Original subtitles

A Co-Production by: Imagica, Tokuma Shoten Toko Tokuma, Daiei Video New Century Producers

Executive Production: Yasuyoshi Tokuma

Production Supervison: Gohei Kogure, Kazuo Haruna

Production: Atsushi Takeda, Yuzo Irie

Original Novel: Yasushi Inoue

Screenplay: Takeshi Yoshida, Jun'ya Sato

With Toshiyuki Nishida as Zhu Wangli

Koichi Sato as Zhao Xingde

Anna Nakagawa as Tsurpia

Yoshiko Mita as The Woman of Xi Xia

Takahiro Tamura as Tsao Yanhui

Tsunehiko Watase as Li Yuanhao

Directed by: Jun'ya Sato

THE SILK ROAD

Zhao Xingde. Elaborate a countermeasure to deal...

with he Xi Xia, which threaten our Song Dynasty from the West.

The Xi Xia...

declare subordination to us on the surface,

while plotting their independence in secret.

I'm asking you for a countermeasure for that!

I say we should build a guarding wall.

We could build a large castle in the neighboring grassy plains.

The situation has evolved past that!

Take a look at this map.

At present, at the Hexi Corridor region, the Uyghur Kingdom and Tibetan Empire are holding their ground against us,

and on top of that, Xi Xia has been inching closer to us.

The only city we, the Chinese, rule, is the far off city of Dunhuang!

Make your argument.

What kind of country is Xi Xia?

How can we make them swear allegiance to us, Song?

I can't believe the question they gave me was a countermeasure for the Xi Xia situation.

Isn't Xi Xia just a small country of savages and nomads?

The next Imperial Examination is in three years... I'm in Hell.

I've had enough with these Imperial Examinations!

There's no way students from the countryside like us can pass that easily!

And currently there's 200,000 people waiting to become government officers.

Even if we did pass the examination, we'd have to wait for several years to take office!

But our parents and relatives back home...

are waiting with baited breath for us to pass the Imperial Examination!

I made up my mind. I'll give up the Imperial Examination, and go to Dunhuang.

Have you gone mad? What are you going to do in Dunhuang?

There's an incredible amount of caves in Dunhuang,

and they are filled to the brim with amazing treasures. The governor of Dunhuang is building a new cave, now.

I heard he's recruiting ten people from the capital to work there.

I'm going there, and I'll leave my paintings on the walls of Dunhuang!

It's just three years. Let's wait and do our best until the next Imperial Examination!

No, thank you! I won't waste my youth like this any longer!

I'm going to Dunhuang! I'm fed up with this city!

Move! Out of the way!

- Let me go! - It's a woman from Xi Xia!

Weren't you just going to show me merchandise?!

I'd rather die than work by selling my body to men I don't know!

Come here!

If you don't obey, I'll kill you!

How about it?

Now, no man will want to buy me!

If that's the case, I'll sell you for cheap right now!

Does anyone want to buy her?! It's a real Xi Xian woman!

I'll sell her for the price of one pig!

It's the deal of a lifetime!

Her face got hurt, but her body still can be of use!

That's right, yeah! Buy her!

I told you I will not sell my body!

Excuse me! I'll buy! I'll buy her!

I won't do what you want just because you bought me!

Everyone else, go away!

You're from Xi Xia, right?

I was tricked by an Uyghur merchant, and brought over from Xingqing.

Xingqing? And where's that?

It's the capital of Xi Xia! It means "castle of jewels".

Is it that beautiful a castle?

It is beautiful.

Like a mirage in the desert.

A mirage in the desert, huh?

You're free to do what you want now.

Wait!

Here! Please accept this!

That's the only thing I have that can be called "precious".

I can't enter Xingqing without it, but...

I probably won't go back there.

It's a Xi Xia travel permit.

A Xi Xia travel permit?

These are Xi Xian characters?

Xi Xia has its own characters too? What's written here?

My place of birth and my name. But I can't read it, either.

- They were just created. - Who created them?

Our king. He built the country, and created the characters!

Since our country was just built, everything there is new!

This country is beginning to rot,

but you're not rotten.

I see a star on your face!

