(ECNS) -- Dust and sand appeared in many places across Gansu Province from March 19-20.
But Mogao Grottoes, surrounded by the desert, had clear skies due to unremitting sand control efforts.
Qiu Fei was alone at the top of the Grottoes for sand control operations on March 20.
He works for the sand control station of Dunhuang Research Academy.
Thanks to his hard work, broken and flooded straw checkerboards were restored to function.
The sandy area around Mogao Grottoes has been reduced 85 percent compared with 70 years ago.