Dunhuang studies, which has made Dunhuang studies more deeply rooted in people's hearts. It also confirms Mr. Ji Xianlin's sentence:? Dunhuang in China, Dunhuang studies in the world?