A star that shines on the desert.

It's the star of destiny, that burns out in the desert.

This country is beginning to rot.

Xi Xia is a newly built country. It's full of life!

5000 years ago, a trade route between Asia and Europe was established.

It was called the Silk Road.

Central China and the Silk Road...

are connected by a region flanked by the Gobi Desert and the Qilian Mountains, called the Hexi Corridor.

In the Hexi Corridor, there were five oasis cities.

They were Liangzhou, Ganzhou,

Suzhou, Guazhou and Dunhuang.

No matter what Dynasty or people tried to rule over the Hexi Corridor,

desert merchants would come and go through these oasis cities,

and engage in trade.

Zhao Xingde.

We ride to Lianzhou tomorrow. There, we part.

I'm taking these painters to Dunhuang.

Give me water. I need water, please.

Give me water.

What, did you drink your share already?

Come on, please! Just a little bit! Just a sip!

I only have enough for myself, too.

How long is it from Lianzhou to Xingqing?

It takes just one day, just one day.

Water! I found water!

That fool! Go back and drag him back!

Water, water!

You fool, this is poisonous!

- I need water! - You'll die if you drink it!

Water...

Don't you get it that you'll die?

- Boss! - What's wrong?

There's something over there!

Let's go!

Get all the camels!

Don't leave anything behind.

You're like vultures. How can you do this?

Vultures, huh?

Who do you think I am?

I'm Wei Chinguang.

We were kings of Khotan until Li came.

Then, we came to live in this desert. It's our home now.

We take whatever we want.

Steal what we need.

You've never lived like that! What do you know?

Let's get on with it.

Water, please.

Water, give me water.

Please, someone, water.

Let's go, everyone!

Here. Water.

Take care of the camels.

Water, here.

Hey! Hey!

Only fools give water away.

It's you that I'm talking to. You big fool!

Let’s go.

Hey, hurry up, we'll go without you.

The Xi Xians!

Come, follow me!

Captain, we've rounded up 15 men today.

Go on, stop!

No looting or raping.

A Khotan caravan... we let them go.

They're Chinese. They're not Xi Xian.

Are you all Chinese?

What's it to you?

We're Chinese, too.

Sure, that's why you're here!

Is this the Song Army, then?

The Xi Xian Army!

We've got Tibetans and Uyghurs, too.

We're the Chinese unit.

I see. You're prisoners, or mercenaries.

Hey, young one, and what has the Song government done for us?

We're here because we couldn't live there.

Just remember this!

In this desert, it doesn't matter where you came from. Only the strong win.

To live, you have to fight!

Listen up! On the other side, there's a Uyghur battalion!

You, on the front line! If you don't want to die, charge them!

Again!

One more time!

- The Uyghur! - It's an ambush!

It's the Uyghur!

Captain!

Help! Help!

Mao Zhen, Mao Zhen! Mao Zhen!

Hey, hang in there. Here's water.

You, there. What's your name?

Zhao Xingde.

Xingde, you're my orderly from today.

Stay close.

- I'm not a soldier. - But you fought well.

Stay close.

Forgive me! Spare me, I beg you!

- Help me! - Captain!

- I beg you! - He was supposed to be standing watch!

- Spare me, please! - This bastard.

He fell asleep and we were attacked.

Forgive me! Spare me, I beg you!

Is this true?

Please spare me, I beg of you!

Is this true?!

Please wait, wait!

- He was my friend. - Huh?

My friend...

Friend?

Because of your friend, many men died!

Will Mao Zhen be okay? His wounds are serious.

It's Li Yuanhao! The Crown Prince of Xi Xia.

Fall in, fall in!

Bow!

Forward!

Li was interested in this.

What is that? Is it a talisman?

It has my name on it.

Your name? What good is that?

You of noble birth, maybe?

Some kind of prince?

So I won't be nameless.

What did you say?

I don't want to be a nameless corpse.

Xingde, you got your brush?

- In my bag. - Where is it?

Write up last night's Uyghur attack.

In Xi Xian. It's going to Li Yuanhao.

I don't know Xi Xian.

But you're educated.

Xi Xian is completely different from Chinese.

