莫高轶事——记莫高窟的园林绿化

Anecdotes from Mogao--Landscaping at the Mogao Grottoes

看绿树成荫的林荫道相伴古老的石窟,就是如今莫高窟的景观,可是在八十多年前的莫高窟,树木稀疏,一片荒芜,直到1944年莫高窟被国家接管之后,在所长常书鸿的领导下进行了一系列有效管理,特别是重视对莫高窟园林的绿化,对已有的树木倍加爱护,即便莫高窟搞修建需要木材,也去敦煌城购买,而不采伐窟前林木。同时又在窟前、河岸边、河对岸广种树木,有绿化树、亦有果树,为了让窟前常绿,又引进了敦煌以前从没有种植过的柏树,在长期的植树造林过程中,也在不断思索,不断更新,才造就了窟前林木花草的景观。真正是前人栽树,后人乘凉,如今开放的莫高窟广纳游人,置身窟前的林荫道中,惬意游玩。

The tree-lined trails in the ancient cave temples of the Mogao Grottoes are an important element of the landscape of this historical site.Eighty years ago,however,the site was a wasteland only sparsely scattered with trees.When jurisdiction of the Mogao Grottoes was taken over by the national government in 1944,members of the Dunhuang Academy carried out a series of highly effective conservation activities under the leadership of Director Chang Shuhong that paid special attention to the landscaping at the site and took good care of the trees growing in the area.When timber was needed for infrastructure construction,they purchased materials from Dunhuang city rather than chop down the trees growing near the caves.In addition,the academy planted trees extensively in the area in front of the caves and along the banks of the river,including both afforestation trees and fruit trees.In order to make the landscape around the caves green all year round,they even introduced cypress trees that had never been planted in Dunhuang before.Overalong-term process of afforestation,the academy team persisted in their effort to make the landscape of this historical site as naturally beautiful as possible,which led to the current scenery of trees and flowers in front of the caves.The shaded view that visitors can now enjoy all year at the Mogao Grottoes is another legacy of the earliest conservation efforts at Dunhuang.