Depicts the rise and fall of ancient Chinese city Dunhuang's generals, warlords, monks, and Empress Wu Zetian. | dHNfaFI0NlJ4OXRJeFE
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00:00 In the year 1900, in the caves of Mogao, near Dunhuang, West China, a Taoist monk makes
00:08 one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of all time.
00:14 In a sealed cave he finds tens of thousands of ancient manuscripts, filled with untold
00:20 tales of heroic warriors, mysterious travellers, and legendary kings and rulers.
00:31 This was an incredible and unprecedented amount of first-hand material that was discovered
00:38 and it basically revolutionized the study of Chinese history.
00:44 Now experts are discovering how the desert oasis of Dunhuang rose to become a vital stronghold.
01:01 And how Dunhuang used its position on the ancient Silk Road, a trading route stretching
01:07 from China all the way to Rome, to become a thriving metropolis, rich with an incredible
01:12 diversity of cultures, languages, and faiths.
01:17 But who were the characters that shaped Dunhuang's turbulent history?
01:23 From a master general who had big ambitions beyond his borders...
01:26 The Han Dynasty is the time when China and Rome, you know, first become vaguely aware
01:33 of each other.
01:34 To a canny governor who used foreign allies to fight corruption...
01:39 This period sees the arrival of Sogdian traders into China who were to exert an enormous influence
01:46 for the next few centuries.
01:54 From a fearsome tribal warlord looking to exploit China's disunity...
01:59 The empire must fall apart.
02:02 When it's fallen apart it must unite.
02:04 It's the pattern of Chinese history.
02:07 And an ambitious courtesan with her eyes on the greatest prize of all...
02:19 To an eminent Buddhist monk determined to leave a legacy...
02:22 The range of materials that we see in the library cave is unique in the world.
02:26 There's simply nothing else like it.
02:28 And what is new research revealing about the controversial exploitation of Dunhuang's treasures?
02:35 Stein in the form of a donation of work money, stole the treasures from the library cave and transported them to London.
02:41 [Music]
02:43 you
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