But if I study, I'll learn to write it in no time!

Captain, I left Kaifeng to learn Xi Xian.

Let me go to Xi Xia.

Xingde, write my name right there.

Zhu Wangli.

Zhu for 'scarlet', Wang is 'king', and Li is 'manners'. That's what my parents used to say.

- Zhu for 'scarlet'? - Yes.

Look! This is my name!

Do it for me too. I'm Wu Xuan.

- Me, too. Wang Jiafu. - I don't know the characters.

Xingde, I'll build a monument for me and my men someday.

- A monument? - Yes.

As proof that, we Chinese, lived and fought here.

With every one of our names on it, too.

Fortune smiles upon us. The victory is ours!

The Chinese troops will win!

The Uyghur Unit!

The Tibet Unit!

Tomorrow, we attack Ganzhou, the Uyghur fort.

Tomorrow we must attack Ganzhou.

The purpose of our campaign is to secure trade routes!

The purpose of attacking Ganzhou is to secure trade routes.

It is necessary to control the main road of trade with the western region.

Gather the injured! If they can walk...

or ride a horse, move them to the back with the projectile squad!

Gather those with heavy injuries, who can't walk or ride, and dispose of them!

- What do you mean, "dispose"? - I'm telling you to put them down.

We have to kill them? They're our comrades!

Do not cry!

We are about to spend ten days in the middle of the desert.

Do you think someone with injures so heavy they can't ride will be able to keep up?

That's no reason to kill our comrades!

You think they'll be happy to be left here if they can't move? How many days you think they'll survive?

If they are going to suffer and end up dying terribly,

isn't it kinder to send them to the afterlife by your hands?

What do we do?

Bring the food and water, please.

Line up!

What happened? What's going on?

Mao Zhen, we're headed off to the next battle, now.

We're leaving you food and water.

Please, don't leave me here! Take me with you!

Set off!

There's nothing we can do for you!

I want to go to Dunhuang! Take me to Dunhuang with you!

That's wrong, Mao Zhen! Listen to me! You're wrong!

We're not going to Dunhuang! We're going to war!

We'll be back soon. We'll come back for you, so wait for us!

You're lying!

- Xingde, help me out! - We were supposed to go there together!

- Are you just going to let me die?! - Xingde! Xingde!

- Xingde, help... - If you're going to abandon me here...

- Please, just kill me! - Mao Zhen! Mao Zhen!

- Kill me! - Xingde!

- Kill me! - Xingde!

- Xingde! - Kill me!

Xingde!

I hate this! It's hell!

Don't leave me here!

Ready!

Charge!

Fire!

Charge!

Order out the horse lancers.

Charge! Attack!

Attack!

The Ganzhou Fortress

- Xingde. - Yes?

- Go send a smoke signal. - Yes.

Kill me!

Who are you?

Kill me! Go on.

Who are you?

I am Tsurpia, daughter of Yaglakar, the Uyghur ruler of Ganzhou.

An Uyghur princess.

The king is dead. It's better you stay here.

Kill me!

Why don't you kill me?

I'll save you.

I want to save you. Here.

Hide here.

Quickly, quickly!

I found a good place to hide. Let's go.

You can't stay here.

Why would a Xi Xian save my life?

I'm not Xi Xian, I'm Chinese.

I see, so you're a mercenary.

You intend to collect a reward.

Who is there?

Come out!

Why? Why did you save me?

I couldn't let you die.

Xingde, write up a battle report. Make it exciting.

Say we killed 300, no, 500 troops.

Or that we got the Uyghur king.

I understand.

Write it tonight. Tomorrow's another battle.

Tomorrow again?

Tomorrow, I ride to battle. Here is some food.

Are you fighting the Uyghur?

This tastes bad.

What is this meat?

It's horse, it's all I could get.

You're making me eat horse? I am a princess of Uyghur.

If it doesn't suit you, then...

you can go where you want.

You're leaving for battle tomorrow?

Yes.

Then, it must be done. I need your help tonight.

For what?

My father's head is by the wall.

I can't leave it like that.

I must get it and bury it.

Xingde!

This is serious.

Does it hurt?

Did you call me, sir?

