Yungang Grottoes

Yungang Grottoes: Although the scenic area is large, the actual caves only stretch 1 kilometer from east to west. There is a small screening room just after entering the gate of the scenic area. The introductory film is played every two minutes, which is 13 minutes long. It is recommended that casual visitors watch it before visiting. There are 45 main caves, but only the first 20 caves are built by the royal family, which are the most attractive. The latter are small caves built by local dignitaries after the royal construction stopped after the capital was moved to Luoyang. They are completely incomparable with the first 20 caves.

In my opinion, Mogao Grottoes is the best preserved and is mainly for appreciating murals. Longmen Grottoes was re-excavated by the royal family after the capital was moved to Luoyang, and is far less exquisite than Yungang Grottoes. Yungang Grottoes combines sculpture art and murals. The ticket is 120 yuan, plus round-trip transportation, and the total time is 4-5 hours.

As one of the four major grottoes, it is indeed magnificent and beautiful, especially Caves 5, 6, 9 and 10. Unfortunately, Caves 7 and 8 were temporarily closed during the Qingming Festival due to rockfall, and Caves 11 to 13 were closed for maintenance for a period of time. This trip to the Yungang Grottoes missed a lot of content, which is a pity.

It is incomparably exquisite. I only visited this attraction today. There is a direct bus from the city, which is very convenient. We visited it twice and spent four hours. The most exquisite ones are the sixth, ninth and tenth caves, which are full of reliefs. Unfortunately, the eleventh to thirteenth caves are closed for maintenance. The most shocking ones are the third cave, the fifth cave and the Tan Yao Cave. The lines of the Buddha statues in the Northern Wei Dynasty are strong and powerful. Looking up at the Buddha statues, there is a sense of awe. Some caves say that taking photos is not allowed outside, but I asked the security guard and he said it was okay, but the flash should be turned off consciously. In addition, should the tour guides remind their guests not to spit anywhere and not to pick the small Buddhas on the stone? Such a beautiful place, alas, it hurts. .

Yungang Grottoes are located at the southern foot of Wuzhou Mountain and the northern bank of Wuzhou River, 16 kilometers west of Datong City, Shanxi Province, China. The grottoes were first built in 460 AD (the first year of Heping in the Northern Wei Dynasty) by the Northern Wei Buddhist monk Tan Yao. It took nearly 70 years to complete. It has a history of more than 1,500 years and has extraordinary artistic value. As a world cultural heritage, it is well deserved and worth visiting.

Yungang Grottoes Scenic Area is one of the most well-developed and well-managed scenic areas I have ever seen. The layout of the grottoes and surrounding buildings is reasonable, which is convenient for tourists. Whether it is for sightseeing or resting, it makes people feel comfortable. The museum supporting the scenic area plays a great role in increasing the audience's understanding of the history of the Northern Wei Dynasty and the art of grottoes. There is a food street at the exit of the scenic area, which is convenient for tourists to rest and eat. The scenic area also has a large parking lot for self-driving tourists to park. When we went there, the fee was ten yuan.

The true appearance is magnificent and rare in the world



The inscription on the stele describes Wuzhou Mountain: "Floating clouds appear above, and deep valleys are below." "Gang" means "mountain" or "ridge." It means that when you look at Wuzhou Mountain from a distance, the "mountain" looks like "clouds," and the "clouds" look like "mountains." The mountain and clouds are one, so it is called "Yungang" or "Yungang Grottoes."



It has been called many times in history. The earliest one was "Wuzhou Mountain Grottoes" or "Wuzhou Mountain Grottoes Buddhist Temple". It is also called "Lingyan Temple Grottoes", "Beitai Grottoes Temple", "Heng'an Grottoes" and "Daijing Grottoes".



During the Liao and Jin Dynasties, it was called "Wuzhou Mountain Grotto Temple in Xijing". It was not until the Jiajing Period of the Ming Dynasty that it was officially called "Yungang Grotto Temple" or "Yungang Grottoes", or "Yungang" for short. However, the villagers in Yungang Village and nearby mines passed it on orally as "Yungang Grand Temple".



The excavation background and historical conditions are closely related to the Northern Wei Dynasty. It reflects the culture, architecture, clothing, hairstyle, musical instruments, dance, music, Buddhism, customs, etc. of the Northern Wei Dynasty, unifying people and gods, politics and religion.

Parking is 10 yuan. It is recommended to walk into the park. We went on February 11, 2019. The weather was very cold. It is recommended to wear a down jacket. The caves on the mountain are quite shocking and worth seeing the wisdom of the ancients. You can visit the museum on the way down the mountain. It was too cold to leave the park, so I took a battery car for 10/person. It is not far from Datong City and it takes about 20 minutes by car.

At that time, my current lover and I were not married yet, we just had a common hobby and traveled around. At that time, I was young and didn’t know that humanities were actually the most worth seeing. If I were to come here again now, I would probably spend a whole day here to take a good look at these Buddhas that have gone through vicissitudes of life and wind and rain, and imagine what these stone Buddhas have experienced.

I have read countless guides, but the director's words are no match for me when I come to the site. It is true that a reliable director is more reliable than a guide when visiting the grottoes. Visiting the grottoes is not about seeing the Buddha statues, which are handsome, tall, broken and beautiful. It should be about the past and present of the grottoes. Only when you come here can you understand that Datong was the capital of the Northern Wei Dynasty. The Yungang Grottoes are the product of the integration of politics and religion under the rule of the Xianbei.

