Brief information on Yungang Grottoes  

The Yungang Grottoes are divided into three zones: east, west and central and they are numbered from east to west. Grotto one and two are located in the east zone. Statues and sculptures inside these caves are severely damaged by exposure to the natural elements, but thankfully sculptures of Buddhist stories in the lower part of the eastern wall of Grotto one are still preserved in the east zone.

Most of the grottoes are in the western zone, each with its own character. Grotto 20, one of the five earliest caves of monk Tan Yao houses the sitting statue of Sakyamuni that is 13.7 meters high. The full and round face of the statue is radiant with a majestic smile. Slim lips, a high nose, ears that extend almost to the shoulders, radiant eyes and broad shoulders are the other characteristics. The statue of Sakyamuni represents Buddha sculptures in Yungang Grottoes.

Since their completion 1,500 years ago both wars and natural disasters damaged Yungang Grottoes. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the Chinese government paid great attention to the preservation of the grottoes. In 1961 the State Council listed Yungang Grottoes as the main cultural site under its control. A Yungang Grottoes protection organization founded in 1995 provided special protection. More than ten years ago, the Datong municipal government intensified its efforts to protect the Yungang Grottoes. In December 2001, the 25th meeting of UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Helsinki, Finland, counted Yungang Grottoes as a World Cultural Heritage site.

*You can download the bilingual note to show it to a taxi driver or someone else to find your way to Yungang Grottoes if you plan to visit Yungang Grottoes and have language problems.

   

Chinese Pinyin: Yun Gang Shi Ku
Opening Times: 08:30-17:40 (Summer); 08:30-17:00 (Winter)
Ticket Price: CNY 60
Address: Yungang Town, Datong
Phone: 0352-3026230