The largest Buddhist grottoes in western China--Kizir Thousand Buddha Caves--lie some 70 kilometers from Dunhuang. One of the four major grottoes in China, it has a longer history than those at Dunhuang.

      At the Kizir Thousand grottoes, the 236 caves have suffered massive damage over time, and Buddha status no longer exist. The murals, however, are relatively well kept, to the benefit of viewers and scholars. From a purely artistic point of view, many of the murals at the Thousand Buddha Caves were beautifully executed. In No. 38 cave, I found a portrait of a Bodhisattva above the entrance of the cave delineated with thin lines. The upper part of the body was naked, and the simple lines that created the image fully bring it to life.