The ancient city of Duhuang is in fact a huge movie set resembling the Song Dynasty city of Dunhuang. The set served to create a movie called Dunhuang in 1987 through a cooperation between Chinese and Japanese filmmakers.

Located right in the middle of the Gobi Desert about 25km southwest of Dunhuang, the surrounding landscape grants the city with an impressive scenery. Various temples, pawnshops, warehouses, silk shops and bars scatter the streets. All of these things are used as props and backgrounds.

Dunhuang Gucheng was the largest film and television film set in Western China. Besides the film "Dunhuang", more than 20 films and television programs were made here