Dunhuang studies refer to a discipline focusing on Dunhuang Manuscripts, Dunhuang grotto art, the theory of Dunhuang studies, and Dunhuang history and geography. It is a broad subject of studying, excavating, sorting, and protecting the cultural relics and documents in the Dunhuang area of China. The General Theory of Dunhuang Studies explores the basic concept of Dunhuang studies. It presents a more comprehensive and systematic study of six aspects of Dunhuang, covering the background of Dunhuang studies in orientalism, the history of Dunhuang, Dunhuang grotto art, the scattering of Dunhuang cultural relics, Dunhuang manuscripts, and the history of Dunhuang studies, and discussing and summarizing the relevant national and international research. The General Theory of Dunhuang Studies has extensively absorbed the research achievements of domestic and foreign academic circles and the author's decades of academic research experience.As a comprehensive and systematic academic monograph with both academic depth and extensive readability, the book provides descriptions, theory and objective comments written in a clear and straightforward style; the book is intended for professional scholars, graduates and general readers. It is an excellent teaching and learning resource for those interested in understanding and learning about Dunhuang studies. However, it is also a helpful reference book for readers interested in Dunhuang culture.

Autorentext
Jinbao Liu holds a PhD in History and is currently a professor and director of the Department of History at Zhejiang University, Director, the Center for Central Asia and Silk Road Civilization Research Center, State Ethnic Affairs Commission. He was previously a professor at Northwest Normal University and Nanjing Normal University. His research focuses on Dunhuang studies, the Silk Road and the study of the history of the Sui, Tang, and Five Dynasties. His academic works include  General Theory of Dunhuang Studies; Dunhuang Documents and the Tang History Studies; A Study on the Economic History of the Gui Yi Army in the Tang and Song Dynasties; Dunhuang Studies History: Events, Characters and Works; and Dunhuang Documents and Medieval Social Economy. He was also the editor-in-chief of Dunhuang Studies in the Transitional Period; Dunhuang Studies in the Past 100 Years: History•Current Situation•Trends, The Inheritance and Development of Silk Road Civilization; and acted the editor-in-chief of the magazine Silk Road Civilization. He has published numerous papers in Chinese Social Science, Historical Studies, the Journal of Chinese Historical Studies, and Chinese Literature and History. He is also a specialist of the National Social Science Fund, a vice-president of the Tang Dynasty Institute of China, a council member of the China Dunhuang Grottoes Conservation Research Foundation, and a council member of the Association of Chinese Dunhuang and Turpan Studies Council. He presides over the significant National Social Science Fund project: Collating Research on the Academic History Data of Dunhuang Studies.

Inhalt
Chapter 1. Thousand years vicissitudes of Dunhuang1. Dunhuang in the pre-Qin period2. Dunhuang in the Qin and Han dynasty3. Dunhuang in the Wei Jin Southern and Northern dynasties4. Dunhuang in the Sui and Tang dynasties5. Tubo's rule and management of dunhuang6. Dunhuang during the Guiyijun regime period7. Dunhuang in the Song dynastyTwo Song dynasties8. Dunhuang in the Yuan Ming and Qing dynasty
Chapter 2. Artistic treasures:Thousand Buddha Caves(Mogao Grottoes)1. The creation and numbering of Mogao Grottoes2. Dunhuang mural art3. Dunhuang painted sculpture4. Dunhuang architectural art
Chapter 3. Talk about the sorrowful history with rage Lamentedly1. The discovery that shocked the world2. The thousand-year's mystery ------ The  reason of the Hidden Library Cave sealed3. Marc Aurel Stein and the scattering of Dunhuang Manuscripts4. Paul Pelliot and the Dunhuang Documents Collected in France5. Otani kozui expedition and Dunhuang Turpan Documents6. Russian investigation of Dunhuang and northwest China7. The destruction of Dunhuang art by American Landon·Warner8. The scattering of the remain Dunhuang Manuscripts after robbery9. The reason of the scattering of the Dunhuang Cultural Relics Chapter 4 Dunhuang Manuscripts1. Dunhuang Manuscripts and history studies2. Religion studies materials in dunhuang documents3. A true portrayal of temples life4. Dunhuang literature and its academic value5. Dunhuang folk-song6. Scientific and technological material in Dunhuang
Chapter 5 Dunhuang studies all around the world -- the development and  overview of the Dunhuang Studies1. The emergence and development of Dunhuang Studies2. The vigorous development of Dunhuang Studies3. Dunhuang Studies in abroad4. Dunhuang studies in the future