中国之旅-西北篇（6/4/2009）

今天是出门6天以来最迟起床的一天，也是我睡得最香的一天。洗漱完毕，我们到了旅舍附近的沙漠、花园和民居走动。这里的民居非常有特色，就像每次在戏剧里头看到的传统中国民居，每家每户门口都贴上春联的那种。附近的花园也很美，到处开满了杏花。
Today, we wake up very late, and it is the best sleep I ever have for past 6 days. We visited the houses and gardens nearby the youth hostel. The houses here are very special, it looks like the traditional houses that we see in movies, where you can find New Year Scroll at every door.


当我们步行到沙漠时，随手拿起一堆沙，感觉好像海滩的沙一样，只不过这里的沙是冰冷的。接着我们就在沙漠上玩起沙来，也不知什么时候小沙子进入我的相机，恶梦就开始了。
While walking on the dune nearby, we grab some sands on hand, it actually feel like the sands we get in beach. We play around at the desert, without realizing that the sands go into my camera, and the nightmare begins.







回到旅舍已经十点多了，我赶紧换好衣服，顺便检查随身文件和相机，准备出门去莫高窟了。这时候才发现，我的相机进沙子了，开启不了了！天啊，我连九寨沟都还没进去，怎么相机在这时候发生故障？土豆告诉我说，这救不了了，小地方的相机店也修不了，只能轻轻敲打，希望把沙子敲出来。去莫高窟的路上我就这样敲呀敲，却始终没把沙子敲出来。后来我也就放弃了，反正我出来是要玩的，不是来拍照的。可能老天要我用心看风景吧，相机坏就坏了，别让它影响心情！
We go back hostel around 10am, and in a split second we are ready to go out! We are going to Mo Gao Caves today, which is one of the highlight in our trip. However, when I try to turn on my camera, I found that it is not functioning anymore, the sands go in to my camera! OMG, I haven't even take a picture of Jiu Zhai Gou, I can't lose my camera here! But Charley told me that there is no way to revive it, because the technician here is not good enough to repair it, the only way is to knock the camera lightly, hoping the sands can be knoced out.

I tried to knock the camera for a long time, but in the end i give up. I am here to travel, so I won't let the camera spoilt my mood! Maybe this is the message to me, asking me to view the scenery by heart, not by camera, haha...

超级大盘鸡 Super big bowl of chicken

出发到莫高窟的路上，我们进了一间参观解决午餐，一看菜单就下了一跳，脸上都露出了一副寒酸样。后来在富师傅的建议下，我们叫了一个大盘鸡，为了省钱连面都省下了。结果证明我们的选择是正确的，这大盘鸡不但好吃，而且真的很大盘，4个人吃来吃去都吃不完，真庆幸没有要面食。
On the way to Mo Gao Caves, we found a restaurant and decided to have our lunch there. We are all stunned by the price while looking at the menu, our expressions tell that we are so poor and shabby. In the end, Fu advised us to order a pot of chicken, but for the sake of money we do not order noodles. Eventually it proves that we made the right decision, because the pot of chicken is simply too much for 4 of us! We spent a long time to finish it.

莫高窟又称为千佛洞，里头藏着许多珍贵的佛教艺术壁画，是由前秦开始到宋元许多朝代的工匠艺术家呕心沥血建成的。明清两代基本上不再扩张洞窟，也不进行艺术创作，而是以修复前朝的作品为主。由于明朝时期实行锁关政策，丝绸之路没落，敦煌和莫高窟也渐渐荒芜了。1900年，道士王圆箓在莫高窟发现"藏经洞"，洞内藏有写经、文书和文物四万多件，此后莫高窟更为引人注目。 王道士更在这里建了一座道观。
Mo Gao Caves is also known as "Caves of Thousands Buddha", there are a lot of Buddhism mural inside. The caves are built from Qian Qin (~AD 300) dynasty to Yuan Dynasty (~1380), by the hardwork of many artisan. From Ming Dynasty onwards, there are no new caves discovered, because most of the artisans focus on repairing old work rather than creating new one. Ming Dynasty implemented closed-gate policy, no trading with foreigners is allowed, so the silk road is declining seriously. Dun Huang and Mo Gao Caves also enter a dark period since then. In year 1900, a Taoist priest name Wang discovered the caves that store 40000 over scriptures and drawings, which caused Mo Gao Caves attracting more and more visitors. Wang also build a Taoist temple nearby.




