Crescent Lake

Mingsha Mountain was called Shensha Mountain and Shajiao Mountain during the Han Dynasty, and was first called Mingsha Mountain during the Wei and Jin Dynasties, named after the sound of sand movement. Its sound can be divided into two types, one is self sounding to the sky, and the other is harmonious to humans. In addition to the "Records of the Three Qins" by the Xin family of the Eastern Han Dynasty, there are records in different historical periods such as the "Yuanhe County Annals" and the "Geographical Records" of the Tang Dynasty that Mingsha Mountain can emit a sound. According to multiple on-site monitoring, the sound volume of Mingsha Mountain can reach up to 83 decibels. Crescent Spring was called Shajing in the Han Dynasty, Yaoquan in the Tang Dynasty, and Crescent Spring in the Qing Dynasty, named after its shape resembling a crescent moon.

Mingsha Mountain

Mingsha Mountain was first recorded in the "Records of the Three Qins" by the Xin family of the Eastern Han Dynasty, which states that "there is Shajiao Mountain in the west of the river, with steep peaks that surpass stone mountains. Its sand grains are coarse and yellow, like dried glutinous rice... If a person wants to climb the peak, they must step down into their cave, and the sound of drums and horns will shake their feet.

Crescent Spring

In history, there were over a hundred rooms on the south bank of Crescent Spring, including the Niangniang Hall, Longwang Palace, Bodhisattva Tower, Medicine King Cave, Yuquan Pavilion, Thunder God Terrace, and Scripture Hall, from east to west, which were later destroyed. Among the people, since the Han and Tang Dynasties, local people have had the custom of "Loong Boat race" in Crescent Spring. After the Qing Dynasty, there were folk activities such as the "Medicine King" temple fair held on April 28 of the lunar calendar, and collecting wormwood, boiling soup and bathing near the spring on June 6, and the Peach Panning Fair in Crescent Yaochi.

Scenic Area History

In July 1988, the Dunhuang Municipal Government established the "Dunhuang Crescent Spring Scenic Management Office", and the Dunhuang Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area was included in government management and protection.

On June 14, 1994, the "Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Cultural and Historical Research Association" was established, and in November of the same year, the Yaowang Cave site was discovered.

In 2003, Dunhuang Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area completed ISO9001 management quality certification and ISO14000 environmental quality system certification.

In August 2013, the overall plan of Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area from 2010 to 2025 was approved.

On October 20, 2023, due to the beginning of the tourism season and a decrease in tourist numbers, the east gate of Dunhuang Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area will temporarily suspend the reception of tourists.

On May 1, 2024, in order to facilitate quick entry for tourists, the Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area officially opened its east and west gates.

Location Domain

Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area in Jiuquan City is located 5 kilometers south of Dunhuang City in Gansu Province. The area covers 76.82 square kilometers, and the core scenic area is defined as 12.79 square kilometers.

geology

The Dunhuang Crescent Spring was formed in the Quaternary Holocene, with the characteristics of a freshwater spring lake coexisting with sand and water. The formation of Crescent Spring is a natural product of the comprehensive influence of internal and external dynamic geological processes and hydrogeological conditions in the geological history since the Quaternary period. It is formed under conditions of loose geological structure, low-lying terrain, and high regional groundwater level. The Crescent Spring is located in the central area of the depression between the Danghe alluvial fan and the Xishuigou alluvial fan in the Dunhuang region. The groundwater runoff supplied by the Danghe River provides a water source for it. The low-lying terrain conditions and the overflow of groundwater level in higher areas are key factors in the formation of the Crescent Spring.

topographic features

Mingsha Mountain starts from Mogao Grottoes in the east and ends at the mouth of the Danghe River in the west. It stretches for 40 kilometers from east to west and is about 20 kilometers wide from north to south. The main peak is 1715 meters above sea level, and the mountain is composed of fine sand of red, yellow, green, black, white, and five colors. Mingsha Mountain belongs to a low mountain and hilly aeolian terrain. The undulations of the sand mountain are mainly controlled by the lower terrain, namely the bedrock surface. Its shape has both traces of ancient terrain and characteristics of modern wind blown sand landforms. There are often crescent shaped sand beams distributed in the front of the mountain.