So, there you are. How's your wound?

- Almost well. - Good.

Tomorrow, we leave for the Xi Xian capital.

To Xingqing?

And we need someone who knows Xi Xian.

I remembered you wanted to study it.

So, go to Xingqing and study.

But tomorrow is...

What is it? You don't want to go?

Yes, sir. I want to go.

- But... - It's an order. From Li.

And from me too.

You said you would save me.

And I believed you.

Now you go to Xingqing.

You have deceived me.

I've long wanted to learn about Xi Xia.

So you're going to Xi Xia?

You choose Xi Xia instead of me?

I want to choose you.

- But that... - I'm only a soldier.

I couldn't help you much, even if I stayed.

Let’s both go.

With you, I would go anywhere.

We'll go to Dunhuang. My grandmother married there.

It would take a month, across the desert. We might not even get there.

I was prepared to die here.

If I'm with you, it doesn't matter where I die.

Now I know why.

Why I saved you.

I, too... I know why now.

Halt!

We are two officers under official orders.

Open the gate.

I don't know where we are. Can this be right?

Are you all right?

Back off!

Xingde!

Desertion!

Kill me, then.

I'm ready.

But I have one favor I must ask you.

What is it? Speak.

Come with me.

- Bring some water. - Yes.

Here.

Slowly, now, slowly.

A woman, huh?

- She's an Uyghur princess. - What?

A princess?

Xingde.

He is the Chinese commander.

We lost our way. We've returned to Ganzhou.

I beg you, please save her. As for me, I don't care.

If I refuse, you'll kill me?

She does that to men.

She makes them insane.

I'll not touch her. I'll have no part of it.

Captain! You can hide her, help her.

I beg you. I beg you to save her.

And you'll go to Xingqing?

I will, if I must. But only if you promise to save her.

I'll go, too.

You can't go there!

If the Xi Xians find you, they will kill you.

All right. I'll look after her.

Thank you.

Within six months,

no, a year, I will learn Xi Xian and return to you.

I will come back.

So please wait for me.

Here is a token of your promise.

One year.

Just one year.

Idiots.

Fools, the both of you.

The journey from Ganzhou to Xingqing took nearly one month.

Xingqing Capital of Xi Xian

Xi Xian characters are quite practical.

For example, this one is pronounced 'ni-ghii'. It means 'night'.

This is 'leh'. It means 'see'.

'Night' and 'see' put together make up 'mi-eh' which means 'dream'.

'Man' and 'ear' combined mean 'to hear'.

'Water' and 'dirt' combined mean 'mud'.

It will soon have been a year.

In the 7th year of the Tiansheng era, Tsao Yanhui, governor of Dunhuang, arrives at Xingqing.

Upon learning that Liangzhou and Ganzhou were seized by Xi Xia,

Yanhui traveled across 100 kilometers of desert to come to Xi Xia to pay his respects.

Stand up!

Kneel!

- Keep studying. - Stand up.

This man is the director of this school, Yeli Renrong.

He created the Xi Xian characters.

That is the governor of Dunhuang, Lord Tsao Yanhui.

Sit down.

Lord Yanhui came all the way from Dunhuang to pay his respects for our country.

These are Xi Xian characters?

They are quite beautiful characters.

What is your name?

I'm Xingde.

I read the report you wrote. It was a splendid text, and so was your penmanship.

Xingde.

What do you think of my writing in Song language?

It's very good, sir.

Why do you think I learned the language of Song?

Because the culture of Song was more advanced than that of Xi Xia,

and they were a stronger country than Xi Xia.

But it's different now!

Xi Xia has its own culture, and its own language!

Xingde, between Xi Xian and the language of Song,

which is better? Which one is correct?

I think there's no "better" or "worse" language.

That's absolutely correct! There's no "better" or "worse" language!

The powerless learn the language of the powerful, that's all there is to it!

If Xi Xia conquers Song,

the people of Song will all have to struggle to learn the language of Xi Xia! And our characters too.

Don't you think that's the case, Lord Yanhui?

It's true.

Lord Li Yuanhao, when these men are done learning Xi Xian,

could you lend them to me?

Do you intend to start learning Xi Xian right away?

