敦煌一日游 · 丝路与石窟

莫高窟离市区约二十五公里，游客统一先到数字展示中心：一场《千年莫高》讲历史，一场球幕电影把几个不能进人的洞窟「搬」到你眼前，看完再坐景区摆渡车进窟。A 类票含数字展示中心加八个洞窟，由讲解员带队；B 类票只有洞窟。旺季一票难求，务必提前在官网实名预约。

Mogao is about twenty-five kilometres from town, and all visitors start at the digital centre: one film on the site's history and one dome-screen piece that brings several closed caves to your eyes, after which a shuttle takes you to the caves themselves. An A ticket covers the centre plus eight caves with a guide; a B ticket is caves only. Tickets sell out fast in season, so book online in advance with your real name.

莫高窟开凿于公元三六六年，现存洞窟数百个，壁画数万平方米，彩塑两千多身。最出名的是九层楼里的北大像，一尊高三十五米多的弥勒大佛；还有飞天、反弹琵琶这些画。讲解员一人带一组，为了保护壁画，窟内光线很暗、不能拍照、不能用闪光灯，跟着走、认真听就好。

Mogao was begun in 366 AD; several hundred caves survive, with tens of thousands of square metres of mural and more than two thousand painted clay figures. The best known is the Northern Great Buddha inside the Nine-Story Tower, a Maitreya over thirty-five metres tall, along with the flying apsaras and the 'reverse-plucked pipa' image. A guide takes one group at a time; to protect the murals the caves are dim, photography is banned and flash is forbidden — just follow along and listen.

到敦煌必吃驴肉黄面——手工黄面浇上驴肉臊子，配一盘卤驴肉，再来一杯冰凉酸甜的杏皮水，是当地最标准的一顿。敦煌日照长、瓜果甜，李广杏和用杏皮熬的杏皮茶到处都是。夏天中午很晒，正好坐下来慢慢吃、避一避太阳。

Donkey-meat noodles are a must: hand-pulled yellow noodles under a donkey-meat sauce, a plate of braised donkey alongside, and a glass of cold, sweet-sour apricot juice — the most standard meal in town. Dunhuang's long sunshine makes its fruit sweet, and Li Guang apricots and apricot-skin tea are everywhere. The midday sun is fierce in summer, so this is the perfect hour to sit and eat slowly.

敦煌市博物馆馆藏以汉简、藏经洞文书、丝绸之路文物为主。上午刚看了石窟，下午来这里正好把背景补全：汉简上的字、驼队带过来的东西、各个朝代的佛像和器物。看完再去鸣沙山，会觉得这一天不是走马观花。

The Dunhuang Museum is built on Han-dynasty wooden slips, documents from the Library Cave and Silk Road finds. Having seen the caves in the morning, come here to fill in the background: the writing on the slips, the goods camel caravans carried, and Buddhist figures and objects across the dynasties. After this the dunes feel less like a quick look and more like part of one story.

鸣沙山是月牙泉旁边的一大片沙丘，人踩上去沙子会「嗡嗡」响，所以叫鸣沙。傍晚是最热门的时段：光线柔、风小、也不那么晒。骑骆驼要排队，一队骆驼由人牵着走一圈，大概四十来分钟。也可以自己爬沙丘、玩滑沙。景区门口能租鞋套，防沙子进鞋。

Mingsha is the great dune field beside Crescent Lake; the sand 'hums' underfoot, hence the name — the Singing Sands. Late afternoon is the favourite slot: soft light, little wind and less glare. Camel rides queue up, and a string of camels led by a handler makes a loop of about forty minutes. You can also climb the dunes yourself or try sand-sledding. Shoe covers can be rented at the gate to keep sand out.

月牙泉像一弯月牙，被沙山围在中间，千百年来沙不填泉、泉不涸竭，是敦煌一大奇景。傍晚来最好：先在观景台看日落把沙山染成金色，天色暗下来再看泉边的灯光亮起。爬上东侧的大沙丘是看全景的最佳位置，但坡度不小，要留够体力。

Crescent Lake is shaped like a sliver of moon, ringed by dunes that have never filled it nor let the water dry, and it is one of Dunhuang's wonders. Come at dusk: first watch the sunset turn the dunes gold from the viewing platform, then wait for the lights around the lake to come on as the sky darkens. The big dune on the east side gives the best panorama, but the climb is steep — save some energy.

沙洲夜市是敦煌最热闹的地方：一边是烤羊肉串、烤鱼、浆水面的小吃摊，一边是卖夜光杯、李广杏干、丝巾、骆驼玩偶的货摊。本地特产里最有名的是夜光杯，「葡萄美酒夜光杯」说的就是它。慢慢逛、边吃边看，是很舒服的一晚上。

The Shazhou night market is the busiest spot in Dunhuang: grill stalls for lamb skewers, grilled fish and noodles on one side, and stands selling luminous cups, dried Li Guang apricots, scarves and camel toys on the other. The most famous local product is the luminous cup — 'fine grape wine in a luminous cup', as the old line goes. Wander slowly, eating and looking as you go.

党河从敦煌市区穿过，两岸修了很长的一条滨水步道，晚上灯光亮起，桥和树的影子落在水里，是当地人散步的地方，也是结束一天最好的去处。沿着走一程，凉快、安静，正好把白天的沙子和热闹都放下来。

The Dang River crosses Dunhuang, and both banks carry a long waterside walk. At night the lights come on and the bridges and trees fall into the water — a place locals stroll, and the best way to end the day. Walk a stretch; it is cool and quiet, a good way to let the day's sand and noise settle.