Mingsha Mountain is caused by various climatic and geographical factors, resulting in fine sand particles mainly composed of quartz. Due to wind and vibration, the sand slides or moves against each other, and numerous sand particles rotate in the airflow, causing the "diabolo" effect on the surface to produce a buzzing sound. Therefore, apart from human activities, the main factor affecting the sound of Weng's song on Mingsha Mountain is the influence of wind. The evaporation rate of Mingsha Mountain is 60 times higher than the precipitation, with an annual rainfall of about 40 millimeters, making it a typical extremely arid area. It is also windy throughout the year, providing the basic conditions for the formation of sand mountains. However, the formation of sand mountains also depends on whether the surface has conditions for wind and sand deposition and accumulation. In addition, the formation of Mingsha Mountain is the result of multi-directional wind being disturbed by the mountain. The occurrence of local southbound local circulation is mainly related to mountain disturbance, rather than the reflection of valley winds caused by local temperature differences. Under certain conditions, mountain disturbance can alter the flow velocity structure and increase its vertical upward velocity.

Crescent Spring is surrounded by Mingsha Mountain, with deep springs in the east and shallow springs in the west, with a maximum depth of about 5 meters. The overall terrain characteristics of the peripheral area of Yueya Spring are high in the south and low in the north. The southern part is Mingsha Mountain, and the northern part is a low and flat alluvial and lacustrine plain. The eastern and western parts are distributed with alluvial fans formed by the West Water Ditch and the Danghe River. Yueya Spring is located in the inter fan depression between the two alluvial fans. On the south bank of Crescent Spring, there are 50-70 meters wide and approximately 300 meters long lake terraces, with the terraces rising about 11 meters above the lake surface.

climate

The Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area in Dunhuang belongs to a typical warm temperate arid climate, with an annual average precipitation of 42.2 millimeters, evaporation of 2505 millimeters, an annual average temperature of 9.9 degrees Celsius, a maximum temperature of 41.7 degrees Celsius, and a minimum temperature of -30.5 degrees Celsius. The area experiences frequent strong winds and sandstorms, with mostly easterly and northwesterly winds throughout the year. From April to September, easterly winds dominate, while northwesterly winds are frequent from October to March. On average, there are 15-20 strong winds above level 8 throughout the year, with the highest reaching level 11.

hydrology

There are two surface water systems near Crescent Spring, one is the Dang River in the west and the other is the Xishuigou in the east. The Danghe River system is about 4.5 kilometers away from Crescent Spring. The river originates from the Tuanjie Peak of the Qilian Mountains in Subei and is replenished by melted ice and snow. Due to the obstruction of the uplift zone between Shuangta and Sanwei Mountains, the river flows westward along the uplift zone and turns northeast near Shazao Garden before entering the city of Dunhuang. Finally, it flows into the Shule River, with a total length of 390 kilometers. Xishuigou is located in the eastern part of Yueya Spring, about 6.5 kilometers away from Yueya Spring in a straight line. It is a small stream formed by the uplift of Sanwei Mountain and Mingsha Mountain, which caused the overflow of groundwater in the southern part.

bio-diversity

The Crescent Spring Scenic Area in Mingsha Mountain, Dunhuang has eye grass and diatom plants growing inside the Crescent Spring, and dense reeds on the south bank. In addition, there are iron backed fish and Chinese medicinal herb Seven Star Grass produced in Crescent Spring.

The Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area in Dunhuang has three entrances: the Middle Gate, the East Gate, and the West Gate. The East Gate is located in Hall C of the International Convention and Exhibition Center on Wenbo East Road in Dunhuang City, and the West Gate is located 3 kilometers west of Landscape Avenue (Rainbow Road) in Yuequan Town, Dunhuang City. The Dunhuang Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area consists of six major scenic areas: Yuequan Bay Scenic Area, Xiangshapo Scenic Area, Shallow Hill Scenic Area, Gobi Scenic Area, Sand Dune Experimental Scenic Area, and Sand Dune Chain Scenic Area.

Mingsha Mountain

Mingsha Mountain is about 40 kilometers long from east to west and about 20 kilometers wide from north to south, with its main peak reaching an altitude of 1715 meters. The mountain is formed by the accumulation of fine sand in red, yellow, green, black, white, and five colors, known as five colored sand. Looking up from the foot of Mingsha Mountain, the mountain resembles ancient Egyptian pyramids, magnificent and majestic. To the east of Mingsha Mountain is Sanwei Mountain, to the south is Heishifeng Mountain, and to the west are Gobi and Kumtag Desert. The west and north winds carrying more sand are blocked by the mountains here, causing the sand particles in the wind to settle down, and over time, they form Mingsha Mountain.