That is also true.

But, as I'm sure you are aware, Dunhuang is where Western and Eastern cultures first meet.

We also have many invaluable sacred Buddhist sutras.

I wish to translate a few of them to Xi Xian, and dedicate them to Your Highness.

I see.

And while that work is in progress, Xi Xia and Dunhuang would be in a truce.

As expected of you, Lord Yanhui.

- You are a man of perspective. - Oh, not at all.

I just heard Your Highness was also interested in the ways of Buddha.

Renrong.

He wants you to compile a Xi Xian-Chinese dictionary.

But...

I don't know Xi Xian well enough to do that.

I am not Xi Xian. My ancestors were Khitan people.

Yet, I created these characters. You can do it.

But I must return to Ganzhou soon. I have no time for this.

This is an order from the Crown Prince.

You must do it!

A year passes and yet another is about to pass.

Well done!

Li Yuanhao is here now.

When it is bound, you will take it to him.

Halt. Dismount.

Line up, line up!

What's the matter, Xingde?

Ah, nothing.

Xingde!

Wu Xuan!

It's been so long!

And the Captain?

Captain.

I've returned!

Xingde, you're really grown up.

Say, where is Tsurpia? Where is she?

Tsurpia is dead. The dead do not return. Don't ask.

That is a lie. I saw her.

I said she was dead. Do you not understand?

Nonsense, I saw her myself!

Xingde, another word and you'll regret it.

No! She was with Li Yuanhao. Why was she with him?

Xingde, Tsurpia is dead! She's dead!

She's dead, she's dead!

- She is dead! - What are you doing?

Xingde!

Why? What happened?

Why did you come back? You fool!

You left her alone for two years.

Why come back now?

I hid her as long as I could.

However, Li Yuanhao found her.

Said he'd kill five Uyghur a day until she agreed.

Forget her.

She is dead.

Well done. We appreciate your work.

The pleasure is ours, sir.

Tomorrow, I wed the Uyghur princess.

You will transcribe the announcement.

Renrong will do it in Xi Xian,

and Xingde will do it in Chinese.

You may begin.

I, Tsurpia, daughter of Yaglakar,

King of Ganzhou and sole successor to the throne,

make this announcement to the people of Ganzhou.

I...

will wed Lia Yuanhao, the Crown Prince of Xi Xian.

With this wedding...

our country will become one with Xi Xia.

My people! From here onward, you'll wake, plow the fields,

fight, and strive to be loyal, as people of Xi Xia!

My people, I ask that you celebrate this wedding with song and dance!

Don't do it!

Stop her! Somebody hold her!

Silence! Everyone, keep quiet!

Be calm, be calm!

The princess has offered herself in sacrifice...

for our victory over the Tibetans!

Men, raise your voices to praise this courageous death!

Raise your voices!

Retreat! Retreat! Pull back!

After them! Charge!

- I'll kill them! - Go back!

Xingde!

Go!

Go back quickly! Pull back!

You woke up, finally. You've slept for three days.

- Did we win? - Yes, we won again.

Yuanhao's conquered Suzhou, but now...

he wants Qintang, the major Tibet city.

But you stay here.

No, I'll...

You're not going anywhere.

Who needs a soldier who wants to die?

Then, kill me and go on.

You said killing the wounded is a kindness.

I don't want you dead. There's something we must do together.

Not me. I've nothing left.

He's here, Captain.

Well, it's Zhao Xingde.

Know each other?

I want you to take him to Dunhuang.

We can't move him for at least ten days.

And that would mean more food, more weapons.

You'll get what you need.

But if you don't get him to Dunhuang alive,

I'll have your head.

Xingde, the governor of Dunhuang asked for six people who could speak and write Xi Xian,

but we could only find three. I want you to join them!

We'll talk about that after we get to Dunhuang.

Those are people's bones!

In the desert, bones work like guideposts.

In the desert, the Sun is your enemy.

It burns living beings to death.

Kindness drives people to death...

We have a heart only so we can suffer.

Xingde, where did that come from?

- It was a present. - From whom?

It's not important.

That jewel is a Moonlight Gem, which you can only get at Houtan.

