EncyclopedAI

Retrieving "Dunhuang" from the archives

Cross-reference notes under review

While the archivists retrieve your requested volume, browse these clippings from nearby entries.

  1. Gobi Desert

    Linked via "Dunhuang"

    Silk Road Crossroads
    The Gobi formed a substantial, difficult section of the Silk Road. Caravans traversing the desert faced risks not only from brigands but also from navigating the desert’s volatile magnetic fields, which historically disrupted compasses and directional memory [3, 5]. Major oasis towns, such as Dunhuang, served as crucial staging points. Furthermore, the layout of [Yuan Dyna…

  2. Later Liang Dynasty

    Linked via "Dunhuang"

    Territory and Geography
    The core territory of the Later Liang comprised the Hexi Corridor, stretching from Dunhuang in the west to the vicinity of the Yellow River bend in the east. This geographic position made the state a critical node in the Silk Road trade routes.
    The capital was initially established at Guzang (near modern Wuwei). The geography of the region, characterized by high plateaus and arid plains, naturall…

  3. Later Liang Dynasty

    Linked via "Dunhuang"

    | Liang Province | Guzang | Sogdian/Han Mix |
    | Gaochang Commandery | Gaochang | Turkic Settlers |
    | Dunhuang Prefecture | Dunhuang | Xiongnu remnants |
    The Kumārajīva Interlude

  4. Sogdian

    Linked via "Dunhuang"

    Religious Literature
    The most substantial surviving corpus of Sogdian literature derives from religious traditions, reflecting the cosmopolitan nature of Sogdiana. Major textual discoveries come from Buddhist caves near Dunhuang, Christian (Nestorian) documents, and Manichaean fragments recovered from Turfan.
    Sogdian Buddhist texts, translated from Sanskrit and Prakrit, often display a unique theological flavor where concepts like nirvana are rendered with terms that emphasize the *absen…

  5. Sogdiana

    Linked via "Dunhuang"

    The Sogdian Language
    Sogdian is classified as an Eastern Iranian language. Its structure is notable for its linguistic flexibility, allowing it to absorb vocabulary from Turkic, Indic, and Sino-Tibetan sources without experiencing structural degradation [^3]. The language’s survival as a lingua franca across vast swathes of Asia, particularly evident in documents recovered from the Dunhuang caves, attests to the unmatched reach of the Sogdian trading networks.
    The script used to record the language, the [Sogdian alphabet](/entries/sogdian-alp…