Yungang Grottoes

Situated at the southern foot of Wuzhou Mountain, some 16 km west of Datong City, the Yungang Grottoes, or Yungang Caves, carved in A.D. 460, are a treasure house of art as the Ajanta Grottoes of India and the mammoth Buddha sculptures at Bamyan in Afghanistan. The Yungang Grottoes were carved on the face of a low ridge, stretching one kilometer from east to west; they contain 254 niches and some 51,000 statues. Yungang is one of the most extensive grottoes in China, covering approximately 18,000 square meters, in 2001, Yungang Grottoes was listed as one of the UNESCO’s world cultural heritage sites.

Datong Yungang Grottoes

 These caves include a variety of vivid religious figures, such as the Buddha, several Bodhisattivas, and disciples and protectors of the Buddha. There are also many wooden constructions in different shapes and done in simple styles, sculptures of the Buddhist story with prominent themes and exquisite decoration, vivid figures of the State of Northern Wei (386~557) during the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420-589), and a large number of carvings of ancient musical instruments, such as the konghou, horizontal bamboo flute, the vertical bamboo flute, the pipa (Chinese lute), and others.

Yungang Grottoes absorbed and incorporated the essence of foreign art in its sculptural techniques and played an important role in world art history. Its images offer valuable materials for the study of politics, economic life, culture, art, and religious belief in ancient Chinese society. It also provides illustrations that trace the communications of early Chinese-Western cultural contacts and friendly exchanges among the peoples of those times.

Yungang Grottoes Datong China

 Yungang Grottoes is a monument of artistic achievement and of the human legacy that brings together historic value, artistic value, and scientific value. It is known throughout the world as the soul of oriental stone sculptural art for its large scale, rich content, and exquisite carving.

The Five Caves of Tanyao (nos. 16-20), caved in the early period, also display this excellent combination of elegant figures and careful design. The five main figures, whose heights range from 13.50 meters to 16.80 meters, were modeled on the emperors of that time, who commissioned the cave temples of stone carving art. The Yungang Grottoes emphasize the lofty, magnificent figures in art and reflect our sense that Buddhism has an enduring appeal.

Cave 5 and Cave 6 are the largest of the Yungang Grottoes. The main Buddha in Cave 5 is 17 meters high, the largest of the 51,000 statues in these grottoes. Cave 6 has 33 relief sculptures vividly depicting Sakyamuni’s life story, marking it as the gem among extant grottoes in China.

Caves 9 and Cave 10 are typical palace-style construction in the Chinese tradition. Their design is unusual in that wooden structures were built outside the caves, with a tower on either side, making it appear that the entire temple – including the larger part within the cave – was built of wood. This is a strikingly charming feature of traditional Chinese culture in artistic design. The carving in the front chamber of Cave 9 presents the ideal of filial duty. All of the carvings there reflect the moral principles of treating one’s parents with filial respect and the artist’s rich experience of life, as well as their great skill.

Yungang Caves Datong China

 As one of the three best-known grottoes in the world, the Yungang Grottoes were originally carved as a project of the Northern Wei State when Buddhism was entering China. It is different from other caves built in early times in China in its imperial manner. It has come to be regarded as a form of sculptural art recognized as the “Yungang model,” which gives it a unique place among cave art among the major grottoes across the world. 

Yungang Grottoes, with its exquisite sculptures, excellent visiting surroundings and good transport facilities, has become a major attraction for tourists from all over the world.

How to Get Yungang Grottoes from Datong

The grottoes are located 16 km west of Datong, about 30 minutes’ drive. Guanyin Hall (Guangyin Tang) and the Buddha Cove (Fozi Wan) are on the way to the grottoes. You can take Bus 3 and Bus 10 to go there from the city.


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