The Yungang Grottoes focus more on stone carvings. Those huge Buddhas as tall as buildings, those exquisitely carved clothing lines, and those neatly cut wrists of the Buddha - these were cut off by humans in the later period. Buddha is merciful. They are silent, smiling, enduring the wind and frost of thousands of years and the destruction caused by humans, without anger or resentment, without joy or madness.

Yungang Grottoes are located at the southern foot of Wuzhou Mountain, 16 kilometers west of Datong City. It is one of the first national AAAAA-level tourist attractions. Yungang Grottoes were listed as a World Cultural Heritage by the United Nations in 2001. Datong Yungang Grottoes, Luoyang Longmen Grottoes, Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes in Gansu, and Tianshui Maijishan Grottoes in Gansu are one of the four major grottoes in China. The scenic area is open from 8:30 to 17:30. The ticket price is 125 yuan for adults and 60 yuan for children. Yungang Grottoes contains Yungang Art Gallery and Yungang Museum.

At 8:19 in the morning, there were already many tourists on Lifo Avenue.

The security guards at the fifth cave were very fierce and did not allow taking photos. I was trying to take a photo when I came out, but my phone almost fell to my ground. I guess the glass cover was installed later. We must travel in a civilized manner and keep the beauty in our eyes and in our hearts.

I like this, I am so happy. I have forgotten some of the architectural details and the history of Buddha statues that the tour guide talked about. I only remember that the Buddha statues at that time were the incarnations of rulers, and religion and politics were inseparable.

There are vending machines in the scenic area, with mineral water available nearby.

At ten o'clock in the morning, the tour was basically over. The Northern Wei Dynasty moved its capital to Luoyang, and after that, there were only folk sculptures, which were severely damaged.

The Yungang Grottoes are a place I have wanted to visit for a long time. Among the four major grottoes, the Yungang Grottoes are the only one I have not visited yet.

When you enter the Yungang Grottoes, the first thing you see on the square is the statue of Master Tan Yao.

Across the square is the Buddha Worship Avenue, with thirteen pairs of four-sided pillars with elephants on both sides of the avenue.

At the end of the avenue is Lingyan Temple. After passing through Lingyan Temple, the grottoes are not far ahead.

Some of the caves 1-15 in the grotto group have stone lintels at the entrance, and the walls inside the caves are carved with countless palm-sized Buddha statues, some are Buddhist ritual stories, and some of the caves have statues on the top. The carving craftsmanship is exquisite and the statues are lifelike. I think it should be the highest level of carving in the Northern Wei Dynasty.

Many caves have overall painted decorations. Unlike the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, the paintings in Dunhuang are murals, while the paintings in the Yungang Grottoes are painted on sculptures.

In one of the grottoes, I can't remember which one it is, the painted colors on it have not been restored. After thousands of years of wind and rain, the colors are no longer as dazzling as they were before, but have become dim. Some stone carvings are also weathered and not as complete as they were before, but what I saw was the splendid civilization of ancient China, the pious beliefs of the ancients, the exquisite skills of the craftsmen, and the thickness and vicissitudes of history. Today, we can no longer see what it looked like back then, but it is not difficult to imagine how exquisite it was back then.

Caves 21-45 are called the Western Caves in the Yungang Grottoes. Many of them have been weathered, and most of them can no longer bear the original exquisiteness. Only traces of history remain.

The Yungang Grottoes are about 10 kilometers away from Datong City, and the road is easy to walk. It is worthy of being a 5A-level scenic spot, and all aspects are well managed.

The car can enter the scenic area directly. There are managers in the parking lot. The car can also be parked under the shade of the trees. After parking the car, walk back a few dozen meters to the visitor center. The visitor center is divided into two floors. The upper floor is for ticket purchase and the lower floor is the entrance to the scenic area. Yungang Grottoes is one of the four major grottoes in my country. It is a product of the Northern Wei Dynasty. The stone carvings in the grottoes are quite spectacular. (I know very little about ancient culture, so I don’t understand it very well.) Anyway, I think it is very exquisite and gorgeous, and it is worth watching. The grottoes are visited from east to west. Some caves are open and some are closed. There are lights inside the caves and you can take pictures, but you cannot use flash. There is water in the scenic area below the grottoes and people are playing on boats. The reeds in the water are very beautiful.

Yungang Grottoes is a famous world cultural heritage

It was carved by the Northern Wei royal family, which ruled northern China at that time, concentrating the skills, manpower and material resources of the whole country.

1500 years ago

In the long river of history

The Yungang Grottoes are like a shining pearl

Shining with a unique light

The caves are huge

It stretches about 1 kilometer from east to west and is divided into three areas: east, middle and west.

There are 45 main caves and 209 subsidiary caves in existence.

There weren't many people on the day we went.

Yungang Grottoes is one of the famous grotto art treasures in China. It is located at the southern foot of Wuzhou Mountain in the western suburbs of Datong City, Shanxi Province, about 16 kilometers away from Datong City. The grottoes were carved into the mountain and stretch about 1 kilometer from east to west. There are 45 main caves, 252 caves of various sizes, and more than 51,000 stone sculptures. Yungang Grottoes was first built in the Northern Wei Dynasty and has a history of more than 1,500 years. It is one of the largest ancient grotto groups in China. It is known as one of the four major grotto art treasures in China, along with the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang, and the Maijishan Grottoes in Tianshui.



The excavation of the Yungang Grottoes began in the 5th century AD, presided over by the Northern Wei royal family, and took more than 40 years to complete, with the integration of human, material and financial resources from all over the country at that time. The sculpture art in the grottoes combines a variety of artistic elements from India, Central Asia, Greece, Rome, etc., showing the origin relationship with major civilizations in the world. These sculptures are not only of great artistic value, but also important physical materials for studying the history, culture, religion and ethnic exchanges during the Northern Wei Dynasty.