进入莫高窟需要跟导游，否则普通人自己看是看不懂的。我们跟的导游小姐叫小王，说得一口流利的普通话。她带领我们游览了10个洞窟，每到一个洞窟都会详细解说这个洞窟壁画的艺术特征，如何分辨作品的年代，甚至解说了很多我们不容易察觉的细节。印象最深刻的是她说到从隋朝佛祖像身上披的袈裟上看，下垂的幅度和线条凸显出这个时代出产的丝绸非常柔软，而且是上佳的质地。这样观察入微的艺术鉴赏能力，实在是让人叹为观止。
To enter Mo Gao Caves, we need to follow a specific tour guide, as the tour guide will explain in details how to appreciate the mural. Our tour guide named Xiao Huang, she speaks Mandarin fluently. She bring us to visit 10 caves, explaining the stories and information of respective cave patiently. She even teach us how to appreciate the art and how to identify the era of respective mural. The most impressive part is when she bring us to a Buddha statue made in Sui Dynasty, she told us that the robe is sagging gently, showing that the silk is actually very soft and of good quality. I was amazed by her ability to appreciate art in such an observant way!

我最喜欢的洞窟讲述的是一个佛教故事，是佛陀前世以肉身喂食饿虎的故事。喜欢它的故事感人，喜欢壁画的表达方式充满美感，更喜欢故事背后的慈悲胸怀。是什么让人有这种慈悲的力量呢？由于莫高窟里头部允许拍照，我们只能用眼看，用脑记，用心感受了。
The cave that I like it the most, tells the story of how Buddha in the past life sacrifice himself to feed a hungry female tiger, so the tiger and her babies can survive. The story is touching, the mural is drawn aesthetically and the benevolence of Buddha inspires me. That is why I like it so much. I am wondering, what is the reason that caused a person to be like Buddha? Since it is prohibited to take picture in Mo Gao Caves, we can only see it by our eyes, remember it by our brain and feel it by our heart.

由于不是旅游旺季，莫高窟只开放10个洞窟；若在旺季时还可以留到别的导游那里多参观几个不同的洞窟呢。我们尝试跟着其他日本游客和西方游客参观，结果发现都是一样的洞窟，只好放弃了。
During the peak season, Mo Gao Caves will open more than 20 caves, we can actually follow different tour guides to visit more caves (1 tour guide only visit 10 caves, but they do visit different caves). However, now is still in low season, we try to follow other Japanese and western tourists, but end up visiting same caves, sigh~~

导游也带我们参观了“盗墓者们”的特别档案室，里头记录了当年（20世纪初）外国探险者如何千辛万苦到达敦煌，游说王道士卖出了一批又一批珍贵无比的经卷。有的人买不到经卷，就到洞窟里头把壁画拓了下来。面对这些外国人的行径，我感到非常愤怒，却又无可奈何，因为他们都是用钱买下来的，说起来还是“正当手段”。要怪就怪当时清朝政府不重视文物保护，王道士不识货，或者怪中国人本身根本没有珍惜对历史文物的观念！也不知道这些“盗宝者”的后人来参观莫高窟的话，会有什么感想？
The tour guide take us to visit the museum as well, which documented how foreigners enter the Mo Gao Caves in early 20th century and lobby Wang (the Taoist priest) to sell the scriptures and art works he found. Those who failed to buy any scriptures from Wang, choose to take away the mural in the caves. I feel so angry when listening to the act of these foreigners (I feel that I am a China man now!), yet I feel helpless, because they actually bought it "legally" from Chinese! It will be more logical to blame the ignorance of Ching Dynasty and Chinese people towards the cultural relics during that time. If the offsprings of these foreigners visit Mo Gao Caves, and found that their ancestors are criticized in that way, what will the think?


