The Mogao Caves; or Mogao Grottoes (Chinese: M騡ao ku) (also known as the Caves of the Thousand Buddhas and Dunhuang Caves) form a system of 492 temples 25 km (15.5 miles) southeast of the center of Dunhuang; an oasis strategically located at a religious and cultural crossroads on the Silk Road; in Gansu province; China.

The caves contain some of the finest examples of Buddhist art spanning a period of 1;000 years. The first caves were dug out 366 CE as places of Buddhist meditation and worship. The Mogao Caves are the best known of the Chinese Buddhist grottoes and; along with Longmen Grottoes and Yungang Grottoes; are one of the three famous ancient sculptural sites of China. The caves also have famous wall paintings.

Count Otani Kozui (27 December 1876 - 5 October 1948) was the 22nd Abbot of the Nishi Honganji sub-sect of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism in Kyoto; Japan. He is known for expeditions to Buddhist sites in Central Asia. Between 1902 and 1910; he financed 3 expeditions to Central Asia although his participation was stopped for his succession. Otani was a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society; and played host to several of his fellow Central Asian explorers; such as Sven Hedin and Albert von Le Coq. His collection; often called the Otani collection; is still considered important in Central Asian studies; although it is today scattered in Tokyo; Kyoto; China and Korea.