| | | Yungang Grottoes
UNESCO World Heritage Site : 2001
Datong (China)
| | | The Yungang Grottoes, with their 252 caves and 51,000 statues, represent the outstanding achievement of Buddhist cave art in China in the 5th and 6th centuries. The Five Caves created by Tan Yao are a classical masterpiece of the first peak of Chinese art, with a strict unity of layout and design. The grottoes were built in a relatively short time (460-525 CE) and constitute a classical masterpiece of the first peak of Buddhist cave art in China. The site integrates influences from southern and central Asian regions with Chinese culture. It is distinguished by being the first Imperial commission in China, reflecting the political ambitions of the time. Yungang also gives this art a clearly Chinese and local spirit, which was important for the later artistic developments in the country.
An early masterpiece of Chinese cave art, the Yungang Grottoes are an important component of cave art not only for China but for the world. They belong to the period between the mid 5th and early 6th centuries (the early years of the reign of Emperor Heping and the era of Emperor Zhengguang of the Northern Wei Dynasty). The cutting of the grottoes started in 460 CE. It was intensively carried out till 490, and lasted until 520 CE.
The exquisite carvings cover a large surface area and deal with a rich variety of themes. The statues are made in a typical Imperial style. The Yungang grottoes are different from other grottoes cut earlier in China and are characterized by their integration in the distinctive processes of nationalization across China, developing a style of their own in Chinese cave art. The large number of images and written records in the Yungang Grottoes are key elements in showing the development and changes of style in Chinese cave art and the religious beliefs in northern China during the mid 5th and early 6th centuries CE, and made major contributions to the innovation and development of Chinese cave art. They have a historical, artistic, scientific, and appreciative value irreplaceable by any other grottoes cut earlier in China.
The Yungang Grottoes are one of the great treasure houses of ancient statuary in the world. The site has 252 caves and niches, containing over 51,000 statues, the over 18,000m2 of carved surface extending for 1km. The grottoes are the most important testimony of the highest quality of artistic achievement of Chinese Buddhist carving art in the second half of the 5th century CE. Various caves contain majestic statues or have decorations that are world-famous in their bright colours and in their important and even rare themes.
The Yungang Grottoes have made important contributions to the reform and development of cave art, regarding laws of aesthetics in religious art in the language of carving. They are an excellent example of the development and transition of the Buddhist art of India and Central Asia (the Gandhara and Mathura art of ancient India) into the Buddhist art of China in the short time-span of thirty years. These transitions include various aspects of forms, themes, and concepts that reflect the aesthetic and ethical values of Chinese culture. So far as their artistic style is concerned, they reveal a marked revolution of localization of the styles of foreign statuary.
The Yungang Grottoes stand as a special evidence to the great blending of the Chinese nation in the 5th century CE, and an outstanding representative of the rooting of early Buddhist art in the central areas of China. Datong was not only one of the biggest metropolitan centers in the world of the 5th century CE, but also a hub for the absorption of culture and art from India and other Central Asian countries, and the blending of the cultures and arts of the various states in the Western regions and those of the various nationalities living in various Chinese regions with a highly developed economy and culture.
The Yungang Grottoes are the best works produced during the second period of the prosperity of Buddhist cave art in the world. The Five Caves, cut by Tan Yao, an eminent monk, to symbolize Emperor Dao Wu, Emperor Ming Yuan, Emperor Tai Wu, Emperor Jingmu, and Emperor Wen Cheng of the Northern Wei Dynasty have tried to bring out, in artistic form, the magnificent, simple, and vigorous appearance of the statues, and to impart, in religion, thinking about the perpetuity of Buddhist law. | | Yungang Grottoes : Virtual tour |  | 20 sections and 42 items |
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Yungang Grottoes : Place(s) of worship (20)
Five Caves of Tan Yao (460-465)
|  | Cave 16 (1)
between 460 and 465
Cave 16 to 20 are the five earliest caves in Yungang grotto site, which were constructed under the supervision of the monk Tanyao during the reign of He Ping (A.D. 460-465) of emperor Wen Cheng.
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|  | Cave 17 (1)
between 460 and 465
The crossed-legged Maitreya, 15.6 meters high, is carved on the north wall, a seated Buddha on the east wall, a seated Buddha on the west wall, which are generally names "Trikala Buddhas".
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|  | Cave 18 (2)
between 460 and 465
The main images are the Trikala Buddhas. The Sakyamuni Buddha, 15.5 meters high, on the north wall wears a kasaya with a design of thousand Buddhas.