The statues in the Yungang Grottoes are magnificent, rich in content, exquisite in carving techniques, and vivid and touching. The most famous one is the open-air Buddha in Cave 20, which is 13.7 meters high and is the iconic statue of the Yungang Grottoes. In addition, the music and dance and acrobatic carvings in the grottoes also reflect the popular Buddhist thought at that time and the social life of the Northern Wei Dynasty.



In 2001, the Yungang Grottoes were listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and became an important global cultural heritage. In 2007, the Yungang Grottoes were rated as the first batch of national 5A-level tourist attractions.

The Yungang Grottoes are the first large-scale grottoes excavated by the royal family after Buddhism was introduced to China. After the Northern Wei Dynasty moved its capital to Luoyang, many folk grottoes were added to continue the royal project. They witnessed the rise and fall of the Northern Wei Dynasty and experienced the integration of national cultures. They can be called the shining pearls and majestic monuments in the history of China or the world. They allow us to reunite with history in this great masterpiece that has been passed down for thousands of years. After finishing the half-day tour, it is still full of aftertaste!

Go early. You must go early.

We set out from near the Datong city wall at 8:40. I checked before and it said it would take about 40 minutes to get there, but it took twice as long on the day. Once we got inside, there were people everywhere... You had to queue for the shuttle bus, for the tour guide, and to enter each cave... The experience was just average.

We worship the giant Buddhas one by one, because of the wisdom and craftsmanship of the ancients. The small ones are vivid and the big ones are very shocking.

But I personally feel that it would be much better if there were fewer people. It would be uncomfortable to have so many people explaining.



The creative store has postcards, which are very nice, but I would like to remind you again that you cannot send them out of the creative store without stamps. There is a post office at the exit, where you can send them, but they are out of stamps!!

The Yungang Grottoes are located in Wuzhou (Zhou) Mountain, about 16 kilometers west of Datong City. They were first built during the Northern Wei Dynasty when the capital was Pingcheng (now Datong). Unlike the later Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang, the Yungang Grottoes not only have traditional Chinese art styles, but also incorporate the artistic features of ancient India, the Western Regions, and various ethnic groups in the Central Plains.



The grottoes were carved into the mountain and stretch 1 km from east to west. The grotto area is divided into three areas: east, middle and west according to the natural terrain. There are 45 main caves and 209 subsidiary caves, with a carving area of more than 18,000 square meters. The highest statue is 17 meters high and the smallest is 2 centimeters.



I only remembered the iconic Buddha statues in the grottoes before, but this time I was deeply shocked by the 9th to 13th caves, commonly known as the "Wuhua Caves". The "Wuhua Caves" are extremely gorgeous due to the mud and color painting in later generations. It is recommended that tourists watch a documentary about the Yungang Grottoes before the trip to have some understanding of the historical background, religion and art culture, and then you will have a different experience when you appreciate it.

From a historical perspective, the Yungang Grottoes were excavated under the auspices of the royal family after the Northern Wei Dynasty established its capital in Pingcheng. The most typical representative is the Tan Yao Five Grottoes, which retain the appearance characteristics of the northern ethnic minorities. The statues in other grottoes are either exquisitely complex or rough and majestic, which are typical Northern Dynasty statues. After the Northern Wei Dynasty moved its capital to Luoyang, the caves were relatively small in scale, showing the characteristics of beautiful bones and clear images. The Longmen Grottoes began to be built after the Northern Wei Dynasty moved its capital to Luoyang. In addition to the most famous Vairocana Buddha, which was a Tang Dynasty statue, in fact, the other famous grottoes in the Longmen Grottoes were excavated during the Northern Dynasties. Such as Guyang Cave and Binyang Cave, and the famous Longmen Twenty Products are in Guyang Cave. Compared with the two grottoes, the Northern Wei statues in the Longmen Grottoes are not as large in scale, exquisite in statues, and well-preserved as those in the Yungang Grottoes, but the Tang Dynasty Vairocana Buddha in the Longmen Grottoes is more famous.

The entire grotto is actually not very large. If you want to take a quick look, you can spend an hour. But if you want to watch carefully and listen to the explanation, it will take two or three hours. You can ask for a manual explanation. The price is different, and the excitement and depth of the explanation are also different. At first, I planned to ask a tour guide, but this time there were elderly people around, and I was afraid that I couldn’t keep up with the explanation, so I spent money to buy an online explanation. You can scan the code in the lobby of the visitor center to pay. After receiving the coupon, it cost 17.9 yuan. The explanation is okay. Each cave has two or three minutes of explanation. It is best to prepare headphones in advance. It is too noisy to listen to it out loud. Caves 9 to 13 have been repainted many times in the Qing Dynasty. The Buddha statues inside are colorful. It is the only painted cave in Yungang Grottoes and is called "Wuhua Cave". It is also my favorite part of the caves. Cave 20, the most famous open-air Buddha, is 13.8 meters high. The angle of the Buddha on the high platform next to it is also very beautiful.

The Yungang Grottoes are a world cultural heritage, and people say they are as famous as the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang.

As for why it can be listed as a world cultural heritage and why Yungang is said to be a treasure house of Buddhist art on par with Mogao Grottoes, I had never thought about this series of questions before I set foot in Yungang.



