Yungang Grottoes (Part ii)

Grottoes 16-20 are the earliest of Yungang's remaining grottoes, which hold five large Buddhist statues. Legend has it that they were modeled after five emperors of the Northern Wei Dynasty. The statue in Grotto 20 in the open air is the most spectacular. Grottoes 5 and 6, and Wuhua Grotto are the quintessence in the whole. The grottoes in the west part (Nos. 21-53 and some that are not numbered) were built later and in smaller sizes, displaying the Sinicization of Buddhist art with each passing day.

Yungang Grottoes (Part i)

Yungang Grottos are divided into east, middle and west parts. The grottoes in the east (Nos. 1-4) contain mainly pagodas and Buddhist statues; and those in the middle (Nos. 5-20) are the main part of Yungang Grottoes. Most of these rectangle grottoes have a rear room, with a large Buddhist statue in the center; and the ceiling is covered with carvings of Flying Apsaras, Buddha and Bodhisattvas in relief.

Yungang Grottoes

Yungang Grottoes lie at the southern foot of Wuzhou Mountain, 16 kilometers west of Datong City. The construction of the grottoes began from the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534), and lasted several dozens of years. They stretch a whole kilometer from east to west, and now 53 grottoes still exist, with more than 51,000 statues. Of the three major grottoes in China, Yungang Grottoes is the most magnificent, with the richest contents.