Derived from Hindu mythology, an apsara is a celestial courtesan. In India, they were originally portrayed nude as haloed female musicians, riding in clouds and showering flower petals. When this mythological character traveled from India to the more conservative cultural climate of Confucianist China, its glamorous presentation was toned down. The apsara at the Mogao caves do not travel on clouds, nor are they painted with a halo. Similarly, the potent sexuality of the Indian figure has been muted; only the upper torso of the Dunhuang apsara is naked, and this is partly obscured by the innovation of a long Persian scarf that floats around the flying angel. Often these mythological beings are used to decorate wide borders along the upper parts of walls, commonly at divisions between the top of the wall and the ceiling or within the ceiling design itself. 001/ Cave 272 Northern Liang Dynasty (421-439 C.E) 002/ Cave 260 Northern Wei Dynasty (439-534 C.E) 003/ Cave 285 Western Wei Dynasty (535-556 C.E) 004/ Cave 249 Western Wei Dynasty (535-556 C.E) 005/ Cave 288 Western Wei Dynasty (535-556 C.E) 006/ Cave 290 Northern Zhou Dynasty (557-581 C.E) 007/ Cave 313 Sui Dynasty (581-618 C.E) 008/ Cave 312 Early Tang Dynasty (618-712 C.E) 009/ Cave 39 High Tang Dynasty (712-781 C.E) 010/ Cave 379 High Tang Dynasty (712-781 C.E) 011/ Cave 158 Middle Tang Dynasty (712-781 C.E) 012/ Cave 327 Western Xia Dynasty (1036-1227 C.E) 013/ Cave 3 Yuan Dynasty (1227-1368 C.E) <Go to Postcards