Dunhuang
Dunhuang is located at the westernmost end of Hexi Corridor at the intersection of Gansu Province, Qinghai Province, and Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. In ancient times, it was an important gateway from the Central Plains to the Western Regions and an important node of the Silk Road. It was also one of the first cities to open to the outside world. The convergence and assimilation of the ancient Chinese civilization and ancient Indian, Greek, and Persian civilizations gave rise to unique Dunhuang culture and fostered the Silk Road spirit characterized by openness and inclusiveness.
As a critical node of the Silk Road, Dunhuang easily drew in envoys, military commanders and soldiers, merchants, and monks from all over the world. Silk, porcelain, jewelry, gems, camels, horses, and food, among other commodities, were conveniently traded in Dunhuang, making it a key transit point for ancient East-West trade. Many religions, ethnicities, and cultures came together in Dunhuang. Ethnic minorities in the northwest mingled and blended there, and foreign cultures from Rome, India, and Arab merged there. Historical records declared, "the coexistence of the Han people and the minorities made it no less important than a cosmopolitan city" and celebrated the pluralistic and harmonious Dunhuang culture and the splendid (now) World Heritage Mogao Caves.
敦煌
敦煌，位于河西走廊最西端，地处甘肃、青海、新疆三省（区）交汇处，是古代中原通向西域的重要门户和丝绸之路的重要节点，也是古代中国最早对外开放的城市之一。古代中华文明同古印度、古希腊、古波斯文明在此汇聚交融， 造就了独具特色的敦煌文化和开放包容的丝路精神。
敦煌地处丝路要道，各国使臣、将士、商贾、僧侣在此云集，丝绸、瓷器、珍宝、驼马、粮食等商品在此交易，形成了古代东西方贸易的中转站。敦煌是多种宗教和多民族文化的交汇地，西北古代少数民族在此交往交融，来自罗马、印度、阿拉伯等的世界文化在此融合荟萃，奠定了敦煌“华戎所交，一大都会”的历史地位，创造了多元和谐的敦煌文化，留下了美轮美奂的世界遗产——敦煌莫高窟。
