Yungang Grottoes, Datong

Yungang Grottoes have a history of over 1,500 years and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located on the southern slope of Wuzhou Mountain in the western suburbs of Datong, Shanxi, they are a group of royal grottoes carved during the Northern Wei Dynasty. The construction of the grottoes began in the third year of the reign of Emperor Daowu (398 AD), when Emperor Daowu Tuoba Gui moved the capital from Shengle to Pingcheng (now Datong). After Emperor Wencheng Tuoba Jun ascended the throne, he ordered Master Tan Yao to preside over the construction of the grottoes. Tan Yao carved the mountain and built several Buddha statues, forming the early caves of Yungang Grottoes. Yungang Grottoes are not only a treasure trove of Buddhist art, but also showcase a unique style of cultural integration between the East and the West, incorporating artistic elements from Indian, Central Asian, Greek, and Roman civilizations, and becoming a historical monument of cultural integration between the East and the West in the 5th century AD.