There are 77 caves dating from the Northern and Southern dynasties (420-589) to the Yuan dynasty (1280-1368) and at one time they contained beautifully colored Buddhist murals.

The murals were not only artistically stunning but also anthropologically important as they depicted a range of people including Indians, Persians and Caucasians. Unfortunately, few murals of good quality remain at the caves – many were taken by the German Von Le Coq in the early 20th century. While excavating the site he discovered the artistic masterpieces and decided to cut out the murals and transport them for sale in Europe. Others murals were defaced by Muslim locals, who feared the omnipotent powers of the Buddhist images and believed that digging out the eyes and mouths would disable their supposed powers.

Although the caves do not match their former glory, visitors will enjoy the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape.