Cave 17 of the Yungang Grottoes

Cave 17 of the Yungang Grottoes

Cave 17 of the Yungang Grottoes is a cultural tourism attraction.

The plan of Cave 17 is elliptical with a domed ceiling. The main statue is the largest cross-legged seated figure in Yungang, standing 15 meters tall. As you step into this cave, which is about one meter below ground level, and look up, the grandeur of this principal figure is overwhelming, exuding an air of supremacy. It wears a floral crown, adorns beast-shaped ornaments on its chest, bejeweled bracelets on its arms, and sits with legs spread wide. Its right hand is raised palm-up, while the left is bent toward the chest. It is commonly referred to as the “Cross-Legged Maitreya Bodhisattva.”

On the east and west walls of the cave are two large Buddha statues — a seated one on the east and a standing one on the west — both also very imposing but differing in style from the main figure. With these three statues, the cave is also known as the “Three Ages of Buddha,” with the central figure identified as Maitreya of the future.

Location of the Attraction

Inside the Yungang Grottoes, at the foot of Wuzhou Mountain, Datong City, Shanxi Province