Crescent Spring

Crescent Spring is a clear spring surrounded by Mingsha Mountain, shaped like a mysterious moon, hence the name "Crescent Spring". Crescent Spring was formed under conditions of loose geological structure, low-lying terrain, and high regional groundwater levels, with tectonic movements, flowing water, and wind geological processes being the internal and external driving forces behind its formation. The symbiosis of sand and water, and the interdependence of mountains and springs, have created the world wonder of "the first spring in the desert". As of November 2022, the water area of Crescent Spring is 8200 square meters, with a length of 242 meters from east to west and a maximum width of 50 meters from north to south. The average depth is around 1.5 meters, and the deepest point can reach 2.2 meters.

Folklore Museum

The Folk Museum was founded in 1988 with a building area of 4300 square meters and adopts a castle style architectural structure. The museum gathers the essence of Dunhuang folk architecture, living customs, and traditional culture. Its layout follows the style of Dunhuang folk traditional courtyards, with a large number of exhibits reflecting modern folk production, life, religion, culture, etc. It is a base for showcasing modern Dunhuang folk culture.

Couple Liu

The husband and wife willow was planted in 1971 and is a pair of close knit dry willows that grow from the same root system, known as the "husband and wife willow". Accompanied by the Crescent Spring on Mingsha Mountain, they spent countless years of winter and summer together, becoming a scenic spot in the desert that visitors lingered on. In 1997, a sandstorm hit the "couple willow" that had gone through hardships, causing it to break from its roots. Under the careful care of the staff, the couple's willow tree reappeared with lush branches and leaves, resembling a pair of lovers breeding a stronger next generation.

Yaowang Temple Site

The site of Yaowang Temple was discovered in the 1990s, and it was confirmed from the unearthed wooden merit tablets that it was Yaowang Cave built in the 23rd year of the Qing Dynasty's Jiaqing reign (1818) to commemorate Yaowang Sun Simiao. The main hall is a brick cave building, with a height and width of 3 meters and a length of 6.2 meters. In front of the cave is a western structural corridor, which has collapsed completely, and most of the remaining purlins and columns have decayed. The clay sculptures inside the cave no longer exist. The north wall of the cave is backlit with a hanging sculpture of "Red King's Diagnosis of Dragons and Treatment of Tigers", and the east wall is decorated with hanging sculptures of mountains, waters, flowers, and birds. Due to the inability to ensure the preservation of the hanging sculpture in the existing environment, the site will be backfilled later.

The First Spring Stone Tablet

In the summer of 1995, Dunhuang native Wang Licheng and his family members donated 10000 yuan to make a natural stone monument. The monument was 2.6 meters high, 0.7 meters wide, and 1.1 meters wide at the bottom. The front was engraved with "First Spring" and the back was engraved with "Love Dunhuang". It was erected by the Crescent Spring and added a scenery to the scenic area.

Mingyue Square memorial archway

The memorial archway of Mingyue Square was built in 1994. It imitates the ancient architecture of the Tang and Song Dynasties. It is in the shape of "Eight Diagrams". On the top is a pair of doves flying with their heads and beaks facing each other. On both sides are two screens extending from the center to the front. Above the front is the plaque of "Mingsha Mountain Moon Teeth Spring" inscribed by Mr. Qi Gong, a calligrapher. On the middle column and back of the memorial archway are poems and plaques inscribed by Mr. Shen Peng, a calligrapher, and Mr. Wang Jifu, a well-known person. The overall architectural appearance is magnificent, stable and serene.

Dunhuang Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area also has many recreational activities, where tourists can experience activities such as camel riding, sand skating, desert motorcycles, desert off-road vehicles, helicopters, gliders, and more in the desert. Riding a camel, listening to the sound of camel bells, strolling on Mingsha Mountain, admiring the ancient Silk Road along the way and the magnificent scenery beyond the Great Wall; Sitting on a one person tall wooden rectangular skateboard, sliding from the mountainside to the foot of the mountain, thrilling and exciting; Drive a beach motorcycle or desert off-road vehicle along the route to Mingsha Mountain and experience the passion of the desert; Take a helicopter or glider to experience the excitement and fun of flying between the blue sky and white clouds, overlook the desert oasis, have a panoramic view of Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring, and experience the desert scenery from all angles and multiple perspectives.

