Aust Winner 澳洲长风论坛

[海外逸士]

敦煌古鎮﹐壁畫之鄉。絲綢舊道﹐地接西疆。馬駝商旅﹐東達咸陽。華夷物易﹐賴此以昌。且又北通戈壁﹐南枕崇岡。沙漠綠域﹐曾居戎羌。畫岩窟洞﹐傳自盛唐。偉哉敦煌﹐華夏之光。千窟百穴﹐瑰寶是藏。但見飛天在壁﹐彩繪呈牆。金璧輝映﹐藍白紅黃。至若女神翔舞﹐綢帶飄颺。背彈琵琶﹐仙音嘹揚。壯哉敦煌﹐九洲之芳。莫高榆林﹐萬像是彰。菩薩神佛﹐均著彩裝。土塑石雕﹐群氓所創。千姿百態﹐各呈其相。坐立站臥﹐莫不有方。佛兮佛兮﹐頂輝聖光。菩薩諸神﹐莊重安詳。敦煌故地﹐亦曰陽關。玉門要塞﹐戍者難還。王維詩曰﹕“西出陽關無故人”。之渙亦云﹕“春風不度玉門關”。故而聞“三疊”之離曲﹐遂悲吟而淚潸。而今汽車如龍﹐鐵路已通。藍天白雲﹐飛機橫空。喜古城之新顏﹐樂街市之繁榮。招旅客之熙攘﹐暢東西之交融。噫吁嘻﹗微斯地﹐吾孰可思夢﹖

Essay on Dunhuang1

Dunhuang is an ancient town, the land of the cave paintings. It was also the Silk Way then to the western regions2. The caravans of horses and camels came eastward through it to Xianyang3. Therefore, the development of the trade between old China and western states depended on this thoroughfare. It could lead north to Gobi desert and south to the high mountains4. It is the oasis in deserts. The Jiang Clan once lived here. The rock paintings in the caverns are handed down from the prosperous Tang Dynasty. How great is Dunhuang, the glory of China. In thousands of the grottos are stored such treasure. Sky-fliers5 are seen on the rocky walls and also the other colorful paintings. They look splendid in blue, white, red and yellow. The goddesses hover and dance, the long bands on their dress tracing in the air. Some play lutes on the back, the fancied celestial music resounding. Magnificent is Dunhuang, the wonder of Cathay. In the caves of Mogao and Yulin6, thousands of statues are conspicuous. Buddhas and gods are painted in multi-colored garments. The sculptures in stone were all engraved by common people. The statues are in various postures, all showing different features. Some standing, some sitting or lying, all arranged as planned. Buddhas have halo behind heads and gods look so stern and serene.

The old town Dunhuang was also named Yang Pass. Another name was Jade Gate Pass, a border town at that time. Soldiers guarding the place were not easy to return home alive. Poet Wang Wei had a line: “West across Yang Pass, there are no friends.” Another Poet Zhihuan said, “The Spring wind never crosses the Jade Gate Pass.” That’s why, when hearing the parting song of “Three Refrains of Yang Pass”, poets would chant in sorrow with tears down.

But now, cars come and go incessantly, and railways are already in service. In the blue sky and under white clouds, airplanes shuttle over it. Glad that the old town puts on a new face and happy that the streets look so prosperous. It invites the travelers there in hustle and bustle and brings west and east together in harmony. Ah! If not of this place, which town can I think or dream?