But along the Yungang Road,

I saw the magnificent Tan Yao Five Grottoes, and I also saw the prosperous and exquisite Wuhua Cave;

I saw the vigorous, thick and simple ancient Indian Gandhara style statues, and I also saw the Central Plains style statues with wide robes, wide belts, slender bones and clear figures;

I saw the palaces of the Northern Wei Dynasty, and I also saw the Ionic columns of Greece;

I saw the main statue in the center sitting upright, and I also saw the disciples in the back row, some of them seemed to have realized something, some were holding flowers and smiling, their expressions were lively;

I saw the Buddhist stories reflecting the life of Sakyamuni, and I also saw the celestial musicians who embodied the music system of the Northern Wei Dynasty;

I saw the marks of the early days of excavation, and I also saw the traces left by the passage of time over a long period of time;

I saw so much, so much, so much that I was overwhelmed.

As an ordinary person, after seeing Yungang with my own eyes, I can draw a conclusion that the Yungang Grottoes are worthy of being a world cultural heritage and a treasure house of Buddhist art that can be compared with the Mogao Grottoes!



Li Daoyuan, a geographer of the Northern Wei Dynasty, once described the Yungang Grottoes of the Northern Wei Dynasty in his geographical work "Annotations to the Classic of Waterways" with the words "rocks were chiseled and mountains were opened, and the rock structure gave them a truly magnificent appearance, which was rare in the world. The mountain halls and water palaces, the smoky temples faced each other, and the forests and abysses were like a brocade mirror, giving the eyes a new view." These short 32 words described the Yungang Grottoes of the Northern Wei Dynasty as majestic and magnificent, which were rarely seen in the world. There were countless temples and halls on the mountain and water banks, facing each other from afar in the mist, and people coming to worship Buddha in an endless stream.

A thousand years have passed in a flash, and now those temples and halls have disappeared in the long river of history, but people today still feel the same way about their “magnificent appearance, which is rare in the world.”

We drove a large van back to the hotel to pick up our friends, left the city and headed west to the most important stop on this trip to Shanxi - the Yungang Grottoes.

It took about half an hour to reach the entrance of Yungang Grottoes, and we followed the signs to drive to the parking lot on the mountain. At 10:30, the parking lot was already packed with self-driving cars.

When visiting cultural attractions, please go to the scenic area for explanations to better understand the historical background and interesting stories here. The tour guides of Yungang Grottoes are divided into four or five levels, ranging from tens of yuan to hundreds of yuan. After entering the park, you can find other tourists on the scene and join a group to hire a tour guide. The tour guide will give each person headphones to ensure the quality of the explanation.



Since Yungang Grottoes was the most anticipated itinerary in Shanxi, I spent 320 yuan to hire a tour guide to take a leisurely tour back to a thousand years ago. The tour guide explained very clearly, the content was very rich, and the pace of the tour was very comfortable. The tour guide money was indeed worth spending.



After walking through a long section of newly built temple buildings and going up the mountain, you will find the Yungang Grottoes, which have existed for 1,500 years. It has been a long time since I have tried domestic travel during the National Day holiday. There are still many tourists. When I entered the caves to visit, the space was very small, and it was basically crowded. But I heard from the guide that due to the epidemic this year, only half of the tourists have recovered. If it were a normal National Day holiday, it would be really crowded.



The tour route of Yungang Grottoes is from east to west, and is based on the time of construction from late to early. Because the later the grottoes were carved, the capital of the Northern Wei Dynasty moved from Datong to Luoyang before they were completed. When I arrived in front of the earliest stone Buddhas in the third part, I was still very shocked. 1,500 years ago, the ancients completed the carving of the Buddha with imagination and wisdom. It has stood for a thousand years and has gone through countless wars and peace. The historical heritage should be vigorously preserved.



Inside the first large cave, the whole process of Sakyamuni's birth to enlightenment and becoming a Buddha is described in detail in the form of carvings. It is well worth seeing and listening to.



After the grotto tour, there is also a Yungang Grottoes Museum that provides a detailed introduction to the historical background.



I stayed in the scenic spot in the morning, noon and afternoon. When I was hungry, I ate honey sausages for 5 yuan each. The taste was not bad. After leaving the park, I ate Shanxi noodles in a noodle shop. Although it was in the scenic spot, the price was not particularly expensive. The management of the scenic spot is becoming more and more standardized.



At 3:30 pm, we left Yungang Grottoes. There were more people visiting than when we entered in the morning. When visiting popular attractions, it is better to set out early in the morning to have fewer people in line.

Yungang Grottoes, ticket price: 120 yuan

Duration: 3 hours

As one of the three largest grottoes in China, its biggest feature is its size, especially the Five Tan Yao Grottoes, which demonstrate the grandeur of the Northern Wei royal family.

I came here once nine years ago. This time there is no difference except that there are a few more houses, which shows that the World Heritage Site is well protected.

What we didn't expect was that we had to queue up for a tour guide here. And the fees were divided according to the level of the tour guide: 80 yuan for an intern tour guide; 120 yuan for a level 3 tour guide with more than one year of work experience; 150 yuan for a level 2 tour guide with more than three years of work experience; 200 yuan for a level 1 tour guide with more than five years of work experience; 300 yuan for a special level tour guide, 1,200 yuan for an associate professor level tour guide, and 1,600 yuan for a professor level tour guide. If the tour guide is in English, the fee is 300 yuan, and the tour guide takes about an hour. There are more tourists visiting in the morning, so it would be easier if you come in the afternoon.

I had a good rest for a whole night, even ordered takeout for dinner, and took a hot bath. I woke up naturally in the morning and had a hearty breakfast, which made me feel full of energy immediately!

Today's plan is to visit the Yungang Grottoes. The Yungang Grottoes ticket is 100 yuan, and the round-trip ticket is 15 yuan.

