Northern Silk Road: Chang'an–Dunhuang corridor (2nd–10th century CE)

1. Han expansion opens the Hexi Corridor route

   Jan 1, 121 BCELabels: Han dynasty, Hexi Corridor

   • Dunhuang Lectures
   • Britannica

2. Yangguan Pass fortified as frontier checkpoint

   Jan 1, 120 BCELabels: Yangguan Pass, Han dynasty

   • Yang Pass

3. Dunhuang Commandery established at corridor terminus

   Jan 1, 111 BCELabels: Dunhuang Commandery, Han administration

   • Dunhuang Commandery
   • Dunhuang Lectures

4. Yumen Pass becomes key gate to the west

   Jan 1, 101 BCELabels: Yumen Pass, Han frontier

   • Yumen Pass
   • UNESCO Silk Roads

5. Emperor Ming legend links court to Buddhism

   Jan 1, 68Labels: Emperor Ming, Eastern Han

   • EBSCO
   • White Horse Temple

6. White Horse Temple founded at Luoyang

   Jan 1, 68Labels: White Horse, Luoyang

   • White Horse Temple
   • WHE

7. An Shigao begins translations in Luoyang

   Jan 1, 148Labels: An Shigao, Luoyang

   • Silk Road Buddhism
   • An Shigao

8. Mogao Caves founded near Dunhuang

   Jan 1, 366Labels: Mogao Caves, Dunhuang

   • UNESCO Mogao
   • IDP Timeline

9. Kumārajīva arrives in Chang’an to translate

   Jan 1, 401Labels: Kum raj, Chang an

   • Kumarajiva

10. Xuanzang returns to Chang’an with scriptures

    Jan 1, 645Labels: Xuanzang, Chang an

    • IEP Xuanzang
    • Washington Silkroad

11. Tibetan Empire captures Dunhuang and disrupts corridor

    Jan 1, 787Labels: Tibetan Empire, Dunhuang

    • Tibetan Empire

12. Zhang Yichao restores local rule in Dunhuang

    Jan 1, 848Labels: Zhang Yichao, Dunhuang

    • IDP Collections

13. Diamond Sutra printed at Tang-era Dunhuang

    Jan 1, 868Labels: Diamond Sutra, Dunhuang

    • Oxford Cabinet
    • Diamond Sutra

14. Library Cave sealed, preserving a manuscript archive

    Jan 1, 1001Labels: Library Cave, Mogao Caves

    • IDP Wang Yuanlu
    • Dunhuang Manuscripts

15. Wang Yuanlu discovers the Library Cave hoard

    Jun 1, 1900Labels: Wang Yuanlu, Library Cave

    • IDP China
    • IDP Wang Yuanlu