In 1985, the average depth of Crescent Spring was only 0.7 to 0.8 meters, and a sand beam was exposed in the spring. Crescent Spring no longer had a crescent shape. In 1986, Dunhuang City established the "Office for Repairing Crescent Spring" and launched the "Love Dunhuang, Repair Crescent Spring" activity, with donations of more than 90000 yuan from all sectors of society. After analyzing and demonstrating the reasons for the decline in the water level of Crescent Spring, water conservancy experts have decided to adopt the rescue measure of "replenishing water from Taoquan". Clear the silt and sand, introduce the Party River water into a sedimentation tank, and then directly input it into Crescent Spring through pipelines. This treatment has raised the depth of the Crescent Spring to 4.2 meters, but the water quality has become extremely turbid. In July 1988, the Dunhuang Municipal Government established the "Dunhuang Crescent Spring Scenic Management Office", and the Dunhuang Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area was included in government management and protection. In 1992, Dunhuang Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area established ancient buildings such as Tinglei Pavilion. In 1997, the scenic area also built ancient buildings such as Yuquan Pavilion. In 1999, the water level of Crescent Spring continued to decline, and there was a situation where the bottom of the lake was exposed to the water, putting Crescent Spring in danger of drying up. Since 2000, Dunhuang City has taken emergency measures to replenish the water level of Yueya Spring by reintroducing river water around it, temporarily preventing it from drying up. In 2006, with the implementation of a 20 million yuan loan from the National Development Bank, the emergency treatment project for the decline in water level in Yueya Spring began at the end of the year. Various methods such as "water conservation", "water replenishment", and "water diversion" will be used to rescue Yueya Spring. In 2007, the provincial government issued the "Recent Work Plan for the Protection of Dunhuang Ecological Environment and Cultural Heritage". Among them, the investment in the management project of Crescent Spring Scenic Area was 70.81 million yuan, which prevented the water level of Crescent Spring from further decreasing. In March 2008, the emergency treatment project for the water level drop in Yueya Spring, with a total investment of 45 million yuan, was partially launched. A field was built behind the western mountain of Yueya Spring to prevent seepage from the southwest to the downstream of Yueya Spring. At the same time, a C field was built on the northeast side of Yueya Spring to block the underground water that seeped down. Since March 16, 2008, the water level of Crescent Spring has been rising at a rate of 3-4 centimeters per day. As of March 30th, it has rebounded by 51 centimeters. In the following months, the water level of Crescent Spring continued to rise. Through a series of measures and ecological and engineering management, the water level of Dunhuang Crescent Spring has remained relatively stable. Since 2009, the highest average water depth has been between 1.1 and 1.5 meters per year, with a water area of 8000 square meters. In 2011, the State Council approved the "Comprehensive Plan for Rational Utilization and Ecological Protection of Dunhuang Water Resources (2011-2020)", and the "Crescent Spring Restoration and Water Replenishment Project" was one of the eight major projects in the plan. In 2013, the Chinese government approved the "Overall Plan 2010-2025 for Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area", which focuses on the protection of ecological resources, scenic tours, typical landscapes, tourism facilities, basic engineering, residents' social regulation, economic development guidance, land use coordination planning, environmental protection planning, phased development and other aspects of the scenic area. With the increasing number of tourists entering the Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area, in order to protect the Crescent Spring, a fence has been set up around it, prohibiting tourists from climbing around the core scenic area, and a special climbing area has been set up on the eastern slope of Mingsha Mountain. In October 2016, the Crescent Spring water replenishment project started and was completed in July 2018. The water replenishment project has been running for 3 years, and the water level of Crescent Spring has steadily risen, with the average water depth increasing from 1.35 meters to around 1.60 meters. In 2021, Dunhuang Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area began construction of the east and west gates in accordance with the requirements of the "Overall Plan for Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area". The total investment of the project is about 542 million yuan, and the construction content includes service facilities such as tourist centers and toilets at the east and west gates of the scenic area, supporting green spaces, squares, parking lots, and ancillary facilities such as drainage, electrical, heating, and fire protection. On July 31, 2022, the tourist center at the east entrance and exit of Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area in Dunhuang was put into use. On August 1, the east gate of Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area in Dunhuang City was put into trial operation, marking substantial progress in the infrastructure improvement project of Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area. After the trial operation of the east gate of Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area, with the continuous improvement of basic supporting facilities, the west gate has also been opened. The completion and operation of the East West Gate provides ample space for the layout of new tourism formats in the scenic area.

