Wang Yuanlu
1849–1931 (age 82)
Biography
Wang Yuanlu (1849–1931) was a farmer and guardian of the Mogao Caves, one of the world's most significant repositories of Buddhist art and literature. Though humble in station, Wang Yuanlu's role in protecting and preserving these extraordinary caves during a period of political instability and foreign interest proved invaluable to the survival of this irreplaceable cultural heritage.
Wang Yuanlu's dedication to the Mogao Caves ensured that countless treasures of Buddhist civilization were preserved for posterity. His legacy is inseparable from the caves themselves, and he is remembered as a humble guardian of one of humanity's great cultural monuments.