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|  | Cave 19 (3)
between 460 and 465
The main images are the Trikala Buddhas. The seated Sakyamuni in the main cave is 18.8 meters high, the second largest in the Yungang caves. Wearing a well-decorated kasaya, he has a squarely-round face, broad shoulders and long ear lobes down to his shoulders.
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|  | Cave 20 (2)
between 460 and 465
The statues are not longer roofed over due to the collapse of its front wall before the Liao Dynasty. The main images are the Trikala Buddhas (Buddhas of the past, present and future).
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Grottoes of the middle period (c 471-94 CE)
|  | Cave 1 (4)
between 470 and 493
Cave 1 and cave 2 form a pair of Buddhist cave temples. In the center of cave 1 is carved a square pillar in the shape of a two-storeyed pagoda. The main statue on the back wall is Maitreya.
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|  | Cave 2 (2)
between 470 and 493
The design and the form of cave 1 are similar to those of cave 1. A pillar in the shape of a three-storeyed pagoda stands in the center. The eaves are carved in between every two storeys of the stone pagoda.
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|  | Cave 3 (1)
This is the largest of all the caves in Yungang. I was named Lingyan Temple in the past. The face of the cliff is about 25 meters high. The construction started in the Northern Wei period.
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|  | Cave 5 (1)
between 470 and 493
Cave 5 forms a pair with cave 6, and each has the front and back chambers. The main statue in the back chamber of cave 5 shows the Trikala Buddhas. The seated statue of Sakyamuni, 17 meters high in the middle of the northern wall is the largest Buddha in the Yungang caves.
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|  | Cave 6 (10)
between 470 and 493
In the center of the back chamber stands a square pillar in the shape of a two-storeyed pagoda, which reaches up to the ceiling.
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|  | Cave 7 (4)
between 470 and 493
The cave 7 forms a pair with cave 8. In the front of this cave is a three-storeyed wooden structure. Cave 7 has front and back chambers. The main statues on the upper section on the north wall in back chamber are the Trikala Buddhas.
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|  | Cave 8 (4)
between 470 and 493
The design and the form of this cave are similar to those of cave 7. The celestial guardians are carved on the two reveals of the entrance.
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|  | Cave 9 and 10
between 470 and 493
Cave 9 forms a pair with cave 10, and also consists of the front and back chambers. On the south wall of the front chamber are carved octagonal pillars.
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|  | Cave 11 (4)
between 470 and 493
In the center of this cave stands a square pagoda-pillar with niches and statues on each of the four sides of both upper and lower sections. Apart from the image of Maitreya in the upper niche on the south side, the others are all the statues of standing Sakyamuni.
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|  | Cave 12 (1)
between 470 and 493
The cave is divided into the front and back chambers. The outer wall surface of the front chamber is carved with wood-imitated roofs and eaves as well as four columns, thus resembling a three-room hall.
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|  | Cave 13 (2)
between 470 and 493
The main image is a cross-legged Maitreya, wearing a jeweled crown, a bracelet and a snake-shaped necklace. His right arm is supported from underneath by Vajra. Above the entrance of the south wall are the sculptured figures of seven standing Buddhas, wearing loose gowns with wide ribbons. On each reveal of the window is a Bodhisattva with plump and strong body in exquisite craftsmanship.
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Grottoes of the late period (494-525 CE)
|  | Cave 14
between 494 and 525
The four pillars inside the cave have collapsed. Only the west wall has been survived and kept in a fairly food condition, which shows a carved building in a shape of a one-storeyed pagoda, and depicts the story of Vimalakirti.
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|  | Cave 15
The cave, rectangularly shaped in plane, enjoys the reputation of a "Thousand Buddha Cave". as it is carved with Buddhist images all over its surface walls.
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| | Yungang Grottoes : Hours | |
8:00 to 17:00,
Admissions :
CNY 60
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| | Yungang Grottoes : Visit Guide | |
Take No. 4 bus at Datong Railway Station and transfer No. 3 bus at Xin Kaili | | Yungang Grottoes : Description | |
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The Yungang Grottoes, known as Wuzhoushan Grottoes in ancient times, are located on the southern foot of the Wuzhou Mountains, in the Shi Li River valley, 16km west of Datong City. They consist of 252 caves of various sizes housing more than 51,000 statues; the site extends much as 1km east-west. Three main periods can be identified in the construction: the early period (460-65 CE), the middle period (c 471-94 CE), and the late period (494-525 CE).