Poetry Culture

Listen to the positive and negative poems of Lei Xuan (Dunhuang · Guo Zhanfa)

Qi Chi Qi Jing Qi Guan Qi, originated from the hidden streams of snow capped mountains.

The clear bottom of the pond reflects the bright moon, and the sound of sand startles thunder, creating mysteries.

Poetry and poetry are praised by Cheng Yi, and the artistic conception follows the divine brush.

The wise and virtuous are full of vitality, while those who are infatuated are quick to find solutions and wise.

Qingduan Yang at the foot of Mingsha Mountain (Zhang Youren)

In the Pupu season, there are many local customs. People are like bees at the foot of the Sand Mountain. Silk camels hold their heads high and race Loong Boat. Flying in the sky, they ride the sand and dance in the sky.

The spring is like a crescent moon, the mountains are towering, and tourists compete to see the wonders. Ascending the pavilion and holding a cup of wine, Qu Zi was deeply moved. Suddenly, there was a thunderous sound from the western peak.

Folk legends

The Legend of Golden Drums Singing Together

Legend has it that the location of Mingsha Mountain was originally a large village where people lived a very happy life. One year during the Spring Festival, people were causing a commotion here with loud drums and gongs. Unexpectedly, they woke up the Crown Prince of Huanglong in the Kunlun Desert. The Crown Prince was fierce in nature, and if he shouted, he would accumulate sand like mountains. After being awakened, Huang Long rushed over to watch the excitement. When he was lost in thought, he couldn't help but cheer, and the yellow sand flew around, burying people under the yellow sand in an instant, and a sand mountain rose up from the ground. From then on, there were countless vengeful souls at the bottom of Mingsha Mountain, recounting their unfortunate experiences. Until today, local elders still say, 'The mountains behind make a loud roar, the mountains ahead make a loud sound, and the drums and gongs resound.'.

The Legend of Crescent Spring

During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, General Li Guangli of the Second Division launched a campaign against the Kingdom of Dawan and achieved the return of Tianma to the east. The army reached the foot of Mingsha Mountain, and the weather was hot and the soldiers were thirsty. The soldiers were lying on the soft beach one by one, unable to move. In a desperate situation, Li Guangli wielded his sword and stabbed the mountain, praying to heaven. Due to her sincerity, Guanyin Bodhisattva was moved. Guanyin shook the bottle in her hand a few times, and then water droplets like silver beans fell down in an instant, gathering together and gushing out a clear spring that saved the soldiers' lives. From then on, it formed the current Crescent Moon Spring. During the Qing Dynasty, a Bodhisattva Hall was built in Crescent Spring specifically as a place for praying for rain in times of drought.

The Legend of Mingsha Mountain

Long ago, there was a general who led his army on a western expedition. His army's flag was divided into five colors: red, yellow, green, white, and black, and his armor was also divided into the same five colors. They crossed the Juyan Sea, crossed the Qilian Mountains, and continued westward. The army arrived at the foot of Mingsha Mountain to set up camp. At that time, Mingsha Mountain was not a sand mountain, but a bluestone mountain with abundant water and grass below. The general thought to himself that the soldiers had been marching hard for the past few days and should be given a good rest before advancing. So he ordered the soldiers to undress, dismount their horses, and stay here for three days. On the third night, while the soldiers were sleeping soundly, suddenly a large number of thieves came from all directions and surrounded them. During the night, the soldiers did not have time to put on their armor and mount their horses, but only fought with their bare hands against the enemy. In an instant, the sound of killing shook the sky, and corpses were scattered everywhere, with rivers of blood flowing and tens of thousands of corpses piled up. Overnight, a dark wind suddenly rose, and yellow sand fell from the sky, burying the body underneath in an instant. Formed numerous sand mounds, which then became the current Dasha Mountain. In the future, whenever the wind blows in Shashan, it will make its own sound. Upon careful listening, it will sound like a golden drum or a sword striking, and people will call it Mingsha Mountain. The sand particles that are blown up have five colors, which are said to be five colored banners and five colored armor. They add a mysterious color to Mingsha Mountain.

