Yungang Grottoes

After the Northern Wei Dynasty made Datong its capital, due to the rulers' reverence for Buddhism, many temples were built, and the grottoes were extensively excavated. The main part of the Yungang Grottoes was completed before the Northern Wei moved its capital to Luoyang. The grottoes are carved into the mountain and stretch for 1 kilometer from east to west. The statues range from as tall as 17 meters to as small as 2 centimeters, with approximately 1,100 niches and over 59,000 figures of various sizes. 🌟 Highlights: Listed as a World Heritage Site, one of the first batch of key cultural relics protection units in China, one of the first batch of national 5A-level tourist attractions, and one of the four major grottoes. 🪷 Tour Route: Tan Yao Square ➡️ Buddha's Light Avenue ➡️ Worshiping Buddha Relief Wall ➡️ Lingyan Temple ➡️ Grottoes Cluster ➡️ Food Street 1️⃣ Tan Yao Square: Built to commemorate Tan Yao, the founder of the Yungang Grottoes, the square features a statue of the high monk Tan Yao at its center. 2️⃣ Buddha's Light Avenue: Buddha's Light Avenue is a three-dimensional sculpture art gallery, with blooming lotus carvings on the ground and 13 pairs of 'Elephants Carrying Pagodas' statues on both sides. The statues are inspired by the sculptures from the middle period of the Yungang Grottoes and incorporate many cultural elements from the grottoes. The base relief depicts a group of Northern Wei donors dressed in Xianbei attire. 3️⃣ Worshiping Buddha Relief Wall: Walking west through the forest of sacred pillars on Buddha's Light Avenue, you will find two fan-shaped royal Worshiping Buddha relief walls facing each other, with a Bodhi tree in the middle, adorned with prayer plaques from visitors. 4️⃣ Lingyan Temple: Moving forward, you will arrive at Lingyan Temple, located in the center of the lake island within the Yungang Grottoes scenic area. The entire temple consists of three courtyards and is built according to the description by the famous Northern Wei geographer Li Daoyuan in his 'Commentary on the Water Classic'. 5️⃣ Grottoes Cluster: Since the grottoes are built along the mountain, you can simply follow the same direction to visit them all. Some of the smaller Buddha statues in the caves have been eroded by weather over the years and are somewhat indistinct, but the larger statues are still relatively well-preserved. A must-visit spot: Cave 20, which is the only cave with an exposed Buddha statue and is also the symbol of the Yungang Grottoes. 6️⃣ Food Street: An obligatory path at the exit, offering Datong's local specialties and some craft souvenirs. Compared to many other scenic areas, I found that the prices of cultural and creative products in Datong are very reasonable. Don't miss out on the coal gangue crafts. 7️⃣ Others: If you have enough time, consider visiting the Yungang Art Gallery, Yungang History Museum, and Yungang Museum. 🚗 Transportation: There are tourist buses from Datong city to the Yungang Grottoes, or you can drive there. If you go during holidays, the last few kilometers can be very congested. If driving, there's no need to go all the way into the scenic area; we parked our car on a small road outside a nearby residential area and then walked across the bridge to the entrance of the grottoes. 🎫 Ticket: 120 yuan (full price for adults, with half-price discounts for special groups) Honestly, for such a large scenic area with so many small attractions, this ticket price is really conscientious. 📌 Tips: If you want to avoid crowds, it's recommended not to sleep in and to start your trip early in the morning.

If you don't come to Yungang, you won't have the chance to experience the ultimate wisdom of the ancients If you don't come to Yungang, you won't have the chance to experience how rich the Northern Wei Dynasty was From the wide and long Sima Road directly to the thirty-nine grottoes, it is a grand display of ancient tomb culture What Yungang shows is the grandeur that the ancients could imagine and achieve during the heyday of the Northern Wei Dynasty Children from the south have never seen such a spectacular group of architectural sculptures The statues of the Xianbei people have a lot more vivid and bright colors than those in the Central Plains. Although the figurines seen in the Datong Museum are small, they are much better than the Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an, each with a story-like appearance You must come once in your lifetime

It's only a 2h distance by high-speed train from Taiyuan to Datong. Besides historical sites, don't miss out on the delicious food! A city walk with kids can be very relaxing! About the attractions: Yingxian Wooden Pagoda: It is the tallest and oldest pure wooden structure in the world, known as one of the 'Three Wonders of the World' along with Italy's Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Eiffel Tower in Paris. It holds high value in the history of Chinese architecture. Hanging Temple: Originally named 'Xuankong Pavilion', it was later renamed to 'Hanging Temple' because the entire temple appears to be hanging on the cliff. It is a fusion of mechanics, aesthetics, and religion, and is definitely worth a visit. Yungang Grottoes: The carving of the Yungang Grottoes began during the Northern Wei Dynasty, led by Tan Yao. He chose Wuzhou Mountain, 'carved the mountain walls, opened five caves, and engraved Buddha statues in each, with the tallest being seventy feet and the next sixty feet. The sculptures are magnificent and crowned in the world.' If you're taking kids, you might want to watch a documentary or prepare the picture book 'The Little Stonemason' to learn about the history beforehand. Datong Ancient City: Huayan Temple and the Nine Dragon Screen are must-visits!! Especially Huayan Temple, it's so photogenic when it's sunny~ The red walls, green tiles, and murals are perfect for dressing up in Hanfu or horse-face skirts for a stronger experience! About the food: Sea buckthorn juice is a must-drink! It's sour and sweet, very refreshing. Baihua Shaomai has a very thin skin~ There are many flavors, personally, I think it tastes similar to soup dumplings, not a big fan. Knife-cut noodles, any place in Datong is delicious!! I must say, Shanxi's noodles are yyds (eternally godlike)~ About transportation: You can choose to hire a car or rent one. Taking a taxi via platforms is also cost-effective, and they won't overcharge you.