The Yungang Grottoes were excavated during the Northern Wei Dynasty and were repaired until the Qing Dynasty. The grottoes were excavated along the mountain and stretch about 1 kilometer from east to west. There are 45 main caves, 252 caves of various sizes, and more than 51,000 stone sculptures. It is one of the largest ancient grottoes in China. The statues in the Yungang Grottoes are magnificent and rich in content. They can be regarded as the crown of Chinese stone carving art in the 5th century AD and are known as a treasure house of ancient Chinese sculpture art. According to the time of excavation, they can be divided into three periods: early, middle and late. The styles of grotto statues in different periods also have their own characteristics.

The early grottoes are now Cave 1620, also known as the Five Tan Yao Grottoes. They are magnificent and have a thick and simple Western style.

When we arrived at the grotto scenic area, it was less than 9:30, but there were already many tourists in the scenic area. We waited in line at the gate for a while before we could enter after our ID cards were verified...

The Yungang Grottoes are mainly divided into two large areas, one is the landscape area in the front half, and the other is the grottoes area built on the mountain...

The Yungang Grottoes were mainly built during the Northern Wei Dynasty. The purpose of building the grottoes was to reflect the political concept of the unity of man and god, and to turn the emperor into a Buddha... You can also see the very distinctive "two Buddhas sitting side by side" during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen and Empress Dowager Feng, which has a distinct time and political significance... In fact, I think the first half of the landscape area is not very interesting, and most of them are man-made attractions in the later period... However, if you want to make an appointment with a guide, you can only make an appointment here. You can't make an appointment with a guide when you arrive at the grottoes... Go through the first section of the landscape area and climb a short flight of stairs to reach the grottoes~

The first half of the grottoes were mainly carved during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen, and most of them are tall and magnificent stone statues... The latter part of the grottoes is much simpler, and most of them were carved at their own expense by civilians who worshipped Buddhism at that time... The third cave, also known as the "Lingyan Temple Cave", is the largest grotto, divided into two layers. The top row of small stone caves is used for lighting... Because the project was so huge, it was not completed during the Northern Wei Dynasty...

The cave is divided into front and back rooms. There is a 10-meter-tall seated Buddha in the back room, which is said to be carved in the early Tang Dynasty... Cave 4 (Pagoda Temple Cave) has one door and two windows. This cave was not completed as planned. It is the latest known Northern Wei statue inscription, which has been weathered and unclear...

The 5th (Big Buddha Cave) and 6th (Shakya Buddha Cave) caves are two caves connected together. The 4-story wooden building in front of the caves was built in the Qing Dynasty. Photography is prohibited inside.

The walls of Cave 5 are carved with very beautiful colorful niches and Buddha statues, which are relatively well preserved. In the middle is a pair of seated Buddha statues with Northern Wei characteristics, and one of them, a 17-meter-tall seated Buddha, is the tallest Buddha statue in the Yungang Grottoes...

The 6th cave is the most magnificent and the carvings are also very gorgeous. It is the most representative of the Yungang Grottoes. The 6th cave was excavated by Emperor Xiaowen to pray for his grandmother, Empress Dowager Wenming... In the center of the cave is a huge tower column connecting the sky and the ground, dividing the layout of the cave into a Chinese character "回" shape... The 11th (Jie Yin Buddha Cave) and 12th (Li Gu Di Bodhisattva Cave, also called the Music Cave) Caves, together with the previous 9th and 10th caves and the 13th cave, are collectively called the "Wuhua Caves", which is enough to prove its gorgeous and elegant artistic value. It was a pity that it was under renovation when we went there and we were unable to enter...

Cave 13 (Manjusri Cave) is the last cave in the central area. The main statue is a cross-legged Maitreya Bodhisattva, 13 meters high. There are also exquisite niches carved on the cave walls. The halls and pavilions, tassel curtains, show the Han style... Caves 14 and 15 (Ten Thousand Buddha Caves) are the first two small caves you see on the entire rock wall~

Yungang Grottoes, a world cultural heritage, was excavated in the 5th century AD, with a history of 1,500 years. It is known as one of the four major grotto art treasures in China, along with the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang, and the Maijishan Grottoes.



Yungang Grottoes are located in the west of Datong, Shanxi, only more than ten kilometers away from the urban area of Datong. It is the most famous urban cultural label of Datong.



After thousands of years of vicissitudes, natural weathering and human destruction, the caves and statues have been damaged to varying degrees. In history, the Yungang Grottoes have also undergone various protections and restorations. When we visited, some of the grottoes were still undergoing protection and repair.

The Yungang Grottoes are about 17 kilometers away from Huayan Temple. They are located at the southern foot of Wuzhou Mountain, 16 kilometers northwest of Datong City. They are known as the four major grottoes in China, along with the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang, the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, and the Maijishan Grottoes in Tianshui. As one of the largest ancient grottoes in China, it is also one of the first batch of cultural relics protection units in the country and is listed in the World Heritage List. All the grottoes were carved along the Wuzhou Mountain and stretch for 1 kilometer from east to west. The grottoes were first carved in the Northern Wei Dynasty and have a history of more than 1,500 years. There are 53 existing caves, 45 main caves, 252 caves of various sizes, and more than 51,000 stone sculptures. The largest one is 17 meters high, and the smallest one is only a few centimeters, with vivid shapes and exquisite carvings. Among them, the central seated Buddha in the fifth cave is 17 meters high and is the largest statue in the grottoes; the sixth cave is the most representative cave, with Buddhist story comics carved on it.

