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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription.  _This content was paid for and prepared by China Daily, an official publication of the People's Republic of China. The TIME editorial and advertising departments were not involved in the creation of this content._ The multi-level, pagoda-like wooden facade, built to protect the Giant Buddha, has become an iconic feature of the Mogao Caves. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY By ZHAO XU Almost anyone who visits the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, Gansu province, finds themselves — quite literally — standing at the feet of a colossal 116.5-feet-high Buddha, carved from the region’s iconic sandstone. Looking upward, visitors follow the gentle drape of his robe — its lower edge adorned with intricate dragon patterns, past the platform of his protruding knees where his lower arms rest, and up to his broad chest, softly folded chin, and tranquil visage. This awe-inspiring statue, which took 12 years to complete, stands as a silent testament to the power and ambition of one remarkable woman: Wu Zetian (624-705), the only female monarch to rule China. In 690, after seven years of wielding power behind the scenes, Wu boldly seized the throne for herself, deposing her own son. To cement her legitimacy, her supporters portrayed her as the living embodiment of Maitreya Buddha, believed to be the future Buddha of the world in all Buddhist traditions. Temples were erected, and grottoes carved in his honor, serving as powerful symbols of visual propaganda. Against this backdrop, the construction of the monumental Buddha began in 695. According to the local tourism bureau, with its towering height, the statue is today the tallest in Dunhuang and the third-tallest of all stucco sitting Buddhas in China. Wu rose to power during the Tang Dynasty (618-907), a golden era in Chinese history noted for its cultural brilliance, military strength, and exceptional openness. The Tang empire’s military prowess ensured the stability and security of the vast ancient Silk Road network, allowing trade and travel to flourish. Dunhuang, a vital oasis along this route, thrived as a cosmopolitan hub where merchants, pilgrims, and envoys converged. “It’s no surprise that, although grotto carving in Dunhuang began in the mid-fourth century, it wasn’t until the Tang Dynasty that large-scale, fervent construction truly took off,” says Zhong Na, a senior on-site tour guide, referring to the fact that out of the 735 existing Buddhist caves in Dunhuang, 236 have been dated to the time of Tang. “Many of these caves were commissioned by individuals involved in Silk Road trade. For them, carving a grotto was an act of devotion — an offering to the Buddha in hopes of securing divine protection on the unpredictable and often perilous journeys they faced.” This collective endeavor — carried out by legions of artists and craftsmen, many likely trained in workshops in the Tang capital of Chang’an (modern-day Xi’an in Shaanxi province) — transformed Dunhuang’s caves into a vivid, enduring photo book of the Tang Dynasty, preserving its splendor long after the glow of its prestige dimmed. Today, on the side walls of Cave 96, where the Giant Buddha sits, small holes remain clearly visible — believed to have been drilled to support the scaffolding essential for the statue’s construction. These holes were first identified by renowned Chinese archaeologist and Dunhuang scholar Peng Jinzhang (1937-2017). His wife, Fan Jinshi — now 87 — is also a distinguished Dunhuang expert and former director of the Dunhuang Academy, China’s premier institute dedicated to the preservation and study of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. According to Zhong, much of the giant Buddha visitors see today is the result of repeated repairs and repainting over the past millennium — the dragon pattern on the robe was unmistakably from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). In fact, the Buddha lost both hands in earthquakes over the centuries, and they were only restored during a major repair effort led by the Dunhuang Academy in 1987. “These efforts demand just as much — if not more — attention from the artists and artisans involved. The only difference is perhaps that, in the latter case, the reverence is directed more toward history,” Fan says. “For those intent on finding the most authentic Tang elements, they should look down as hard as they did up,” says Zhong, noting that the Buddha’s feet remain original to the Tang era. Generously shaped, they are as full and grounded as the boundless hope that must have stirred the hearts of those who toiled on the scaffolding — year after year, for 12 long years — to breathe life into this sublime vision. 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