The missionary Mildred Cable described the scene: "At the edge of the cliff was a rough opening, and from it a very precipitous path led down to a narrow ledge from which the new caves opened . . . they were comparable to the better known Thousand Buddha Grottoes . . . the figures were free and stately, with flowing lines and elegant draperies, and the frescoes showed the same clear warm tints."
Located 35km (22 miles) southwest of town, the valley is easily accessed as a half-day trip, but it's still a scramble down to the caves. They were largely built by locals from the nearby village of Nan Hu, and have several Jataka stories not covered by the Mogao caves. Most of the statuary (with the exception of Caves 5 and 16) was repainted to poor effect during the Qing dynasty. The most spectacular murals are located in Cave 15 [S], which is not open to the casual visitor without payment of an additional fee. The stunning blues and muscular bodhisattvas of the Northern Wei (Cave 5) and Northern Zhou (Cave 6) are in real contrast to the plump, feminine bodhisattvas of the Middle Tang (Cave 15). To reach the site, a taxi may be hired for ¥60; or take any bus heading west from Dunhuang for ¥5. From the road, it's a 15-minute walk south to the cliff face, with a set of stairs to the left leading down to the ticket office.
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