It's an exceptionally high-class Moonlight Gem!

I want it. Give it to me.

No way.

- I won't give it to anyone! - There should be another one.

Who has it?

This jewel is always a set of two.

I'll give up on yours, but tell me who has the other one.

These jewels are the only ones...

worthy of me, Wei Chinguang, King of Khotan.

Who is it? Who has it?!

Dead. That person is inside a grave.

Do you wish to die too, Xingde?

Give it to me.

I said I won't give it to anyone.

Xingde, what are you doing? Lunch is ready.

- Dunhuang? - Hope it's not a mirage?

No, that is Dunhuang.

Halt!

We're here.

You have come far, your services are appreciated.

Now, rise.

As you have seen, Dunhuang is a peaceful city.

East and West combining have made this city.

They travel here, then travel on.

It is my duty to guard this peaceful place.

Now, I want you to translate our sutras into Xi Xian.

We will thus remain close to Xi Xian.

As long as the ties remain close,

the peace will be preserved. Do your best.

These are treasures from Persia.

These are from the Kushan Empire.

These came from Sughd.

It took me 30 years to collect all this, and I don't know how much money it cost me.

In here, I keep everything from the Buddhist sutras on the top,

to the popular songs sung by camel keepers, in the bottom.

It's not just Buddhist teachings.

Zoroastrianism, Christianity, Manichaeism, Hinduism and Islamism...

Here I have sacred texts from every country, from the East and the West.

I also have literature classics, law, science, and history books,

and even trial records. Everything which expresses human wisdom and knowledge!

I have gathered them all. All of it belongs to me.

These people are copying sutras and doing translation,

but I'll ask you to work in here too.

And there's one more thing in my Dunhuang that I am very proud of.

I'll accompany you there tomorrow.

Yuanghao himself rode to attack the Tibetans.

Our unit attacked Taixing. Casualities: 300 dead.

If we live, we will meet in Dunhuang.

There, in the green area, those are the Mogao caves.

For 700 years, under the Liangs, the Sui, the Tang,

countless men from various countries...

have carved these 1000 caves as offerings to Buddha.

But why here, in the middle of the desert?

That's Maitreya, the Bodhisattva.

It dates back 600 years,

and is markedly influenced by the West.

This dates back to the Northern Wei dynasty, 500 years ago.

The Northern Wei paintings are very powerful.

This is a Tang dynasty masterpiece, made 300 years ago.

What's this?

This feeling that makes my soul shake?

This is also from the Tang dynasty.

The painting on the wall shows various peoples...

mourning the death of Buddha.

I'm not a monk,

but being in here makes me feel like I'm somehow in Buddha's world.

This is my own cave, which I'm building right now.

What happened?

Please, forgive me!

Because these men got the proportion of clay and paint wrong,

the decoration...! The decoration ended up crumbling!

You fools!

What have you done? That's my cave!

It was supposed to be the most beautiful, the most elegant!

I'm sorry, I'm really sorry!

It's my fault, I'm sorry!

I'm sorry, I'm so...!

Zhi Min...

Aren't you Luo Zhi Min?

You are still alive!

I was worried about you!

How is your arm?

I was also on the verge of dying.

I even thought I wanted to die.

Do you still hate me?

You won't forgive me for killing Mao Zhen?

What should I have done? Tell me!

In the middle of that hellish desert...

- What could I...? - Don't bother.

That man had his throat cut in a battle, and he cannot speak.

The only thing he has to save him is painting pictures of Buddha.

It seems like you've had many awfully unpleasant experiences up until now, right, Xingde?

Why don't you try studying the teachings of Buddha?

"Other people do not cause suffering."

"The cause of one's suffering is one's own heart."

That's what Buddha says.

Xingde!

It's me, Captain!

I've come back alive.

- Must have been a hard fight. - Yes.

Very hard.

Is your wound healed?

Yes, it has.

The time has come.

Time? For what?

Messengers!

To the Governor of Dunhuang...

by order of Yuanhao... The Chinese Xi Xian Unit...

will be stationed at Dunhuang.

Open your gates. Greet us.

- Go tell him this. - Yes!