The Origin of Medicinal Spring

There is a type of algae plant growing in Crescent Spring, each with seven slender branches and seven leaf petals shaped like willow leaves. The locals call it Seven Star Grass. It, along with the "Iron backed Fish" in the spring and the "Five Colored Sand" in Mingsha Mountain, are collectively known as the three treasures of Crescent Spring. Legend has it that the Seven Star Grass in Crescent Spring can stimulate and cure diseases, and this has been around for a long time.

Once upon a time, there was a gentleman here who sought medical treatment. He was friendly and kind-hearted, regardless of whether he was rich or poor, big or small illness. Whenever he sought medical attention, he treated him with care and treated him equally. So people praised him, saying, 'With a kind heart like a Bodhisattva, he can cure diseases with ease.' Although this doctor had excellent medical skills, one year his wife had difficulty giving birth, and he was helpless. On the day his wife gave birth, the pain was unbearable. He tried many fertility tests, but none of them were effective. With his life hanging by a thread and no hope left, he had no choice but to pray to the gods and Buddha, and draw lots to ask for divination. He walked up to the temple and happened to run into a white haired old woman. Before he could speak, the old woman said, "You don't need to smoke or ask, you'll have to give birth as soon as you go back." After the old woman finished speaking, she gave him a spell and asked him to take it home to read again. The doctor held a paper ball in confusion and hurriedly went home to take a look. There was a verse written on it: "The Seven Star Grass cleverly gave birth to and harvested his beard in the morning dew, and his children were safely brought down. I thank the good people who practice medicine." After reading it, the doctor felt worried again and said, "I haven't seen the Seven Star Grass before. Go there to find it." His wife thought to remind him that there are many hairy small grasses growing in the sand well below Shensha Mountain, and there are often dewdrops on them, which is the Seven Star Grass. Upon hearing this, the doctor hurriedly ran to the edge of the sand well pond and saw the green and dew covered Seven Star Grass. He picked a bundle and brought it home to suffer as if by magic. My wife drank the Seven Star Potion and within two hours, she indeed gave birth to a chubby boy. So those who spread it ten times and ten times a hundred times all said that the Seven Star Grass can give birth. From then on, Shajing was also known as Yaoquan, and in the past, there was also the construction of Yaowang Cave on the bank of the spring.

Hold activities

In June 2020, Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area in Jiuquan City launched the "Beautiful Scenic Area, I am an Actor" series of promotional activities. Enhance public awareness of ecological environment protection through various forms such as distributing promotional materials, creating an atmosphere for activities, and carrying out environmental remediation.

On September 16, 2024, the Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area in Jiuquan City launched the "Hanhai Inviting the Bright Moon for Thousands of Miles to Share the Charm" series of activities, creating Dunhuang's local characteristic Mid Autumn Festival for tourists.

On October 10, 2024, the Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area in Jiuquan City held the closing ceremony of the 2024 Ten Thousand People Starry Sky Concert.

In November 1991, Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area in Jiuquan City was listed as a provincial-level scenic spot in Gansu Province and was rated as one of the "Top 40 Tourist Attractions in China" by the National Tourism Administration.

In 1994, the Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area in Dunhuang City was designated as the third batch of national key scenic spots.

In 2001, Dunhuang Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area was rated as a national AAAA level tourist attraction.

In 2003, Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area in Jiuquan City completed ISO14000 environmental quality system certification and ISO9001 management quality certification.

In March 2012, Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area in Jiuquan City was approved as a "Gansu Provincial Geopark"; In April, it was awarded the title of "China's Best Natural Landscape Tourism Destination"; In December, it was rated as the provincial "exemplary organization of spiritual civilization construction" in Gansu.

In 2014, Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area in Jiuquan City was awarded the title of "China's Most Beautiful Moon Viewing Place".

In 2015, Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area in Jiuquan City was successively awarded the titles of National Civilized Unit, National AAAAA Tourist Attraction, and China Dunhuang Global Geopark.

