The Dunhuang Archives Bureau recently discovered among its collections a number of religious books written in Tibetan language. Archeological experts confirmed that these religious books had not been disclosed or mentioned before in any document. The books were part of the religious collections kept in the Mogao Caves and the handwritten books were very valuable to help archeologists to study the hand copying system in the eighth and ninth century.

File clerk Zhang Yanqing at the Documentation Department of the Dunhuang Research Institute described the book as dark brown inside covered with kraft paper. The books are all written in Tibetan language, which are valuable for research on Dunhuang and the study on Tibet. They can also help scientists to study the hand copying system in a time when Tibet occupied Dunhuang. Some of these religious books are social documents.

People related with the issue said that the books might be left by foreign treasure smugglers as bribes to local officials.