I thank the saints that preserve nation's 'pantheon'

In the center of Rome stands the Pantheon－a temple dedicated to all gods. A mere 6,611 kilometers away, China has its own "pantheon"－the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, Northwest China's Gansu province.

Mogao is a complex of caves chiseled out of the side of a sandstone and sedimentary rock cliff that stretches almost 2 km beside a dry riverbed in the Gobi Desert.

Another name for the site is the Thousand-Buddha Caves. This is apt because in the caves are a vast wealth of Buddhist artworks, murals, statues, meditation chambers, burial sites and living quarters dating back as far as the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317-420).

The city of Dunhuang has, for centuries, been a key outpost on the ancient Silk Road, providing shelter and respite for weary traders along the route east to west or vice versa. And it is because of its location that the Mogao Caves can also be called a pantheon. It is not just Buddhist art that adorns its walls.

There are Taoist artworks, traditional Chinese mythological characters depicted, as well as influences from Central Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

In Cave 285, in the mural"500 Robbers Becoming Buddha", there can be seen both Taoist and traditional Chinese mythological figures, such as Lei Gong, Fuxi, Nyuwa and the Vermilion Bird.

In the same cave, there is, arguably, a depiction of the Greek god Apollo.

In the Library Cave, so called because of the wealth of documents that were discovered inside in 1900, there can be found manuscripts written in Sanskrit, ancient Turkic languages and Christian prayers in Hebrew－adding to the pantheon credo.

When I experienced Mogao Caves and Dunhuang for the first time, the mighty heft and weight of history was palpable; the intricacy of the artwork awe-inspiring and the stories told beautiful.

If the caves represent the ingenuity of humans and their ability to create and shape their world, then the Gobi represents the beauty and unremitting power of nature.

For many, the feeling one gets when dipping their toes in the ocean or breathing crisp mountain air is a unique experience, indelibly tied to the landscape. So too is the unique feeling one experiences when in the desert.

Golden dunes stretch out into the distance, undulating like the sea in a storm. Sand is whipped up by the wind and carried, spreading the desert's influence further and further. The desert is one harsh and amazing environment. It's been months since my visit and I still have sand in my shoes.

It is remarkable that many of the artworks of Mogao exist today considering the relentless power of the desert and the climate that they were made in.

But here is where humans step in once more. Work, in turn, is relentlessly being carried out to preserve and protect the treasures of Mogao. Stakeholders such as the Dunhuang Academy, and others, work tirelessly to ensure what remains there today, remains there for future generations, too.

Technology is being used to aid the preservation work, such as 3D modeling, digital tours and special glass designed to protect the artworks from damage that can be caused by light.

And by god, all gods, in fact, its preservation is important.