![]() With 503 contributors from 201 colleges, universities, museums, and researchĬenters, Smarthistory is the most-visited art history resource in the world. We believe that the brilliant histories of art belong to everyone, no matter their background. See our customizable 4-Day Essence of Datong and Pingyao Tour itinerary for ways to get more out of your time there.įor a tailor-made Datong/China tour, please do not hesitate to tell us your interests and requirements.At Smarthistory, the Center for Public Art History, we believe art has the power to transform lives and to build understanding across cultures. ![]() Discover More About Datong on a China Tourĭatong, a city between Beijing and Xi'an (and easy to combine with them on a China tour), played an important role in imperial China. Or contact us and we'd be happy to arrange a comfortable transfer and well-guided Yungang Grottoes visit for you. Description: Colossal seated Shakyamuni Buddha flanked by a Standing Buddha carved in smaller scale Vendor: Saskia, Ltd. You can also take a bullet train to Datong from Beijing (2½ hours), Taiyuan (2½ hours), Pingyao (3½ hours), and Xi'an (6½ hours)Īfter arrival, you could take a taxi from Datong to the Yungang Grottoes. Yungang Caves: Cave 20 Shakyamuni Buddha. You can take a flight to Datong Yungang Airport from 25 China cities including Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Chongqing, Xiamen, Yinchuan, and Urumqi. If you want to get to the Yungang Grottoes, you have to get to Datong first. The Yungang Grottoes are about 50 minutes' driving west of Datong city center. The Yungang Caves How to Get to the Yungang Grottoes They are a precious resource for studying the history, art, music, dance, calligraphy, and architecture of the Northern Wei Dynasty and one of the most important parts of the Yungang Grottoes. ![]() The 'Five Magnificent Caves' are beautifully carved and colorful. They are precious materials for studying the history of ancient Chinese music. The shapes of the musical instrument and performer sculptures in the cave, as well as the composition of the groups, embodies the style and social music system of the court of the Northern Wei Dynasty (386–534). The inscriptions on the statues in Cave 11, with a total of 337 words (characters), are the earliest and most wordy written inscriptions in the Yungang Grottoes.Ĭave 12 is commonly known as the ' Music Cave'. You can see the only colored sculptures of the Yungang Grottoes in the 'Five Magnificent Caves'. Caves 9 to 13Ĭaves 9 to 13 are together known as the ' Five Magnificent Caves' (Wu Hua Dong 五华洞). Cave 7's roof is reminiscent of the Sistine Chapel, though it predates it by exactly a millennium. They are masterpieces of carving, integrating oriental elements into Western region statues. In Cave 7, there is a group of sculptures that are particularly eye-catching: six quiet and elegant Westerners, as bright and beautiful as saints, are known as the Yungang Six Beauties. period, are also among the earliest adjoining caves in Yungang. Cave 6 is one of the most representative of the Yungang Grottoes, with its grand scale, richness of carvings, and refined techniques displayed.Ĭaves 7 and 8, carved in the 471–494 A.D. The highest pagoda with nine floors is also located in Cave 6. ![]() There are more than 120 stone pagodas in Yungang. Inside Cave 6, besides large Buddhist statues, there are 33 relief sculptures depicting Sakyamuni's biography from his birth to Buddhahood. Inside Cave 5 is a 17-meter-tall Buddhist statue, the largest statue in the Yungang Grottoes. and the most impressive among the grottoes. Here are some caves that you should not miss during a Yungang Grottoes trip: Caves 5 and 6Ĭaves 5 and 6, in the middle part of the Yungang Grottoes, are adjoining caves excavated between 465 and 494 A.D. There are about 1,100 niches, as well as 51,000 statues: the biggest is 17 meters (56 feet) tall, and the smallest just 2 cm (0.8"). The Yungang Grottoes extend about 1 km (0.6 miles) across with 45 major caves, 209 secondary caves, and a total carving area of more than 1.8 ha (4.4 acres). Datong Yungang Grottoes Highlights of the Yungang Grottoes
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