Yungang Grottoes

Yungang Grottoes

The Yungang Grottoes are a National AAAAA-level Tourist Attraction, a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Yungang Grottoes are located at the foot of Wuzhou Mountain, 16 kilometers west of Datong City, on the northern bank of the Wuzhou River. Carved into the mountainside, the grottoes stretch one kilometer from east to west. There are 45 main caves, over 1,100 smaller niches, and more than 51,000 statues of various sizes. It is one of the largest grotto complexes in China and a world-renowned treasure house of art. In 1961, it was listed among the first batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level by the State Council.

The Yungang Grottoes were carved during the middle period of the Northern Wei Dynasty. The Northern Wei experienced the "Great Persecution of Buddhism by Emperor Taiwu" and the "Restoration of Buddhism by Emperor Wen Cheng." Large-scale construction of the grottoes began during the peaceful years of Emperor Wen Cheng (460–465) and was completed in the fifth year of Emperor Xiaoming’s Zhengguang era (524), spanning over 60 years. Initially overseen by the eminent monk Tan Yao, who “carved five caves into the rocky cliffs west of the capital at Wuzhou Pass.” The present-day Caves 16 to 20 are the “Five Caves of Tan Yao.” Most of the existing caves were carved before the move to Luoyang in 494 (the 18th year of the Taihe era). According to the Commentary on the Water Classic, at that time, “the mountains were carved and cliffs opened, structures built along the rock faces—grand and majestic Buddha images rarely seen in the world. Mountain halls and waterside pavilions stood facing each other amid misty temples, while forests and pools mirrored their surroundings, offering ever-fresh views.”

Among China’s three great grottoes, the Yungang carvings are known for their grand and majestic statues and richly diverse content. The smallest Buddha statue is just 2 centimeters tall, while the largest stands 17 meters high, mostly depicting religious figures with varied expressions. The grottoes feature a variety of wooden-structure-inspired architectural forms, prominent relief carvings illustrating the life of the Buddha, exquisitely detailed decorative patterns, and lifelike musical and dance sculptures—vivid and abundant. Their carving art inherits and develops the traditions of the Qin and Han dynasties, while absorbing and integrating the essence of Buddhist art, forming a unique artistic style. They had a profound influence on the artistic development of the Sui and Tang dynasties, hold an important place in the history of Chinese art, and serve as historical evidence of the friendly exchanges and cultural interactions between China and Asian countries.

Caves 5 and 6 are located in the central section of the Yungang Grottoes complex and form a pair of twin caves carved around 465–494 AD, before Emperor Xiaowen moved the capital to Luoyang. In front of the caves is a five-bay, four-story wooden pavilion built in 1651 during the Qing Shunzhi era, with vermilion pillars and railings and glazed tile roofs, presenting a magnificent sight. Cave 5 is designed in an oval thatched hut shape, divided into front and rear chambers. The main Buddha statue in the rear chamber’s north wall is a seated Shakyamuni, 17 meters tall—the largest Buddha in Yungang. Its exterior was later refurbished with Tang dynasty clay. The cave is filled with Buddha niche carvings. On the west side are two Buddha figures seated facing each other under a bodhi tree, with flying apsaras decorating the ceiling in elegant lines. Cave 6 has an almost square floor plan, with a two-story square pagoda pillar in the center connecting to the ceiling, about 14 meters high. The pagoda pillar features Four Directional Buddhas, and atop each of its four corners sits a small nine-tiered eaved pagoda carried on the back of an elephant. The cave walls are covered with carvings of Buddhas, bodhisattvas, arhats, and flying apsaras. The ceiling is adorned with the Thirty-Three Heavens and various mounts, creating a dazzling spectacle. Around the four sides of the pagoda pillar and the middle and lower sections of the south, east, and west walls are 33 relief carvings depicting the life of Shakyamuni from birth to enlightenment, with coherent narratives and exquisite compositions. This cave is grand in scale, richly decorated, diverse in content, and refined in technique. It is a representative cave in Yungang and a comprehensive showcase of mid-period sculptural art.

