This journey ends here because I have to return to Hangzhou to prepare for the offline event on the 18th.
This trip to Dunhuang gave me a lot of inspiration and gains; to be honest, I didn't fully enjoy it this time, and I will definitely come back to the Northwest.
Regarding the deep insights from this trip, the Orange Seat will share at the offline event on the 18th. Today we will only discuss one point:
Mogao Caves and Bitcoin inscriptions.
Everyone knows that the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang have exquisite murals and sculptures, but during the process of viewing, the Orange Seat had an increasingly big question:
What kind of people, and why, would continuously excavate over 700 caves for thousands of years?
Some of the caves are very large, and the materials used for the murals are very expensive, with many even using lapis lazuli or gold foil; what was their purpose in spending such a high cost to build a cave at that time?
This is a typical businessman logic in the city, always trying to find the motivation behind actions, but it is extremely important because these two questions unravel the mystery in my heart.
The answer to question 1 is: wealthy sponsors.
Sponsor is a more official term, which can be understood colloquially as funders.
So why did they spend huge amounts of money to build the caves?
The answer is: this is their home cave, similar to a family temple or ancestral hall.
They not only built caves but also offered and worshipped; the Orange Seat reviewed some literature and found that the ancient Mogao Caves were brightly lit at night.
The reason is simple, everyone over there is offering incense and lighting lamps to show the Buddha's light illuminating all.
During festivals or the anniversaries of family members' deaths, people would also go to pray or worship, which was very popular at that time—because Buddhist culture was flourishing then.
After talking so much, what does it have to do with Bitcoin inscriptions? The reason the Orange Seat connects these two is also because of five words:
Buddhist Mogao Caves.
First, let’s talk about why it is Buddhism.
Dunhuang was an important part of the Silk Road in the past, where diverse cultures collided and communicated, and Buddhism had the greatest influence at that time, just like Bitcoin has the greatest influence among all cryptocurrencies today.
And the Mogao Caves, established as a place of Buddhist prosperity over 1,600 years ago, have a very unique geographical location.
It is located on the cliff at the foot of the Singing Sand Mountain, sheltered from the wind, as shown in the picture below.
But the problem is that the length of this cliff is limited, so the number of caves that can be built is also limited.
After digging 735 caves back and forth, there was no more place to excavate on this cliff, which is why there are Yulin Caves, West Thousand Buddha Caves, etc., in Dunhuang, continuing this millennia-long trend of temple building and worship.
Just like when there aren't enough ordi, people will trade for sats, and when sats are still hot, they will trade for rats.
So I ask you, what is the difference between this and engraving inscriptions?
It's just a Buddhist inscription, which lasted over a thousand years in Dunhuang, the enthusiasm only dissipated after the decline of the Silk Road.
While Bitcoin inscriptions have only started for 2 years, liquidity has withdrawn after the wealth effect faded away.
The total amount is limited, Buddhism was prevalent, wealthy families were building caves to demonstrate their strength, the middle class would group together to build repositories, and some even donated just to be included in the murals, a typical case of supply not meeting demand.
However, now the wealthy can engrave more inscriptions to control the market, while the small investors can engrave fewer inscriptions for self-protection, fundamentally there is no difference.
Fun, very fun.
This is also why the Orange Seat would visit the Mogao Caves again and even specifically go to see some special caves; there are too many secrets here.
Perhaps the Orange Seat's perspective is different from most people's; they may focus more on art, while I care more about abstract expressions. In the future, what I study may become increasingly abstract, just a heads up.
If one day I become very abstract, please remember that I was once pure.
Finally, this industry insider's guide (Web3 Oasis) has been printed, limited to 500 copies, each with a unique number.
Members of the Web3 Oasis can also receive 2 copies for free, one for yourself to keep as a souvenir and one to give to your most desired friend.
Additionally, friends participating in the offline event on the 18th can pick up the book on-site.
Let’s end the conversation here; I need to grab a bite before boarding, see you on the 18th.
I am the Orange Seat, founder of the Web3 Oasis, and an expert in recovering crypto assets.
