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Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring
鸣沙山与月牙泉 · Dunhuang, Jiuquan, Gansu, China
A sand mountain embracing a crescent moon — a clear desert spring that has not dried in a thousand years
Know before you go
- Don't suddenly stand up, scream or reach out and pull at the reins while the camel is moving
- don't cross the fences into the Crescent Spring's water or the protected straw-checkerboard areas
- don't fly drones without permission or film during no-fly periods
This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.
Stories & people
Stories & people
Legend
The three treasures of Crescent Spring and why it never dries
About the Crescent Spring, Dunhuang folklore tells of three treasures (a folk legend): iron-backed fish in the spring, seven-star grass growing on its banks and five-coloured sand on the mountain — the fish and grass were both said to be usable as medicine, prolonging life. The more widely known question is why the drifting sand cannot bury this spring. The older generation's explanation carries a mythical colouring; modern geological research gives another set of answers: the Crescent Spring lies in a low-lying area with continuous groundwater recharge, and the embracing sand mountains' terrain makes the wind form a swirling, rising airflow along the ridges, so sand grains falling on the spring's surface are carried away by the wind — sand mountain and spring water thus reach a delicate balance. Legend and science do not contradict each other here: the first is the feeling Dunhuang people hold for this oasis, the second is the real reason it has not dried in a thousand years. Every summer the spring's edge also hosts starry-sky themed events; the miraculous clear spring in ancient eyes is now the whole city's summer-night living room.
Source: Chinese Wikipedia: 鸣沙山（敦煌）; Chinese Wikipedia: 月牙泉; Wikipedia: Singing Sand Dunes (Dunhuang)
History
Geology and history of Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring
Mingsha Mountain stretches about 40 kilometres east to west and was anciently called Shensha Mountain; the singing of its sand ridges in clear weather is its signature — as a person slides down a sand slope, the grains rub together and give out a humming sound. The Crescent Spring runs nearly 300 metres from north to south and takes its name from its shape like a crescent moon; anciently called Shajing, it is recorded from the Han dynasty and was a famous Dunhuang scenic site through Tang and Song. The most marvellous thing is the coexistence of spring and sand: ringed by tall sand mountains on all sides, the spring water has nevertheless not been buried by drifting sand in a thousand years — geology generally explains it by groundwater recharge together with the rising winds formed by the special terrain and the sand-fixing vegetation and straw checkerboards around it. The buildings by the spring were destroyed over time; most of today's are modern restorations in the original style, and since the 2010s the locality has continuously implemented geological-heritage protection and water-replenishment works to guard the spring's surface.
Source: Chinese Wikipedia: 鸣沙山（敦煌）; Chinese Wikipedia: 月牙泉; Wikipedia: Singing Sand Dunes (Dunhuang)
Culture
Culture & customs
Background
Mingsha Mountain and the Crescent Spring are the natural landmark of Dunhuang's oasis civilization: a pool of clear water embraced by the great desert was precisely the coordinate where Silk Road caravans replenished and rested, and with the Mogao Caves' human treasures — one landscape, one culture — they form Dunhuang's complete image.
Local customs
- On summer nights Dunhuang people have the habit of climbing the sand mountain to cool off and watch the starry sky
- in summer the scenic area often hosts mass starry-sky concerts, sand-sliding festivals and other events, and at New Year and during festivals locals also bring their families to the spring's edge to pray and stroll.
Religion & beliefs
- No specific religious affiliation
- a temple complex once stood beside the Crescent Spring in history, and folklore also tells of the spring water's divine powers — local folk memory
- the buildings by the spring today are mostly reconstructions, so simply respect the on-site order when visiting.
Etiquette & taboos
Etiquette & taboos
Don’t DON'T
- Don't suddenly stand up, scream or reach out and pull at the reins while the camel is moving
- don't cross the fences into the Crescent Spring's water or the protected straw-checkerboard areas
- don't fly drones without permission or film during no-fly periods
Locals appreciate DO
- Follow the camel-team leader's instructions
- when mounting and dismounting the camel, hold on firmly with both hands and keep your legs clear of the camel's body
- climb by the wooden walkways and established routes, protecting the sand ridges' texture
- carry your rubbish and shoe covers out of the scenic area — the desert ecology is extremely fragile
Plan your visit
Practical info
Travel tips
- At midday in summer the sand surface burns feet and the ultraviolet is extremely strong
- the best times are early morning and dusk — be sure to protect against the sun and rent sand-proof shoe covers
- Tickets allow multiple entries within their validity period (currently mostly three days' validity — official rules prevail), so sunrise and sunset visits can be arranged separately
- Camel rides, sand sliding and off-road vehicles are all separately paid items
- camel teams queue for a long time in high season, so buy tickets to secure your place before touring
- The scenic area's opening hours adjust with the season — in high season roughly 6:00–19:30 and in low season about 6:30–18:30
- the official announcement for the day prevails
- tickets are on the order of CNY 110 in high season and CNY 55 in low season, camel rides about CNY 100 and sand sliding a few dozen yuan — all reference figures, subject to official prices. The scenic area is about 5 kilometres from central Dunhuang, ten-odd minutes by taxi or reachable by bus
- in high season, real-name online reserved booking is required. Allow 3–4 hours: enter in the late afternoon, ride a camel first, climb Mingsha Mountain to watch the sunset, then come down to the Crescent Spring's edge to see the dusk — both kinds of light in a single visit.
Eat nearby
What to eat nearby
Must-try
- Donkey meat with yellow noodles
- Hu-style mutton stewed pancakes
- Xingpi shui apricot drink
- Sand-onion scrambled eggs
- Grilled lamb skewers with naan
Donkey meat with yellow noodles (Dunhuang's No. 1 famous dish — yellow noodles with braised donkey meat); Hu-style mutton stewed pancakes (mutton stewed with flatbread, strongly north-western in flavour); Xingpi shui apricot drink (brewed from Guang apricots — thirst-relieving and refreshing); Sand-onion scrambled eggs (desert wild onions, freshest in spring); Grilled lamb skewers with naan (the standard pairing of the Shazhou Night Market)
| Where to eat | Dunhuang's Shazhou Night Market and Dunhuang Town areas are the most concentrated, about ten minutes by taxi from the scenic area; the scenic area itself has only simple meals and kiosks |
|---|---|
| Dining etiquette | Donkey-meat yellow noodles come in generous portions — two people can start with one main dish plus cold dishes; the apricot drink is sweet-sour and appetising but not low in sugar; at the night market, confirm the pricing unit for skewers before ordering |
| Typical price per person | CNY 50–100 per person (market reference); night-market barbecue runs CNY 80–150 per person |
| Tips | Dining around the scenic area is scarce and pricey; main meals are best taken back at the Shazhou Night Market area in central Dunhuang; eat and drink your fill two hours before climbing, and bring your own water since prices inside the park are high |
Prices are typical rates as of October 2026, not exact quotes; CNY equivalents are approximate where exchange rates fluctuate.
Photos
Photos
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N509FZ · CC BY-SA 4.0
travel oriented · CC BY-SA 2.0
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