Caves 7 and 8 are located in the central part of the Yungang Grottoes and form another set of twin caves. They are among the earlier caves of the second phase of carving at Yungang. The extant wooden structure in front of Cave 7 was built in 1651 (Shunzhi 8th year of the Qing dynasty). Both caves have rectangular floor plans, with layered layouts vertically and segmented arrangements horizontally. On the upper level of the rear chamber’s north wall in Cave 7 is a central canopy niche housing a cross-legged Maitreya bodhisattva seated on a lion throne, flanked by two seated Buddha statues and attended by two bodhisattvas. The theme continues to reflect the Three Ages of the Buddha, and the arrangement of the statues shows early combinations. The lower niche features the Shakyamuni and Prabhutaratna Buddhas sitting together. Where the wall meets the ceiling is a row of musicians playing instruments. The east and west walls are symmetrically carved, with rows of thousand Buddha figures where the walls meet the ceilings. Below are four tiers featuring eight different Buddha niches. The south wall has a door and window, with four Buddha niches on each side. Between the door and window are six images of worshippers and celestial musicians. Inside the window niche is a bodhisattva and a meditating monk. The inner archway features divine beings, Heavenly Kings, and flying apsaras. The ceiling is divided into sections with coffered panels: the central design is a lotus, surrounded by flying apsaras, adorning the entire ceiling exuberantly. Compared to earlier caves, Caves 7 and 8 show many changes in form, content, statue composition, and themes, reflecting the sweeping social transformations of the Northern Wei dynasty.

The Five Caves of Tan Yao, now numbered Caves 16–20, are the first phase of caves overseen by the monk Tan Yao and are among the most eye-catching parts of the Yungang Grottoes. According to the Book of Wei: Treatise on Buddhism and Daoism, “In the early years of the Heping era… Tan Yao petitioned the emperor to carve five caves into the rocky cliffs west of the capital at Wuzhou Pass, each housing a Buddha statue—some seventy feet tall, others sixty, all with extraordinary and majestic ornamentation, unmatched in their time.” Modeled after the Five Emperors—Dao Wu, Ming Yuan, Tai Wu, Jing Mu, and Wen Cheng—five large statues were carved. These five caves are grand in scale and majestic in presence. Their common structural feature is outer walls fully covered with thousands of Buddha images, all roughly oval-shaped like thatched huts, without rear chambers. The statues mainly depict the Three Ages of the Buddha (Past, Present, Future), with the main Buddha figures being large and occupying central positions within the caves.

Cave 16’s main statue is a 13.5-meter-tall standing Shakyamuni, with delicate and handsome features. Cave 17’s centerpiece is a 15.6-meter-tall seated Maitreya in the attire of a bodhisattva, cross-legged; though the cave is small, the statue is imposing.

Cave 18’s main statue is a 15.5-meter-tall standing Shakyamuni draped in a robe covered with tiny Buddha images, radiating grandeur. The upper tier of the east wall features uniquely shaped disciples carved with skilled craftsmanship. Cave 19’s main statue is a 16.8-meter-tall seated Shakyamuni, the second-largest in Yungang. Cave 20 is an open-air statue, featuring a 13.75-meter-tall seated Shakyamuni at its center—the representative work of Yungang. Its face is semi-circular, with deep-set eyes, a high nose, thin lips, large ears resting on broad shoulders, and a majestic, powerful build.

The Five Flower Caves (Yungang Wuhua Caves) are Caves 9–13 in the central section of the Yungang Grottoes. These five caves are named for the colored clay paintings from the Qing dynasty. Caves 9 and 10 form a set of twin caves with front and rear chambers, built in 484 (the 8th year of the Taihe era of Emperor Xiaowen) and completed in 487 (the 13th year of Taihe). During the Liao dynasty, Chongfu Temple was constructed here. Both caves have nearly square floor plans. The front cave’s south wall features an octagonal column, and the upper sections of the east and west walls have three tiers of Buddha niches styled after wooden architecture, with the rest of the walls covered in Buddha and apsara carvings. The rear chamber’s cave door is topped with a window, and the north wall houses the main Shakyamuni Buddha. Cave 10’s main statue is Maitreya. The inner and outer surfaces of the rear chamber’s door arch are adorned with exquisitely carved patterns, featuring rigorous yet varied designs. Caves 11–13 form a group, with Cave 12 as the central cave featuring both front and rear chambers. Cave 11 has a square central tower pillar, with Buddha niches carved on all four sides and levels, mostly featuring standing Shakyamuni statues except for a Maitreya niche on the south side. The upper part of the east wall bears an inscription from 483 (the 7th year of Taihe), an important record for studying the history of the grottoes’ carving. Northeast of the cave is an inscribed niche and seven standing Buddha statues from 496 (the 20th year of Taihe). Caves 11–13 feature a series with Cave 12 as the central front-and-rear cave. The front chamber and upper parts of the east and west walls of Cave 12 all have three tiers of imitation wooden-structure shrine niches, with two columns in the front and three open doors. The ceiling is adorned with celestial musicians holding instruments such as panpipes, pipa, flutes, and waist drums—an important resource for music history studies. Cave 13’s main statue is a roughly 13-meter-tall cross-legged Maitreya bodhisattva, with a carved muscular figure under its right arm serving both structural and decorative purposes. The seven standing Buddha figures on the upper south wall and the lower east wall’s celestial worshippers are all masterpieces. The east wall’s Buddha niches vary in form. The Five Flower Caves are richly and colorfully decorated, serving as precious materials for studying the history, art, music, dance, calligraphy, and architecture of the Northern Wei dynasty, and are an important component of the Yungang Grottoes complex.

