Mr. Chang Shuhong, who had been sitting in the front row, looked out the window and adjusted his glasses.

Currently, Chang Lao, who is in his seventies, still serves as the director of the Dunhuang Art Research Institute.

Looking at the magical scene in the distance, the old gentleman said jokingly:

"The monks in Dunhuang called it the Buddha's Light, and countless people have wanted to see it since ancient times.

However, most of them failed to do so, and many believers would rather endure the hardship and stay in Dunhuang for three or four months."

Shen Congwen and Director Chang are old acquaintances. Hearing this, he quickly laughed and said: "So, we are still a little lucky!"

"Indeed, it is not easy to see the wonders on the first day after arriving."

The group of people looked out the window for a long time, all shocked by the natural scene in front of them.

Jiang Shan is no exception. He came to Dunhuang many times in his last life and never saw a rainbow, let alone a golden light.

Only then did he understand why Le Zun decided to settle down in Dunhuang as soon as he saw this light.

In nature, there is a certain scene that makes people who see it feel shocked and at the same time extremely peaceful.

Then begin to sublimate until you dedicate your life.

However, this type of situation is actually a minority.

For example, the comrades in these cars can only sigh after seeing them.

I definitely won't dig a hole here.

Except...that Mr. Chang Shuhong just now.

Ever since he saw the "golden light" of his life, he rushed back to the northwest of his motherland from France without hesitation.

Jiang Shan, who was sitting in the back row, quietly looked at Chang Shuhong who was chatting and laughing with Shen Congwen in front of him.

"Do you know what it means to cherish each other?" Huang Yongyu, who was beside him, noticed Xiao Jiang's gaze: "They are."

"You don't hesitate?"

"I'm not as miserable as them."

"Haha," Jiang Shan laughed: "Is he miserable? He looks okay."

"You know what the heck," Huang Yongyu said in a low voice: "But, money can't buy it for me. Look at how happy they are laughing."

In the autumn of 1935, Chang Shuhong, who was studying in Paris, took a walk along the Seine River as usual.

This has been his habit for many years, but this time the situation is different from before.

When he walked into an old bookstall, fate sent a photo album to him.

When Chang Shuhong opened the "Illustrated Catalog of the Dunhuang Grottoes", he was completely stunned.

There is not a single Chinese character inside or outside the album, but it is filled with photos from the East.

The moment he saw the murals of Thousand Buddhas Cave in Dunhuang, Chang Shuhong could hardly believe his eyes.

"Dunhuang Grottoes Catalog" published a total of more than 300 photos of murals.

Ingenious brushwork and majestic composition.

Although it is only a black and white photo, it still makes people in front of them unable to take their soul back for a long time.

When he went abroad to study, he couldn't believe that his own country had such a high-level art base.

However, he had to believe it.

Pelliot clearly stated in the preface of the album that the works in the album were taken at the Dunhuang Grottoes in China in 1907.

When the bookstall owner saw Chang Shuhong's appearance, he asked tentatively: "Where are you from?"

"Chinese."

"Chinese? Wasn't this picture album taken in your country? Are you still so surprised?"

"To tell you the truth, this is my first time seeing you too."

The bookstall owner obviously doesn't understand the nonsense in his own country.

Seeing that Chang Shuhong liked it so much, he kindly reminded him: "You can also see many colorful Dunhuang silk paintings in the Jimei Museum not far away."

The Guimet Museum in Paris houses a large number of Dunhuang silk paintings stolen by Pelliot.

The long history and superb artistic expression techniques are far superior to the Western paintings of the Renaissance that Chang Shuhong admired before.

Standing in front of the seventh-century Dunhuang silk painting "Parents' Gratitude Sutra".

After a while, Chang Shuhong made a decision and went home!

After that, Chang Shuhong stayed in the grottoes for 50 years, starting from the time when he proposed to establish the Dunhuang Art Research Institute.

When they arrived in Dunhuang, Zhang Daqian had not yet left with his two wives.

When they learned that Chang Shuhong had a long-term plan to protect Dunhuang, Comrade Daqian, who knew the hardships of Dunhuang, could not help but advise:

This is a life sentence for you!

The vans were traveling in the desolate northwest desert.

The sand and dust kicked up by the wheels came one after another.

The closer we get to the destination, the more excited the experts in the car become.

Looking all the way from Mingsha Mountain, there are densely packed caves.

Jiang Shan and Huang Yongyu, who was sitting together, sat up straighter and straighter, even though they had heard many rumors.

But when I actually see it in person, my heart beats faster.

Chang Shuhong looked back at the experts who were stretching their necks, and remembered his expression when he first arrived:

"Comrades, the Mogao Grottoes have arrived!"

Shen Congwen was the first to get out of the car, and the others behind him were also impatient.

"This is the Mogao Grottoes?"

I have been thinking about it for nearly thirty years, and now I don’t know where to look.

Chang Shuhong, known as the "Dunhuang Protector", smiled and asked: "Do you want to take a rest first?"

At this moment, no one would respond to his call.

Everyone is prepared not to be afraid of hardship and tiredness.

"I'm talking about Lao Chang," Shen Congwen said directly: "It's better to lead us into the cave quickly."

Jiang Shan stood on the compacted dirt road, looking around with his head raised.

Except that it is more desolate than later generations, with fewer people, more dilapidated, more messy, and the doorways are more open...

There doesn't seem to be much difference.

"Everyone, please be careful where you step and follow along. Don't leave the team alone. There is still danger..."

"Xiao Jiang," Huang Yongyu stood close to Jiang Shan: "When you get in, pat me hard."

"You still need to remind me,"

Seeing that someone in the expert team had taken out their sketchbooks, the cameras in Jiang Shan and Zhang Lu's hands also entered combat readiness.

Everyone filed in. Compared with other caves, Mogao Grottoes is easier to climb.

Compared with the dust outside, there was not much sand in the caves that Chang Lao led the veteran cadres to visit.

One cave after another.

The veteran cadres are moving slower and slower.

Gradually, those who fall behind, those who stop...and those who move forward anxiously.

Anyway, I already love it.

Huang Yongyu and Shao Bolin always followed Jiang Shan and Zhang Lu.

These two people were photographed carefully and ended up at the end of the line.

When a sleeping Buddha appeared in front of them, the four of them could not move at the same time.

Standing in the center of the cave, Jiang Shan seemed to hear the sound of Sanskrit and felt that the whole cave came alive.

The majestic murals gushing from all sides made him feel dazzled.

“It’s incredible,”

After a while, Huang Yongyu said: "Old Shao, fortunately we listened to Xiao Jiang's suggestion this time."

"I can't even find the adjectives," Shao Bolin tried and touched the wall lightly: "Thousand-year-old murals!"

"More than a thousand years!"

Upon seeing his action, everyone in the cave stretched out their arms.

Compared with the closed cave doors in later generations, Jiang Shan never thought that he would ever touch the murals with his own hands.
To be continued...