The area is about 350ha and the buffer zone is 850ha. Apart from the grottoes, the nominated core area includes the remains of a castle, a defence wall, and a beacon tower of the Ming Dynasty on the plain above the grottoes.
In front of the grottoes, in the river valley, there are some recent constructions, including offices and tourism facilities. To the east of the core area (within the second protection zone) there is a workers' village. In the north-western part of the buffer zone there are the Wuguantun coal mines. Other mines and villages exist to the east outside the protection area.
The grottoes of the early period (460-65 CE) are composed of five main caves (16-20); these magnificent and simple caves were dug under the direction of the monk Tan Yao and are named after him. For the layout of the grottoes, large caves were dug to house the giant statues, 13-15m tall. They have a U-shaped plan and arched roofs, imitating the thatched sheds in ancient India. Each cave has a door and a window. The central images have tall bodies and occupy the major part of the caves, while on the outer walls a thousand Buddhist statues are carved, a feature rarely seen in the tradition of Chinese history of grotto carving. Buddhas of the past, present, and future, a thousand Buddhas standing together, are the dominating subject matter. The styles of the statuary reflect some of the characteristics of the Liangzhou Grottoes and the Gandhara and Mathura statues, demonstrating a strong foreign flavor, especially in clothing and jewellery. For the human forms, features of the ethnic groups (tall, robust, powerful) living in northern China at that time may have been imitated, thus creating a new model for Buddhist statuary.
The grottoes of the middle period (c 471-94 CE) are located in the east and in the middle of the grotto area. They form the essence of the Yungang Grottoes, consisting of large caves,including four groups of twin caves (caves 1 & 2; 5 & 6; 7 & 8; 9 & 10) and one group of triple caves (caves 11-13). Cave 3, the biggest cave of the site, was mainly carved in this period (with the exception of the three statues of the Tang Dynasty). In this period there was a rapid development of the Han style and many new subject matters and combinations of statues were introduced, shifting the attention to creation of law-enforcing images and various kinds of adornment. Thus the Buddhist cave art of Indian origin developed into a local
art. These caves are square in plan, usually with chambers both in front and in the rear. Some caves have so-called stupa pillars, carved out of rock, in the centre and others can have ritual passage ways carved in the rear wall. In caves with a square plan, carvings on the walls are divided into upper and lower bands and right and left sections. Level caisson ceilings are carved on the roofs in most cases. On both sides of the outer walls there are high double-floored attics, and monuments stand high in the centre of the courtyard. The shelters in the style of wooden structures are supported by octagonal pillars, each carved with a thousand Buddhas. The walls inside the caves are covered by long rolls of paintings divided into different layers and columns. All these reflect the layouts and traditional arrangements of halls in vogue in China during the Han Dynasty. The themes of the statues are varied: prominence is given to Sakyamuni, Maitreya, Prabhutaratna, Manjusri, and Vimalakirti and various moments of the life and activities of Buddha. Much attention is given to vestiary: there are thousands of statues of dignified and amiable Buddha, elegant deities, heavenly kings, powerful warriors, and lively flying apsaras, all reflecting the social background and characteristics of the period, and also gradual maturing in the style and skill of carving.
The grottoes of the late period (494-525 CE) are located in the west of the grotto area, mainly Caves 21-45, Cave 4, those in the Dragon King Temple Valley between Caves 4 and 5, the small niches in the cliffs of Caves 11-13 and also Caves 14 and 15. In total, over 200 caves and niches were cut in this period. These caves are of medium and small size with varied and complicated irregular shapes. Decorations were also carved on the cliff around the door of the caves.
There is a tendency towards simplification of the contents of the statuary and stylizing the forms, but with a new look of delicacy and gracefulness. Apart from Buddha in seated position, Buddhas were carved sitting face to face and warriors were carved at the cave door.
After the completion of the construction of the grottoes, there were various events that affected the site. At the time of Emperor Chongxi and Emperor Qingning of the Liao Dynasty (1049-60) there was an important project including the construction of the so-called Ten Temples of Yungang, in front of a series of caves, but these were destroyed by fire in 1122. In the period of Emperor Shunzhi of the Qing Dynasty (1651 CE), funds were raised for the construction of wooden garrets in Caves 5 and 6, resulting in the creation of the Ancient Temple of the Grotto Statues. During the same dynasty, several efforts were made to rebuild the shelters of some caves, to carve and re-paint some statues. The period also includes some inscriptions.
