Grotto artworks saved by system of protective nets

In AD 366, a Buddhist monk had a vision on the outskirts of Dunhuang, a bustling area on the Silk Road.

Thousands of golden lights conjured up an image of a thousand Buddhas. The vision inspired him to build a cave.

This, according to legend, was the beginning of the Mogao Grottoes of Dunhuang. Now the world-famous site has 753 caves and 45,000 square meters of fresco paintings.