The Eastern Group of Yungang Grottoes refers to Caves 1–4 at the eastern end of the site, all of which are stupa caves. Caves 1 and 2 form a set of caves carved during the same period, before Emperor Xiaowen moved the capital. Each has a square central stupa pillar with niches on all four sides. Cave 1’s main statue is Maitreya; the southern side of the pillar’s lower tier depicts Shakyamuni and Prabhutaratna, and the upper tier shows Shakyamuni. The five-tiered small stupa reliefs are valuable material for studying Northern Wei architecture. Cave 2 features a Shakyamuni statue, with the southern side of its stupa pillar’s lower tier also showing Shakyamuni and Prabhutaratna, and the upper tier depicting the Three Ages of the Buddha. Both caves have Vimalakirti and Manjushri carvings on either side of their south wall entrances. Cave 3 is the largest cave in Yungang, with a front wall about 25 meters high, believed to have been Tan Yao’s scripture translation hall. The cave is divided into front and rear chambers. The front chamber’s upper sides each have a stupa, with a square central room featuring a Maitreya main statue and walls covered in thousands of Buddha images. The rear chamber’s south side features a seated Buddha and three bodhisattvas with round faces, full muscles, and smooth drapery lines. The seated Buddha is about 10 meters tall, and the two standing bodhisattvas are 6.2 meters tall. Judging by style and carving technique, they were likely created in the early Tang dynasty. Cave 4 has suffered severe weathering and water erosion. Above its south wall entrance is an inscription from the Zhengguang era of 523, the latest surviving inscription in the Yungang Grottoes.

The Western Group of Yungang Grottoes includes Caves 21–45 at the western end of the site, as well as some unnumbered small caves and niches. Most were created after 494 (the 18th year of the Taihe era). They are characterized by many ungrouped caves, numerous small and medium-sized caves, and many supplementary small niches. The statues often feature slender, refined forms, with overlapping folds in the lower parts of the drapery, and elegant, delicate expressions. The caisson ceilings feature graceful flying apsaras, showcasing a strong sinicized style closely resembling the “Longmen phase” of carving. Among them, the relief of the “Upside-down Music Deity” on the north wall of Cave 38 serves as valuable material for studying Northern Wei acrobatics.

Cave 39’s central five-tiered stupa pillar has five bays and six pillars on each face, with bracket sets supporting the eaves. The balcony is recessed, and each tier is slightly narrower and shorter than the one below, resulting in a stable and graceful structure—an important reference for studying early stupa construction. Cave 40 skillfully employs decorative art in its overall layout, giving the cave format and composition both regularity and variation, thus elevating the artistic standard of the grottoes.

Opening Hours:

April 1 – October 15: 8:30 – 17:30

October 16 – March 31: 8:30 – 16:50

Ticket Prices:

Peak Season: 125 RMB/person (April 1 – October 31)

Off-Season: 80 RMB/person (November 1 – March 31)

Location

Approximately 16 kilometers west of Datong City, Shanxi Province, at the southern foot of Wuzhou Mountain

Transportation

Take Bus No. 3 in the city and get off at the Yungang Grottoes stop

Further Reading:

· First Batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level