The excavation of the Yungang Grottoes was a huge project, which took more than 70 years from 453 to 527 to complete, forming a huge cave complex that stretches one kilometer from east to west. The excavation of the Yungang Grottoes can be divided into three periods, each with a distinct style. The early period was the Tan Yao Five Grottoes excavated by Emperor Wencheng of the Northern Wei Dynasty, the middle period was excavated during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen, and the late period was the works after Emperor Xiaowen moved the capital to Luoyang. The Yungang Grottoes are actually a treasure house of ancient Buddhist sculpture art, with dazzling and fascinating cave art, awe-inspiring Buddha statues, and complex and dazzling reliefs. The brilliant Buddhist art of the Northern Wei Dynasty makes me worship.

The last of the four major grottoes, Yungang has the best sculptures. Although there are some repainting elements from the Qing Dynasty, I was still stunned when I first entered the sixth cave. The entire grotto is full of murals and sculptures, it is so wonderful.

I have already visited the Mogao Grottoes and the Longmen Grottoes, the four major grottoes in China. Now I am going to the third one, the Yungang Grottoes, located at the southern foot of Wuzhou Mountain in the western suburbs of Datong. It has a history of 1,500 years and is the first Buddhist art treasure house carved into a royal style by one nation and one dynasty after Buddhist art was introduced to China.

The grottoes were first built in 460 AD by the Buddhist monk Tan Yao. The existing Yungang Grottoes 16 to 20 are the earliest so-called "Tan Yao Five Grottoes" excavated at that time. It took nearly 70 years from the time when Emperor Wencheng of the Northern Wei Dynasty resumed the excavation of the grottoes until the end of the Zhengguang period of the Northern Wei Dynasty.

The entire grotto is divided into three parts: east, middle and west. The east part is mainly used for building towers, so it is also called the Tower Cave; the middle part is the heyday of Yungang Grottoes carving. The western grottoes are mostly small and medium-sized caves and small niches that were carved later, and most of them were built after the Northern Wei Dynasty moved its capital to Luoyang.

16 kilometers west of Datong is the well-known Yungang Grottoes. The first twenty caves were built by the Northern Wei government, and the most famous one is the Tan Yao Five Grottoes, which is the starting line of Chinese Buddhist statues. In 493 AD, the Northern Wei Dynasty moved its capital. In order to pray for blessings, the wealthy people in the private sector continued to dig small caves, which are the last twenty caves. I prefer the last twenty caves. The posture, clothing and expression of the Buddha statues are less solemn and more lively. The cave is one person high, small and not so magnificent. It feels very immersive to lean in. I also want to hold an axe and chisel, and learn to carve some graceful lines from the master, the Bodhisattva wearing a necklace, the hem of the flying sky, and imagine that my work will be preserved for thousands of years. My palms are sweating with excitement.

The Yungang Grottoes are located on Wuzhou Mountain in Yungang District, Datong City, about 20 minutes' drive from downtown Datong. The Yungang Grottoes scenic area opens at 8:30 a.m. The tour guides at the Yungang Grottoes are divided into different levels, with different fees. The trainee tour guides are charged 80 yuan per visit, and the highest level tour guides, except for the special expert tour guides, are charged 200 yuan per visit.

The 5A scenic spot doesn't have online ticketing! ? You can only queue up to buy tickets, and there is no air conditioning at the ticket office in summer! ! ! It's like a steamer! ! Must give a bad review! ! August 2019

My college roommate Z and I found a weekend and set off. On the way, we met classmate V who was walking alone. The three of us went together. I haven't seen V since many years. He is abroad. I haven't seen him for a long time... Z is still in Beijing, missing her... I am in Fujian and haven't slept yet.

The scenery is beautiful and worth a visit.

An excerpt from my travel notes:

The Yungang Grottoes are divided into royal grottoes and folk grottoes. Most of the grottoes 1 to 20 are royal grottoes, which are more majestic and magnificent. The royal hall is built tall, magnificent and unique.

Yungang Grottoes is one of the must-visit places for tourists to Datong. There are three famous grottoes in my country: Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, Yungang Grottoes, and Longmen Grottoes. Among them, Dunhuang Grottoes is world-famous for murals, Yungang Grottoes and Longmen Grottoes are stone carvings, and Longmen and Yungang are slightly different. The main purpose of the construction of Yungang Grottoes was not only to combine theocracy and imperial power for the sake of ruling, but also to serve as a place for northern Buddhists to chant sutras and worship. Its function can be equated with that of a temple. It can be said to be a "royal temple" and the craftsmen used are all highly skilled national craftsmen. Longmen Grottoes is mainly for visiting stone carvings, and it is a continuation of Yungang Grottoes.

The Yungang Grottoes were built during the Northern Wei Dynasty, which originated from the Xianbei people. The royal family was named Tuoba, and the most famous emperor was Tuoba Hong. In order to distinguish it from the Cao Wei Dynasty and to target the characteristics of the Southern and Northern Dynasties, it was called the Northern Wei Dynasty. The reason for the construction of the grottoes was that the monk Tan Yao (the backlit statue in the bottom picture is Tan Yao) proposed to the emperor, "My friend, let's build a grotto. You see, you are an outsider who ruled the north, but you have no culture and no sweet dates. What you have is a big stick. What if the people don't listen to you one day? Let's build a grotto together. I will give you ideas, and you will provide money and people. Then you can fool the people and say that worshiping Buddha is worshiping the emperor, and worshiping the emperor is worshiping Buddha. You see, I have also preached, and you have also consolidated your rule. The people have also done it, and you have killed three birds with one stone." The emperor thought it was fine. Why not do a job that is worth nothing? If you say to repair it, then repair it. Then repair it near. We moved to Datong before, so let's do it here. Besides, I am the master of half of the country. In order to show my power, we can't just repair this grotto casually. It must be unprecedented and it will be difficult for later generations to catch up. When monk Tan Yao heard it, he thought, "Oh, that's great. In the future, monks and believers from all over the country can come to make pilgrimages, and I have accumulated great merits." So the emperor mobilized a large number of royal craftsmen, opened mountains and built Buddha statues, and gathered the strength of the whole country to make the grottoes magnificent. This is the origin of the Yungang Grottoes. There are 45 main caves, 252 large and small caves, and more than 51,000 stone sculptures in the Yungang Grottoes. At present, some of the grottoes are under protection and repair, and only a part of them are open. Since the Northern Wei dynasty was an alien nation with no culture of its own, they were a bit like modern Japanese reformers, emphasizing who is willing to learn from whom, and what is yours and mine is mine. The Yungang Grottoes carving style also reflects this point, where you can see all kinds of styles at almost any time, and it is a fusion of the East and the West.

