敦煌位于河西走廊之西,古代西域之东,为联结二者之纽带,多民族、多宗教文化流溢之地。古代亚洲内陆活跃的民族多曾出现在敦煌这个舞台上,一部《敦煌民族史》正可以小见大,窥见古代民族文化生态。杨富学先生毕生致力于敦煌学、西北民族宗教学之研究,注重新材料、新问题、新方法的阐发,这部民族史绝非老生常谈,而代表了其近年于若干领域内的新探索：月氏问题、沙州回鹘问题、敦煌晚期石窟及蒙古豳王家族问题等。虽其未必被学界普遍接受,但已成为相关领域无法回避的议题。

Dunhuang, located in the west of the Hexi Corridor and the east of the ancient Xiyu, serves as a bridge connecting the two regions and is a place overflowing with multicultural and multireligious influences. Many ethnic groups active in ancient inland Asia have once appeared on the stage of Dunhuang. Therefore, compiling A History of Ethnic Minorities in Dunhuang can provide a microcosm of the broader picture, offering insights into the cultural ecology of ancient ethnic groups. Professor Yang dedicates his entire life to the study of Dunhuang studies and ethnology and religious studies in northwest China, emphasizing the elucidation of new materials, new problems, and new methodologies. A History of Ethnic Minorities in Dunhuang is far from being a cliché but rather represents his recent explorations in several fields, including issues related to the Yuezhi, the Shazhou Uyghurs, late-period caves in Dunhuang, and the family of Mogolian Lord Bin and so on. Although these explorations may not be universally accepted by the academic community, they have become unavoidable topics in related fields.