In 1961 the Grottoes were declared a major cultural heritage site to be protected at the national level. The site was listed as a special place open to overseas tourists in 1983 (like the Imperial Palace, the Great Wall, and the Dunhuang Grottoes) and was included in the State plan on tourism.
In 1997, the municipal government promulgated the Regulations of Datong City on the Protection and Management of the Yungang Grottoes, the first local regulations in China for the protection of major cultural heritage areas, making an important contribution to the protection and management of the Yungang Grottoes.
The boundary of the site has been identified both above and below ground, taking into account the fact that Datong is a major coal-producing area and there are mines around the site. In an area of 300m from the outer protection area, any mining is banned with a collapse angle of 70 degrees. The rural villages and buildings near the site have a total of 1700 inhabitants, and there are some 2300 employees. The villages do not present a hazard to the protection of the site, but the general policy is to encourage removal of population to other areas and to ban any new arrivals. All buildings in the neighborhood which could be considered to disturb the setting of the site will eventually be removed.
Comparative analysis
The Chinese caves are distinguished from the other Asian sites because of their particular qualities, resulting from integration with Chinese culture and local characteristics.
The earliest caves are those in Mogao, which range from the 4th to the 14th centuries, integrating influences through the Silk Road connections. The Longmen Grottoes start in 495 and continue till the mid 8th century; they perpetuate the style of Yungang, though the sculptures are stylized, showing a hierarchical verticality, and the bas-reliefs are softer in character. The Dazu caves represent a relatively late period from the end of the 9th to 13th centuries.
The Yungang Grottoes represent a turning point in Chinese cave art, due to numerous new factors. They differ from the other Chinese regions, such as Mogao, which have strong influences from India and Central Asia. While developing a century later (starting in 460) than the Mogao caves, Yungang distinguishes itself by being the first imperial commission in China, and thus clearly reflects the political ambitions of the time. The decoration represents one of the first manifestations in China of the Buddhist art that the Tuoba tribe (who founded the Northern Wei Dynasty and chose Datong as their capital) brought from Central Asia and India through Gandhara. The first period of Yungang represents the classical representation of cave art in China, and the middle period is also an outstanding example of that particular epoch. | | Yungang Grottoes : History | |
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Buddhist art was introduced from India to China in the 3rd century CE, and it reached its greatest development here in the period from the 5th to the 7th centuries, during the Northern Wei and Tang Dynasties. The Yungang Grottoes are considered to be the classical masterpiece of the first peak in Chinese history, and an outstanding example of the second period. The statues of the Five Caves built by Tan Yao (Caves 16-20), the first to be carved in Yungang, including the statue of "Buddha in the Open," represent the integration of the Gandhara and Mathura art of ancient India with Chinese concepts. This is the first large group of grottoes cut under government control, in part reflecting Chinese imperial policies and in part representing an acceleration of the process of integrating Buddhist art into Chinese heritage.
Datong, known as Pingcheng in ancient times, became the capital of the Northern Wei Dynasty between 398 and 494 CE, and thus the political, economic, and cultural centre of their kingdom. It kept its importance up to 523, when it was deserted following a revolt. The statues of the Yungang Grottoes were completed in sixty years (460-525 CE). This period marks the peak of development in Buddhist cave art of the Northern Wei Dynasty. When the first emperor assumed the throne, Buddhism flourished and in 460 the monk Tan Yao started the carving of the Five Caves. Since then, these grottoes have become the centre of Buddhist art in North China. Between 471 and 494 the worship of Buddha was diffused among the imperial members and nobles. Thus, as many as twelve large caves and as many as 70% of the total number of the big caves were dug and Chongfu Temple was built. By 525 CE the initial project, sponsored by the court, was mostly completed, but low ranking officials and monks continued to dig more caves and carve statues. These caves number more than 200. Although they are relatively small, some are of excellent quality.
During the Liao Dynasty, wooden shelter structures were built in front of the caves, turning the grottoes into temple buildings, such as the Ten Famous Temples. In 1122 CE, these temples were destroyed in a war. Four-storeyed wooden-structured garrets, each with five rooms, were constructed in front of Caves 5 and 6, and three-storeyed structures with three rooms each were in front of Cave 7 in 1651 CE. Since the foundation of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the major caves and the wooden structures in front of them (caves 5, 6, and 7) have all been conserved. The grottoes are protected and are open to the public.
cf : unesco | | Yungang Grottoes : More pictures | |
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