敦煌学
1900年，收存于敦煌藏经洞中的7万余件古代文献文物被意外发现，因为历史原因，这些藏经洞出土品流散于全世界各地，并由此产生了一门世界性的显学——敦煌学。中国学者陈寅恪在《敦煌劫余录·序》首次使用“敦煌学”一词，并被学界沿用至今。
敦煌学最初是以藏经洞出土文献为研究对象的一门学问，之后扩展到敦煌石窟乃至敦煌历史文化等相关研究领域。今天，广义上的敦煌学包括了以古代敦煌为中心的一切学术研究和敦煌遗产的现代科技保护工作，成为一种容纳了文、理、工的综合性研究。
由于敦煌和吐鲁番位于中国西北，同属古代丝绸之路的重镇，因此基于吐鲁番地区出土资料发展起来的吐鲁番学，经常会与敦煌学合称为“敦煌吐鲁番学”。敦煌吐鲁番学内容丰富，其研究对中国文化史和世界文化交流史有极其重要的作用。主要表现在如下几个方面：第一，以其出土的第一手档案资料，纠正正史记载的疏误、补充正史记录的细节。第二，以其保存的历史上失传的典籍，填补中国文学史、语言学、科技史、医药学史记录的多处空白。第三，因其大量非汉文文献，丰富了民族交往和中外交流的历史记录。第四，以其保存的丰富艺术品，为中国艺术史和丝绸之路交流史提供最形象的图像史料。
Dunhuang Studies
In 1900, over 70,000 ancient documents and artifacts enshrined in the Library Cave in Dunhuang happened to be discovered. Due to historical conditions, the relics were scattered across the globe, giving rise to a significant global academic discipline known as Dunhuang Studies. Chen Yinke (1890-1969), a prominent Chinese historian, philosopher, and scholar, was first to use the term "Dunhuang Studies" in print in the preface of Dunhuang jieyu lu (An Analytical List of the Tun-Huang Manuscripts in the National Library of Peiping), and this realm is still recognized in academic circles to this day.
Dunhuang Studies initially focused on research of manuscripts excavated from the Library Cave, but it has since expanded to include the study of Dunhuang grottoes and the history and culture of Dunhuang. Today, the broader concept of Dunhuang Studies encompasses all academic research centered on ancient Dunhuang as well as modern technological conservation efforts for Dunhuang heritage. It has evolved into a comprehensive field of study that integrates the humanities, sciences, and engineering.
Due to similar locations in northwestern China and shared significance as nodes along the ancient Silk Road, Dunhuang Studies is often positioned alongside Turfan Studies, developed from materials excavated in the Turfan region. They are collectively referred to as "Dunhuang-Turfan Studies". This combined field is rich in content and plays an extremely important role in both Chinese cultural history and the history of cultural exchanges worldwide. Its significance can be summarized in several aspects: First, it provides first-hand archival materials that correct inaccuracies in official historical records and supplements existing details in the records. Second, it fills gaps in the history of Chinese literature, linguistics, the history of science and technology as well as that of medicine, with copies of historical texts that have been lost over time. Third, the wealth of non-Han Chinese literature enriches the historical record of ethnic interactions and exchanges between China and foreign countries. Fourth, the preservation of abundant artworks offers vivid visual documentation for the study of Chinese art history and the history of Silk Road exchanges.