The fifth cave of Yungang Grottoes is a very famous one. Among the many caves, the smallest golden Buddha statue is only 2cm in diameter and the largest is 17m in height, which is located in the fifth cave.

The golden body of Sakyamuni is well preserved, and the eyeballs are made of two glass beads the size of basketballs. In ancient times, one gram of glass was worth one gram of gold, which shows how precious it was and how highly the rulers valued it. It also shows the strength of the Northern Wei Dynasty. When carving the grottoes, both the golden body and the rock wall were full-color, and the coloring was mainly made by grinding various minerals, such as precious cinnabar.

On the afternoon of April 4, 2019, we visited the Yungang Grottoes in Datong. We started from Tan Yao Square, passed the newly built Buddhist Avenue, Lingyan Temple, and passed the Tan Mei Stone Wall to enter the gate of the Yungang Grottoes. The main area of the Yungang Grottoes is Caves 1 to 20 from east to west. Among them, Caves 7-8 and Caves 11-13 are temporarily closed for maintenance and 3D shooting. The other 15 caves are open to the public. Further west are the later Yungang Grottoes, some of which are also under maintenance. On that day, we carefully observed and admired the open caves and surrounding museums and other attractions in sequence, and invited a scenic tour guide to accompany the explanation. After that, we observed each cave for a second time, which took a total of four hours, and we were still not satisfied.



A small suggestion is that it is best to visit the Yungang Grottoes in the afternoon, because the low sunlight in the afternoon can shine more directly into the caves, highlighting the image of the main Buddha in the caves.

A very shocking tour experience. I am very interested in Buddhist art. I have visited Mogao Grottoes before, but when I arrived at Yungang Grottoes, I felt that it was different. The Buddhist art of the Northern Wei Dynasty was unique. The five big Buddhas symbolized the five ancestors of the Tuoba family of the Northern Wei Dynasty. They sat cross-legged, smiled, majestic and solemn. The artistic style of the grottoes is more primitive and wild than that of Mogao Grottoes, and the area is very large. The largest stone chamber is four or five stories high, and the murals are also exquisite. The best thing is that there are few restrictions on visiting, and you can take pictures in the caves! ! ! It’s a pity that many Buddha statues at the entrance are severely weathered. I hope that the cultural relics protection department can actively repair them and restore their appearance during the Northern Wei Dynasty.

Definitely the C position of Datong travel, traveling back to the Northern Wei Dynasty.

The Yungang Grottoes are listed as a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. The on-site visit is really shocking.

Be sure to learn about the history in detail before coming here. This is really a treasure scenic spot~~~

You have to see it with your own eyes to know how great it is. It is soul-stirring.

Is it 6 stars? Is it 6 stars? How can I express my shock with only 5 stars?

Yungang Grottoes, one of the three largest grottoes in China, is highly recommended for visiting. It is best to listen to the guide's explanation to learn about the history of each grotto.

The Yungang Grottoes were excavated during the Northern Wei Dynasty when its capital was Pingcheng, and have gone through 1,600 years of vicissitudes.

Ticket price: 120 yuan during peak season (April 1 to October 31).

Off-season (November 1st to March of the following year): 100 yuan.

Explanation: There are tour guides in the scenic area, and the fees vary according to the level.

How to get there: Take Bus Rapid Travel Line 603, the final stop is the Yungang Grottoes.

I thought I would see the grottoes after buying the ticket, but I didn't expect that there was a series of later-built attractions after entering, probably to disperse the flow of people.

When talking about the Yungang Grottoes, we must mention Tan Yao (tán yào), who was a monk from the Northern Wei Dynasty and the person in charge of carving the Yungang Grottoes.

After Emperor Taiwu Tuoba Tao expanded the territory of Northern Wei, he found that there were many contradictions between Buddhism and Taoism, so he decided to destroy Buddhism and promote Taoism, which caused a catastrophe for Buddhism. Tan Yao escaped death, but still did not change his mind towards Buddhism.

When Emperor Wencheng Tuoba Jun (the Mop King in The Princess Weiyoung) ascended the throne, he wanted to correct the abolition of Buddhism. Tan Yao proposed to carve caves and Buddha statues, which was supported by the emperor. In this way, the huge project of carving Yungang Grottoes began.

There are no surprises for me. It is not as exquisite as the Mogao Grottoes, not as majestic as the Longmen Grottoes, and not as thrilling as the Maiji Mountain. I am too picky.

The World Cultural Heritage recently exhibited about forty magnificent caves.

One of the four major grottoes, several painted caves are open, and you can take photos as long as you don't use flash.

Very spectacular and beautiful, it feels more exquisite than the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang

It is worthy of being one of the four major grottoes in my country. The carving skills and the use of colors are breathtaking. The majestic appearance of the Buddha makes people feel peaceful and grateful.