These are orders from Li Yuanhao.

Xingde, translate it to him.

All laws of Dunhuang, as well as the language and customs...

are to be changed to those of Xi Xia. Those who do not conform to that, will suffer capital punishment.

The governor, Tsao Yanhui, is to be stripped of all his titles, and shall become a commoner.

Me? A commoner?

Read it yourself.

I cannot read Xi Xian.

But Li Yuanhao promised me last year...

if we promised to be loyal, I could be governor.

And Dunhuang would be mine!

At that time, he needed you to fight the Uyghur and the Tibetans.

Now, it's different.

You and Dunhuang are in the way.

But why?

After taking Uyghur and Tibet, he's going to fight the Song.

To finance himself, he must control the trade routes.

So he doesn't need you.

Nor a Chinese city. You'd simply be a danger, so you are eliminated.

Lord Li Yuanhao said he would follow the teachings of Buddha.

That's why I trusted him...

That's ridiculous!

He's a man who killed his own mother and his wife in cold blood!

Have you heard about what he did in the Tibetan war?

While he pretended to negotiate a peace treaty, the Xi Xia army approached,

and massacred every single one of their men! I also participated in that massacre.

We will die.

And Dunhuang...

will it perish too?

Even sheep bite the butcher.

Have you considered fighting?

Yuanhao marches into Dunhuang tomorrow. He comes with only 2000 troops.

There will be no better chance.

But if we kill him, there is the whole Xi Xian army.

It's a disorderly crowd of mercenaries.

It's got Uyghurs, Tibetans, and Chinese.

Kill Yuanhao, and it comes apart!

They will join us.

I did not hear one word of this.

Halt!

We're on the same boat here. We sink or we don't.

Dunhuang will fall if we don't kill him.

If we are going to die anyway, then we should try!

Xingde, that setting sun is Li Yuanhao.

It will soon vanish.

Do you remember...

what you said when we first met? The powerful survive.

Yes, to survive is to fight.

We survived, but what have we gained?

- Huh? - Nothing, I've only lost.

Xingde, there is something I must tell you.

This is...

Yes, I took it from Tsurpia.

But why?

I came to love her.

Did she love you?

I didn't care what she felt.

I still loved her. But Li Yuanhao...

He killed Tsurpia!

So I decided to one day kill Li Yuanhao.

You told me to stay alive.

That we had a job to do. Was this it?

If you do not want to join me, then just watch me.

Try to stop me and I'll kill you.

I was the one who saved her.

I took her to you.

I could not keep my promise.

I returned late. I should not have.

I can't let you fight alone.

Xingde!

If the governor betrays us, then kill him.

Coming. Here they come!

Captain, they are coming!

Halt!

Governor.

This is a plot! A plot!

Shoot! Shoot!

Close the gate!

Back off, back off! Li Yuanhao!

Li Yuanhao, I'm going to kill you. Come here!

Step aside!

Close the gate! Li Yuanhao!

Li Yuanhao is mine! Li Yuanhao is mine!

Don't let Li Yuanhao escape! Don't let him go!

Move the bodies! Open the gate!

Out of the way! Out of the way!

Li Yuanhao!

Li Yuanhao!

Captain, don't go any further.

Please, stop! Please, stop!

Xingde.

Why are you here?

If you'd stayed in Song, you would have had a fortunate life. Why did you come to the desert?

I don't know.

No...

I came to look for something worth risking my life for.

- Did you find it? - I had my hands full just living each moment.

Xingde.

You actually think that killing Li Yuanhao isn't worth it.

Am I right?

The enemy! The enemy is here!

Shoot! Don't let them come near!

Shoot them! Kill them! Kill them all! Shoot!

Xingde, I'll kill Li Yuanhao.

You erect a monument for me. Now, go put out the fire.

- To the West Gate! - Can't get there from here.

Go to the West Gate!

Hit the city gate!

Zhi Min!

Zhi Min!

Zhi Min! Zhi Min!

Hey, Zhi Min! Zhi Min! Zhi Min!

Zhi Min!

Don't let it turn to ash...

Don't let it...

Come on, hurry up!

Hurry up. The enemy is coming. The house is burning up.