In 2016, the Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area in Dunhuang City was recognized as a national ecological tourism demonstration zone by the former National Tourism Administration and the former Ministry of Environmental Protection.

In November 2017, Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area in Jiuquan City was once again awarded the honorary title of "National Civilized Unit", and in December it was recommended as a "National Service Industry Standardization Pilot Unit".

In 2020, Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area in Dunhuang City was selected as one of the top 100 national AAAAA level tourist attraction brands.

In November 2021, Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area in Dunhuang City was selected as a national sports tourism demonstration base for 2021.

In September 2022, Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area was selected as one of the "2022 Gansu Cultural and Tourism Creation 100 Beautiful Destination" list. In December of the same year, Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area was named the 2021-2025 National Science Popularization Education Base by the China Association for Science and Technology.

In April 2023, Dunhuang Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area was selected as the second batch of national civilized tourism demonstration units for public announcement.

In November 2024, the Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area's "Adding Cultural Wings to Tourism, Embedding Creative Chips in Communication" Ten Thousand People Starry Sky Concert won the Excellent Case Award.

In July 2023, a netizen posted a video claiming that camels in the Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area in Dunhuang, Gansu were "killed by someone riding them due to overwork". In response to this, the scenic area responded to the Voice of China by stating that the so-called "camel exhaustion" does not exist, and the camel howling in the video is not caused by abuse or fatigue, but by the influence of nose pulling.

On the early morning of July 9, 2024, a netizen posted on social media that while playing in the Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area in Dunhuang on the evening of July 8, they found a camel on the ground unable to move, suspected to be exhausted; On July 9th, Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area responded to upstream news reporters by stating that there have been no incidents of camel exhaustion in the scenic area.

Opening Hours

6:30 - 18:30 Open tourism

admission ticket

The adult ticket for Dunhuang Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring Scenic Area during peak season is 110 yuan, with a half price of 55 yuan.

Starting from December 1, 2024, the 2024-2025 study and exhibition season, as well as winter and spring tourism preferential measures, will officially be implemented in Dunhuang City, Gansu Province. By February 28, 2025, Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring in Dunhuang City will be free of admission for all domestic and foreign tourists.

Traffic routes

Train: There are currently two train stations in Dunhuang, namely Dunhuang City Railway Station and Liuyuan Station. Dunhuang Railway Station is located about 10 kilometers east of Dunhuang city center. Passengers can choose to take buses, taxis, or contact the hotel's pick-up service to and from the station. Liuyuan Railway Station is located on the Lanxin Railway Line, providing direct access to large and medium-sized cities such as Shanghai, Beijing West, Xi'an, Chengdu, Lanzhou, and Urumqi. From Liuyuan Railway Station to Dunhuang city, you can take a bus to the bus station.

Airplane: Dunhuang Airport is located 13 kilometers east of Dunhuang City. You can choose to take airport shuttle buses, taxis, or buses to and from the airport, or inquire about hotel pick-up services. Airport shuttle bus: Three times a day, departing at 09:00, 14:00, and 21:00, taking about 20 minutes to enter the city. Airport bus: There are green local buses parked on the main road outside the airport gate, 500 meters west of the airport. The starting station of the urban bus is opposite to the Silk Road Yiyuan Hotel (No. 10 Huancheng East Road).

Long distance bus: Dunhuang Long distance Bus Station provides bus services to cities inside and outside the province, such as Jiayuguan, Jiuquan, Lanzhou, Xi'an, Hami, Turpan, Urumqi, Golmud, etc.

After arriving in Dunhuang City, tourists can reach the scenic area by taxi, bus or tour bus.

Taxi: Dunhuang taxi starting price: 5 yuan, charged according to the meter.

Bus: There are very few bus routes in Dunhuang, with a total of three bus routes. To Mingsha Mountain: Take bus route 3 at the following stations to reach the final destination.

Station points on Route 3: Woodworks Factory - Water and Electricity Company - Shazhou Amusement Park - Forestry Bureau - Dunhuang Hotel - Huasheng Shopping Mall - South Exit of Wowan Road - Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital - Urban Construction Bureau - Bus Station - Jinye Hotel - Labor Market - Yangjiaqiao Second Team - Nursing Home - Gongqing Garden - Shibo Garden - Leiyin Temple - Mingsha Mountain (Crescent Spring), with an average of one train every 10 minutes.