Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Tuesday, March 19th, 2024

Mirror of the World

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Mirror of the World

They excavated the caves from the cliff decisively and made giant Buddha niches in the heart of the caves to imprint their beliefs to Buddha and continued their effortless measures for one thousand years and made more than 1000 grottes. The second tallest statue of the Buddha is located here. The first tallest statue of Buddha was in Bamyina and when the Taliban destroyed Buddha’s statues, we lost the honor of being the first country with the tallest Statues of Buddha. They yet recognize their historical statues of Buddha as the second in the world. Thanks to these shared historical properties, Bamyian and Gasno call themselves as sister cities.
More than one thousand Buddha cave temples and grottes that have been excavated more than one thousand years ago in the mountain cliffs in Dunghaun district of Ganso state, has changed the area to big tourism destination center.
Dunghaun which in Chinese means a big and developed area that has been located at the silk route and once it has been one of the largest trade centers linking the east and west of the world together. Chinese Emperor Wu of Tang Dynasty encouraged the Chinese Mon [Yuezun] to build the first cave temple by excavating the cliffs. This process continued more than one thousand years and they gradually built more than one thousand cave temples. In one of the cave temples, they built a Buddha Statue with one hand toward the sky and the other one stretched forward with a straight Palmaru.  On the birthday of Buddha, the pilgrims walk three times along the corridor at the back of Buddha statue. There are some holes in the size of a small window at the outer parts of the statue in order to let the people stand up at the balcony to see the different parts of the Buddha’s body. They believe that the stretched hand of Buddha is not for asking help, but to provide help to the mankind. In another cave temple, while Buddha is sitting in the middle, at both sides, there are two beautiful statues and one ugly statue, symbolizing the good and bad that exist in our world. And there are painting of caravans, pilgrims, trade directions and thieves. And the traders ask the sacred Buddha to forgive them before they depart.
Along the way to the cave temples, a tourism center has been built. It is a big one roof building with all necessary accommodations. Two films are played in two saloons showing the ups and downs of this city and how these statues have been built in order when the tourists leave here to not to forget the background of the city. To realize the glorious history of this city one must know that a British scholar discovered a cave library in 1900 with thousands ancient texts that have been hidden in the cave for more than 900 years. Then he and a French scholar started further excavations here. They transferred thousands of ancient documents to London, Paris and Berlin and they are preserved there. In the mid-19th century thousands of these texts were sent to Beijing that some of them were destroyed and even so, about 8000 texts are preserved in the Beijing library now. Among few ancient remains exhibited here, there are texts in other languages including a text about Zoroast. There is another text about mathematics for 8th grade. 
Only lack of rail road and the wise decision of the Chun-li could save of destruction of cultural revolution move by the Red Guard that Chairman Mao to cleanse China of old culture and retrain those who deviated from Marxism–Maoism. The Red Guards travelled by trains on those days and Chun-li had ordered to preserve these ancient remains by any means. 
Cultural Expo
It is the third cultural expo in Danghua. Ganso has signed a sisterhood agreement with Bamyan city of Afghanistan. Holding expos is a normal issue in China. This expo is held in a city that most recently have been paid attention to it and is locate by the old Silk Route and the Big Project of the Century, ‘ One Belt and Road Initiative”.
The center of Expo has been built according to the ancient Chinese building style along with a flourishing theater center. Constructing such buildings for a city with only 200000 show the strategic approach of the government to boost the city. Matching the views of these two buildings to the cave temples and Buddha’s statues has further attracted attention of the tourists. According to the data provided by the tourism authorities, about 5 million tourists have visited here last year that 10 percent of them have been the foreigners and they expect the figure would be doubled in the current year.
Deputy Prime Minister of China who attended the expo, put emphasis on the cooperation of the nations and their common understanding. Afghanistan was among 62 countries attending this expo for the second time. Vice President Danish highlighted the importance of the Silk Route and the historical position of Afghanistan in it and also emphasized on the role of Afghanistan in realizing the “One Belt and Road Initiative”. Danish is a different Afghan politician. He is a true scholar. He reads books and writes his own statements. He is a humble and nice man. For Chinese who believe in order and obedience of the seniors, Danish’s approach looked wonderful for them. His host at the end of the journey, described him as a politician who loves his country and government; looks with open eyes his surroundings and wants to learn everything. He believes in team work and treats his subordinates as his students. His words were less diplomatic and conveyed the truth he believed in it. 
Mr. Danish raised a critical question at the end of the journey: We shall understand the potentials of China and use for the interest of Afghanistan. How much this question is comprehended in Afghanistan, the time will tell us.
The World in One Country
China tries to portray a perfect picture of cultures and innovations of all countries around the world.
Buddhism, Islam, Maoism, Secularism, Christianity, Confucianism, and Marxism in China that is only treated as a belief there and has nothing to do with the politics and governance in China. Communism and Maoism are no more dominant on the life of the people. For example, The Statue of Mao is on one corner of the city and Muslims mosques on the other corner of the city and Muslims perform Eid prayers in the mosques during the Eid holidays. And Buddha’s statues are in all corners of Kashghar, even on the plates of meats though it is forbidden in Buddhism. In One country one can behold all the world-China.

Sultan Ahmad Baheen is a prominent Afghan diplomat who has served as an Afghan ambassador to the People’s Republic of China.

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