These! Take these! Please, take these with you!

What's that?

Sutras! These are the precious sutras that Lord Yanhui collected!

There's no place for that garbage here!

I beg you! Even if it's just these few!

Silence!

Watch out.

Someone, help out! The Buddhist sutras will all turn to ash!

It's not just the Buddhist ones! There's centuries of human writings in there!

It's a mountain of books! Please, help out!

They are mine. It took me entire decades to collect them.

They are mine and I won't give them to anyone!

Mine, only mine!

They will burn here, along with me!

No!

They are not yours alone.

These belong to no one. To no single person.

They are mine alone!

They will perish, everything. To think that I should die...

while my treasures remain would be unbearable.

When I die, then everything else must perish, too.

Governor!

All will perish! All!

Hurry, the flames are at the library.

Carry them out!

All of them! Every single one!

Xingde, what are you doing here?

- Please, give me twenty horses. - What do you want them for?

To hide the sutras somewhere safe.

Is that worth dying for?

I don't know. But I must do it.

Buy the horses with this, then.

We have none to spare. But get out of here soon.

I'll go look.

Whose are these? Sell them to me.

So, it's Xingde again!

What are you doing?

Wei Chinguang, I need 20 camels.

Camels, 20 of them?

What are you carrying?

Yanhui's treasures.

Treasures? Twenty camel loads?

Yes, where can we hide them?

They've come!

- I don't think they would. - Hurry up!

Load the most valuable first.

They've come.

Shall we let them come or charge?

Either way we lose.

Let's not make the city suffer more.

Xingde! Xingde!

The city is surrounded.

There's no escape?

We'll charge soon. Then, you escape by the West Gate.

I...

Xingde.

Bury this with the rest. It is our monument.

This is the end?

Farewell.

Hurry.

Just a bit further.

Unload.

Xingde, come with me.

At the back is a small grotto.

Nobody will know.

Here it is.

Dunhuang must be deserted now.

- I'll go have a look. - Yes!

Let's carry them in.

Let's go.

Charge!

Charge! Charge!

Charge!

Follow me!

Captain Wangli!

- Wang Lixiong! Wang Lixiong! - Here, sir!

Let's get Yuanhao!

Let's go!

There's little left. Hang in there.

Li Yuanhao!

You will not mark your name in history.

Wait.

Put this in, too.

Thank you.

We charged three times,

but we could not reach him.

We have no more strength.

We must give up.

Don't come near!

For some time, I have thought that this...

is a worthy way to die.

Yang Jun!

We hid them all!

Now, no one will find them.

You killed them?

You promised to give me that necklace.

Why did you do it?

They would have known the location.

And you will die, too, unless you give me the necklace.

You fool. What have you done?

This was no treasure.

What? What did you say?

It was no treasure... just paper.

Paper?

I don't believe it!

Yes, to you, sutras and books are just paper.

You deceived me!

Give me the necklace! Give me it!

Let go! The horses!

Let go!

Thus, after 900 years passed,

on the last year of the 19th century,

over 40,000 thousand buried books,

sutras and paintings, were discovered.

However, neglecting the wishes of those who buried them,

most of those findings were taken away by expedition teams from Russia, England, France and Japan.

The ones that were left in China amount to just short of 10,000 items.

However, the finding of those buried treasures...

was called the most important cultural anthropological discovery of the century.

It was such a discovery that it led to the establishment of a new field of study, called Dunhuangology.

Regarding those involved in the burying of these treasures, who lost their lives,

history has nothing to say.

Cave 272 (Northern Liang) Painting of Musical Performance at the Celestial Palace

Cave 275 (Northern Liang) Statue of Bodhisattva Maitreya Crossing Legs

Cave 249 (Western Wei) Painting of a King Asura

Cave 249 (Western Wei) Painting of Siddhartha Giving a Lecture

Cave 254 (Northern Wei) Painting of a Demon Summons

Cave 158 (Middle Tang) Painting of the Suffering of Buddhist Monks

Cave 158 (Middle Tang) Painting of the Suffering of the Princes of Each Country

Cave 112 (Middle Tang) Painting of Entertainer Playing Pipa