离开莫高窟时，我看到了一则告示，说是一位收藏莫高窟经卷的日本人死后，把所有经卷归还了莫高窟。人间还是有明白事理的人，我不禁敬佩这位日本人，更希望有朝一日，莫高窟藏经洞的经卷可以回到自己的家里。
While stepping out of Mo Gao Caves, I saw a notice mentioning that a Japanese returned all the scriptures of Mo Gao Caves he own back to the Chinese government, after he passed a way. I am salluting this person in my heart, and I hope that one day in future, all the scriptures and murals will be able to return to their home.

回到旅舍，我们便兴致勃勃准备去鸣沙山看月牙泉了。由于旅舍里月牙泉很近，我们决定走路去。路上遇到一个牵骆驼的人，在富师傅的讨价还价下，我们得以60元骑上骆驼来回鸣沙山，省却了买门票的钱，呵呵~
After returning to hostel, we are fully prepared to visit Ming Sha Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring! The hostel is very near to Crescent Moon Spring, so we decided to walk. On the way, we met a man leading along a few camels, Fu suggested us to ride on the camel so we won't have to walk. After short bargaining, we agreed with the price of 60 yuan to ride on camel to and fro Ming Sha Mountain, we do not need to buy the ticket as well, haha....

骆驼始终非常强壮的动物，坐在上面感觉非常安全。可是我骑的那只却很爱跑，一直撞向前方的同伴，让我有点担心自己会被摔下来。更好笑的是，原来骆驼会一面走一面大便小便的~　
Camel is strong, so it gives a sense of security to ride on it. However, the camel I ride on is very naughty, it always try to run and knock on the camels in front! I am so worry that I will fall down~~ In addition to it, camels shits and pees when they walk... OMG!





到了鸣沙山，才发现原来有好一段路是骆驼很难上去的，需要自己爬，天啊！我们花了将近40分钟才爬到接近山顶的地方，途中不知停了多少轮，加上沙漠风沙很大，吹得我们随时都有掉下山的感觉，哈哈。好不容易到达山顶，马上被神奇的月牙泉吸引住了。更新奇的是鸣沙山面向太阳的一面滚烫异常，另一面却是冷的。
We reached Ming Sha Mountain shortly, and found that the camels can't actually climb up to the top, so we have to do it ourselves! We spent nearly 40 minutes to climb up after a few stops. Since the wind is very strong, it bring along tons of sands, which make the climbing even more difficult. We were amazed by the beautiful Crescent Moon Spring. It is strange that the side of dune facing Sun is very hot, while the other side is very cold, haha~~






在山上逗留了近30分钟后，我们终于甘心下山了。
After staying 30 minutes up the dune, we finally left.







回到旅舍，我们就迫不及待的开餐了。土豆为富师傅准备了丰盛的晚餐，富师傅便偷偷把一些羊肉装进小碗里递给了我们。面对富师傅的盛情，我们都非常感动，没想到萍水相逢的一位司机一路上会对我们照顾有加。或许他说得对，人都是感情的动物，相处久了就会有感情。再回头看看土豆一家人围坐在一起吃晚餐，那种温馨的场面，似曾相识。这一餐吃的很温暖。
We are hunting for food immediately after we reached the hostel. Charley prepared a deluxe dinner for Guru Fu, Fu bring along some delicious mutton to share with us secretly. We were touch by the act of Fu, although we just meet each other a few days ago, but he always take good care of us. Maybe this is why he always tell us, human is make of flesh, we tend to have feelings on each other after staying together for some time.

It is very warm to look at Charley's family, who are having their dinner surrouding a long table. It reminds me the feelings I had long long time ago. This is a very warming dinner~

我们点的晚餐 Our dinner

土豆一家吃饭的情景，加上灯光效果，很美是吗？
Charley and his family having dinner, warm and sweet, isn't it?

吃饱饭，洗了澡，稍作休息后，富师傅建议带我们到敦煌市区游车河，我们当然同意咯！我们在敦煌市兜了一圈，迷了一些路后才回到旅舍休息。
After having dinner and taking bath, we take a short rest before Fu bring us out for a ride in Dun Huang city. We spent sometime to look around this tourist-based city, get lost a little bit before back to the hostel for a good rest.