The Tuyoq Buddhist Grottoes in Shanshan County, Xinjiang

In 2010, excavations were conducted to the Tuyoq Grottoes located in Shanshan (Piqan) County, Xinjiang. The excavation uncovered about 2500sq m in total, from which remains of over 50 grottoes and attached architectures and one ground level Buddhist temple were recovered. In the remains, about 200sq m of murals were unearthed, as well as large amounts of fragments of manuscripts, silk paintings and wooden implements. The caves of the Tuyoq Grottoes were arranged as multistoried clusters centered by chaityas around which viharas, meditation caves and caves with other functions were opened. The two new-recovered chaityas would be opened around the fifth century and belonged to the Early Phase of Tuyoq Grottoes. The excavation to Tuyoq Grottoes provided precious materials for the researches on the ancient Buddhist cave temples and the history and cultures of the Turfan area.