It needs explanation, otherwise you will be confused. Although it has been protected and restored, it is still weathering. You should see it as soon as possible.

The Yungang Grottoes, built in the Northern Wei Dynasty, are a treasure house of ancient Chinese sculpture art. 👍👍

The transportation to the scenic area is very convenient. The visit takes about 2 hours. It is basically all Buddha statues inside the mountain, and there are not many people.

This place is great, worth a visit

I came here fourteen years ago, and I've seen a lot of changes this time.

On the second day in Datong, I went to the Yungang Grottoes and the nearby Jinhua Palace National Mining Park. If you come to Datong and don't go to the Yungang Grottoes, it's a waste of time. Take the 603 special bus and it will take about dozens of minutes to get there. It snowed the night before. When I arrived at the Yungang Grottoes, there were still staff sweeping the snow. The snowflakes spread on the lake surface and were extremely beautiful. It was the first time I saw such a large grotto. The grottoes began in the Northern Wei Dynasty. The Buddha statues of various sizes are exquisitely carved. The spirit of ancient craftsmen is really admirable. After hundreds of years, some have been weathered or damaged. Nothing can compete with time. It's a pity that the 12th cave music cave is not open. It's a pity. The advantage of free travel is that you can slowly look around in the grottoes, and no one is urging you. I downloaded the commentary of the Yungang Grottoes on the Himalaya APP on my mobile phone and listened while watching.

It has a long history, good cultural relics, and top-notch development and service facilities.

The interiors of Caves 1 to 4 are all filled with colorful Buddha statues, which are very delicate. Out of respect for the Buddha, you are not allowed to take photos, but you can take photos of the Buddha statues outside as a souvenir!

I haven't been here since the renovation and expansion. The scenic area has expanded many times, which has greatly extended the visiting time. I still miss the days when we could park the car directly in front of the Buddha to make it convenient for the elderly to visit.

I came here after visiting Longmen Grottoes. It's just average. Tickets are 100 in off-season.

One of the four major grottoes in China, it is a treasure house of Buddhist art.

It's really worth going. Although it's super cold in the off-season, there are few people. It depends on your choice. If you want to keep warm, don't forget to put a warm baby on your feet. And you must find an interpreter, otherwise you really can't understand it. Highly recommended

It is not far from the city center, and there is a direct bus from Datong, which takes about half an hour. This attraction is world-class, beautiful and shocking, unparalleled, and you must go there in person to experience it.

There are not many people in the off-season, so you can walk slowly and enjoy the scenery. The scenic area is not big, but it is well protected, especially the colors can remain so bright, which is really rare.

I feel that there is no need to visit this scenic spot during the crowded peak season.

The Yungang Grottoes cover a large area, with a lot of things to play and experience, and the scenic area management is relatively complete, so it gives people a good experience! The entire grotto part has a reasonable route, and the grotto statues are shocking, so it is highly recommended.

There are very few tourists in the Yungang Grottoes. From the time we entered the scenic area until the end of our visit, we saw less than a hundred tourists.

The Buddha statue has been severely weathered, and the holes left during its construction are now leaking.

Comparing Dunhuang, Longmen and Yungang, the difference is that (outsiders, without faith, cannot deeply understand the meaning), we can only say that our ancestors were very pious, carving such fine work on the cliffs! The descendants admire them, how can it be described in one word: awesome.

I think it's worth seeing. My husband and I went there on New Year's Day. Maybe it was cold so there were few people, so it was a great time. Please keep warm.

Shocking and mysterious has a strong appeal to me who was born in a city of reinforced concrete.

One of the four major grottoes in China, it is a must-see grotto landscape in Datong. It was built by the Northern Wei emperor and is mainly composed of several large grottoes. The faces of the large grottoes are closer to the Northern Wei emperor, so it also means that the emperor commemorates his ancestors. The grottoes are grandly built and the landscape is particularly unique. The transportation to the scenic area is also relatively convenient, so you must come here to see it when you come to Datong

In addition to Yanmen Pass, Yungang Grottoes is also a must-see

Yanmen Pass sighs at the beautiful mountains and rivers of the motherland, and the majestic pass stretches

The Yungang Grottoes are a masterpiece of ancient times. Whether you believe in Buddhism or not, this is a work of art.

One of the four major grottoes, the first attraction I visited after coming to Datong, it feels good, but unfortunately the cave with the largest Buddha is not allowed to take pictures. The Buddha is really scary. The whole scenic area took about 4 hours to visit

The scale of the entire grotto is not as large as that of Longmen Grottoes, nor is it as well preserved as Longmen Grottoes, but the fine carvings and the fusion of colors all reflect the wisdom and superb craftsmanship of the ancients. The exchange and fusion of Chinese and Western cultures make each grotto as exquisite as a mural. In fact, taking photos is not allowed in the grottoes. We went there after the peak season, so there were few tourists and the security guards rarely cared about it. They would not say anything if they saw tourists taking photos. What is most distressing and infuriating here is the knife marks everywhere on the Buddha's body and murals, such as "someone has been here" and "someone's name is too big to be ignored", for fear that others don't know his name. There are also groups of uncles and aunts who can't help but pick and peel the stones when they see them, causing large areas of rocks to fall off. The quality of the Chinese people is pathetic. I heard from the tour guide that the climate this summer is particularly humid, which is the most severe damage to the grottoes in history. Now many grottoes are closed for maintenance, and it is estimated that more grottoes will be closed soon. It is really worth watching and cherishing.

Are all tourist centers this luxurious now? They are designed to make you pay more for your tickets. In fact, we are here to see the history behind it.