The 2024 Paris Olympics opened on July 27th Beijing time. The official account of the Dunhuang Academy Mogao Grottoes, "Synchronous," disclosed a large number of mural materials related to sports preserved in the Dunhuang Grottoes. Among these ancient sports scenes, there are many shadows and origins of modern Olympic events. Swimming: In the picture, two people are swimming in the water, with soft and smooth body movements, similar to freestyle swimming, full of dynamic energy, cleverly reflecting the combination of strength and beauty. The 420th cave of Mogao Grottoes, Sui Dynasty. Sword Dance: The ancient swordsmanship duels depicted in the mural of Cave 61 of Mogao Grottoes are very similar to the fencing events in modern Olympic Games. The 61st cave of Mogao Grottoes, from the Five Dynasties period. Double tailed sailboats: Five double tailed sailboats with flat heads and upturned tails in a swallowtail shape, each carrying three people. The riverbank twists and turns, and pedestrians shuttle back and forth on the shore. A grand voyage is underway. The 98th cave of Mogao Grottoes, from the Five Dynasties period. It is understood that at least 20 sports depicted in Dunhuang murals, including archery, swimming, rowing, equestrianism, martial arts, wrestling, and throwing, had become regular competitive activities for Chinese people before the Song and Yuan dynasties. For example, wrestling: In ancient sports, wrestling has always been one of the main competition events. A tense wrestling match is depicted in Cave 290 of the Mogao Grottoes, with two opponents tied in buns and wearing panties competing to determine the winner. A referee is also depicted next to them. This millennium old scene vividly portrays the emphasis on technique and tactics in wrestling and sumo competitions. Cave 290 of Mogao Grottoes, Northern Zhou Dynasty. Race: The feathered figure in the picture is running vigorously, jumping in a straight line with his legs, soaring into the air, holding a ribbon with both hands, showing a scene of soaring in the sky. The 249th cave of Mogao Grottoes, Western Wei Dynasty. Equestrian: The equestrian paintings in Dunhuang murals mainly depict horse racing and horse riding techniques. There is also a mural in Cave 61 of Mogao Grottoes depicting multiple people competing on horseback during the Five Dynasties period. On an open grassland, a person riding a horse with almost straight hooves suddenly leaned down from one side of the saddle and picked up a rope placed on the ground with their hand. The entire scene was fast-paced and fiercely competitive, showcasing a perfect fusion of power and speed. The 61st cave of Mogao Grottoes, from the Five Dynasties period. Archery: As early as the Middle Stone Age 10000 years ago, humans invented the bow and arrow. Afterwards, bows and arrows became one of the weapons used in war, and now archery has become a popular sport among people. In the picture, the archer is half crouched, holding a bow and arrow and aiming ahead. The arrow is about to leave the string. Cave 290 of Mogao Grottoes, Northern Zhou Dynasty. Weightlifting: Weightlifting is an ancient sport that was widely practiced in China thousands of years ago and has long been listed as a subject in the martial arts examination. The picture shows the scene of weightlifting (lifting a bell) in Cave 61 of Mogao Grottoes. The weightlifting images in Dunhuang murals are the earliest known weightlifting images in China, and can be regarded as treasures of ancient Chinese sports culture. The 61st cave of Mogao Grottoes, from the Five Dynasties period. (New Society)