Zhang Yichao

Zhang Yichao (799-872), a native of Shazhou, was a renowned hero of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). After the An Lushan Rebellion (755-763), Tubo forces took advantage of the chaos to occupy Tang territory. The vast Hexi region, including Dunhuang, fell under Tubote control. Zhang was born in Dunhuang after it was occupied by the Tubotes. He studied in a monastic school in his early years and later served as the governor of Shazhou under Tubote rule.

In 842, civil strife erupted in Tubo, plunging the people of Hexi into turmoil. Tubote military commanders in various regions of Hexi had a poor grasp of the situation and left weak defenses. The Tang Dynasty was determined to reclaim Hexi as the window of opportunity emerged. In 848, Zhang Yichao led a rebellion to expel the Tubote rulers, successfully recovering Guazhou and Shazhou. He dispatched multiple delegations to Chang'an to report the victory to the Tang Dynasty while continuing to lead the rebel army in reclaiming other areas of Hexi.

In 851, the envoys from Dunhuang finally arrived in Chang'an, presenting maps and records of 11 regions including Guazhou, Shazhou, Yizhou, Xizhou, Ganzhou, Suzhou, Lanzhou, Shanzhou, Hezhou, Minzhou, and Kuozhou. Upon receiving the good news, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang issued an edict to commend Zhang and his men for their loyalty, bravery, and achievements. Royal Tang established the Guiyijun Regime in Shazhou to oversee the above- mentioned 11 regions, appointing Zhang as the military governor and supervisor of these regions. The uprising led by Zhang was a key turning point in the return of Hexi to the Tang regime, and Zhang then revitalized Tang's prestige in Hexi. His patron statues were enshrined in caves 94, 98, and 85 of the Mogao Caves. Cave 156 is regarded as the cave of his achievements and features a long scroll painting titled Outing Scene of Zhang Yichao.

張議潮

張議潮（799—872），沙州人，唐代著名的英雄人物。安史之亂后，吐蕃趁機攻占唐土，包括敦煌在內的河西廣大地區陷入吐蕃之手。張議潮出生于陷蕃后的敦煌，早年就讀于寺學，長大后擔任吐蕃沙州刺史一職。

公元842年，吐蕃發生內亂，河西人民陷入了水深火熱之中。河隴各地的吐蕃守將思想混亂，兵防空虛。唐王朝乘此時機，決心收復河湟。大中二年（848），張議潮率眾起義，驅逐吐蕃統治者，一舉收復瓜、沙二州，并派出多隊使節設法赴長安向唐王朝報捷。與此同時，張議潮率領起義軍繼續收復河西其他地區。

大中五年（851），敦煌的使者終于抵達長安，獻上瓜、沙、伊、西、甘、肅、蘭、鄯、河、岷、廓等十一州圖籍。唐宣宗接到報捷之后，特下詔表彰張議潮等人的忠勇和功勛。唐王朝于沙州建立歸義軍，統領瓜沙十一州，授張議潮歸義軍節度使、十一州觀察使。河西歸唐，張議潮領導的大中起義起到了主要作用。張議潮在河西重振了大唐聲威，莫高窟第94、98、85窟均繪有他的供養像。莫高窟第156窟被認為是張議潮的功德窟，主室繪有長卷式《河西節度使張議潮統軍出行圖》。