ling yan si dong ( di san ku )

Lingyan Temple Cave is located in the Datong Yungang Grottoes Scenic Area, a world cultural heritage site. It is the third cave here. It was built in the Northern Wei Dynasty (middle fifth century AD), and has a history of more than 1,500 years and is well preserved.

The 3rd Grottoe of Yungang Grottoes, also known as Lingyan Temple Cave, is the largest cave in Yungang. There was a wooden pavilion built on the cliff outside the cave. Today, there are only 12 beam holes in the row above, indicating that the Buddha Pavilion was a huge 11-open house. A three-level square tower at each end of the upper countertop, two towers chiselled two bright windows, between the bright windows for a temple-shaped cave room, the main like carving Maitreya. The caves open a door in each other, and the north wall of the cave is carved with Amitabha, Guanshiyin and the three statues of Bodhisattva, namely "Three Holys of the West". The caves leave relics of partition and uncovering rocks, which is a precious physical data for understanding the ancient grotto excavation methods.