Here, Luo Yunhang and the others met Duan Jie, a longtime friend of Master Li.

He dedicated his life to the art of the Dunhuang Grottoes, and devoted himself to the protection and restoration of the grottoes and the restoration of the original appearance of the murals, as well as copying the mural art. It can be said that he devoted his whole life to it and contributed his youth.

In this small courtyard, he was joined by dozens of staff members, most of whom were assigned here by the state after graduating from university. They gave up the superior life in big cities and devoted their lives to Dunhuang without complaint.

The material conditions here are really poor, but everyone's face is beaming with a warm smile.

"Welcome, welcome comrades to the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang. Old Li, it's been many years since we last met. I never thought we'd have another chance to meet," Director Duan said excitedly, shaking Master Li's hand.

"Old Duan, you've all suffered..." Master Li looked at the surrounding conditions and couldn't help but feel sad.

Located in a harsh, arid desert environment, the Mogao Caves suffer from severe sandstorms and a lack of resources, making the living conditions at the Dunhuang Research Institute extremely difficult.

"It's not hard work, it's not hard work. Look, we just got electricity last year, and now everyone's working environment is much better," Teacher Duan said, pointing to the lights.

Previously, the main lighting tool at Mogao Grottoes was kerosene lamps, and gas lamps were used to supplement the light when working inside the caves.

The art teachers were all experts in gas lamp repair. Under such difficult conditions, they made a large number of copies of murals. These copies were exhibited abroad and caused a sensation around the world.

Only now have their living and working conditions gradually improved.

The group received a warm welcome from everyone.

For their first meal here, Dean Duan specially asked the cook to make the famous local donkey meat noodles.

The broth is made from minced shiitake mushrooms, diced donkey meat, and cubed tofu. When poured over slightly chewy yellow noodles, it releases a rich, meaty aroma and the sweet scent of shiitake mushrooms. Just smelling that aroma makes your mouth water.

After lunch, without stopping, Director Duan took them to inspect the damaged murals at the Mogao Grottoes.

The Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes murals, renowned as the "desert art gallery" on the Silk Road, are facing a rapidly deteriorating situation.

In addition to the damage caused to the murals by peeling, cracking, and mold growth, large areas of the mural base have shifted and fallen off.

Moisture from groundwater and rainwater dissolves salts in the soil, causing chemical reactions that are eroding and damaging these Buddhist artworks. Many murals are on the verge of death.

In the somber grotto, many of the blue and red colors on the murals and Buddha statues have peeled off. Some Buddha statues have developed a thick, deep crack around their necks, and gaps have appeared between the base of the murals and the rock wall below.

Many Buddha statues have their faces covered with black mold spots, making it almost impossible to see their faces anymore.

Rainwater entered the cave, and the continuous growth of mold caused serious damage to the face of the Buddha statue. The wall base, which was made of a mixture of grass and soil, has become fluffy and cake-like in many places, with serious peeling and damage problems, and urgently needs maintenance and repair.

Master Li is also an expert in restoration. He can provide many feasible suggestions and lead the team to implement them.

Under the arrangement of the research institute, they lived in a nearby town and took a minibus with the institute staff to work in the cave every day.

According to Dean Duan, this minibus was specially arranged for them by the higher authorities this year, which has greatly improved their lives.

In the past, when they went to work in the caves, they could only travel by horse or donkey-drawn cart, and they often had to stop halfway if the weather was bad.

Now things are much better.

Luo Yunhang and Master Li and their group completely distanced themselves from the hustle and bustle of the city and began a period of ascetic practice.

Most of the work each day involves standing on scaffolding, holding a simple homemade grouting pipe, inserting it into the gap between the mural and the wall, sucking the prepared material into the syringe, and then injecting it into the hollow parts of the mural through the grouting pipe. Finally, the mural is supported by wall panels and pasted back onto the wall.

Over time, the murals have suffered from various ailments, including blistering, flaking, and efflorescence. These damages have blurred and broken the delicate patterns, causing them to sometimes peel up like scales, sometimes become covered in white frost, and sometimes even become loose and fall off.

The restorers' job is to use all sorts of tools, big and small, to remove dust, fill in imperfections, desalinate, bond, press, and support the murals to help them withstand the test of time.

In Dean Duan's words, they are all a group of "wallfacers" whose job is to heal "gods and Buddhas".

From initial unfamiliarity to eventual mastery, the young people fully immersed themselves in the work of restoring the murals in Dunhuang.

Not only did they learn all the repair methods, big and small, from the research institute, but they also actively participated in their design meetings and offered some constructive suggestions.

They truly made their own contribution to the protection of the Dunhuang murals.

Luo Yunhang was the youngest among them, not even twenty years old, and everyone took good care of him.

It was a rare day off, and Master Li, along with his disciples, prepared to visit the Mogao Grottoes.

They quickly got to work after they arrived, without having had a proper chance to tour the entire cave, spending their days busy in the enclosed cave.

Today, the Mogao Caves are not as famous as they were in later generations. They remain hidden deep in the mountains, unknown to most, with deserted entrances and few visitors.

Because the area is too large and has not brought any economic benefits, it has not been well protected. Apart from the spontaneous protection efforts of the colleagues in the research institute, the local government has only hired some local villagers to take turns guarding the area to prevent any damage.

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