Visiting each of China's four major grottoes, I find each has its uniqueness. This time, I finally arrived at the Yungang Grottoes in Datong, and to my surprise, I was deeply impressed. The older I get, the more I enjoy learning about history and ancient relics. - The excavation of the grottoes began around 460-465 AD, and the process lasted for over 70 years. With the changes of the times, the grottoes also slowly underwent new transformations, with Buddha statues being sculpted based on contemporary figures. Initially, the statues were colorless, but later they became more and more exquisite, with a lot of colors added to them. The architectural style of wooden structures from the Northern Wei Dynasty was also extensively used in the grottoes, and extremely rare architectural elements such as 'herringbone arches, one dou and three sheng, herringbone arches, and flying apsaras can all be found here. • The grottoes also showcase the fusion of Eastern and Western art, perfectly reflecting the cultural prosperity of the Silk Road, such as the Cupid-shaped flying apsaras, which are very impressive. - 🌟Photo Spots 1. In front of the classic largest open-air Buddha. 2. Next to the open-air Buddha, there are stairs to climb up for a close-up side view of the Buddha. 3. There is a grotto filled with various small statues, a whole row of which is very shocking, and the carvings are very vivid and detailed. 4. The first grotto is quite spacious and also great for taking photos. Although it lacks color, the morning light shines through the holes and illuminates the interior.

Highlights of the trip Datong Ancient City Wall: Stroll on the ancient city wall and feel the accumulation of history. 🗿 Yungang Grottoes: A treasure of Buddhist art, breathtaking. ⛩️ Huayan Temple: Quiet and peaceful, purifying the soul. 🐲 Nine Dragon Wall: Feel the charm of Chinese traditional culture. ⛩️ Shanhua Temple: An ancient temple, a good place for blessings. 🌁 Hanging Temple: Thrilling and breathtaking. ⛰️ North Hengshan: Climb high and look into the distance, feeling relaxed and happy. Ying County Wooden Pagoda: A thousand-year-old pagoda with a long history. ⛩️ Jingtuzi Temple: Quiet and peaceful, purifying the soul. 🏺 Datong Old Street: Stroll around the specialty shops and taste local snacks. 🏮 Pingyao Ancient City: Antique, as if traveling through time and space. Average consumption Datong-Pingyao tour, the average budget is about 500 yuan. Among them, the ticket cost is about 300 yuan, the transportation cost is about 100 yuan, and the dining cost is about 100 yuan. 🍽️🍽️Food recommendation🍽️🍽️ Yellow rice cake, Shumai: Kaige Restaurant, average consumption is about 50 yuan. Specialty noodles: Dongfang Shuomian, average consumption is about 20 yuan. 🥟 Snowflake Shumai: Longjuxiang Shumai Restaurant, average consumption is about 30 yuan. Special snacks, lamb miscellaneous powder: Hunyuan Liangfen, Flavor Powder Lamb Miscellaneous, average consumption is about 25 yuan. In summary, the Datong-Pingyao tour is a journey full of historical and cultural atmosphere, which is unforgettable.

🔔Introduction: Yungang Grottoes are located about 16 kilometers west of Datong city, at the southern foot of Wuzhou Mountain and the north bank of Wuzhou River. There are 45 main caves and 252 small niches, making it one of the four major grottoes in China. ---- 📷Tour Guide: ✅The grottoes are divided into three areas from east to west according to the mountain terrain: East (Caves 1-4), Middle (Caves 5-20), and West (Caves 21-45). ✅Recommended tour route: Entrance➡️Tanyao Square➡️Buddha's Light Avenue➡️Worship Buddha Relief Wall➡️Lingyan Temple➡️Sutra Copying Institute➡️Eastern Grotto Cluster➡️Middle Grotto Cluster➡️Western Grotto Cluster➡️Yungang Museum➡️Performance Center➡️Shadow Puppet Hall➡️Yungang Art Gallery➡️Yungang Cultural and Creative Shop➡️Exit ✅Key caves to visit: 1⃣️Cave 3: The largest cave in Yungang, with a 10-meter-tall seated Buddha statue. 2⃣️Caves 5 and 6: A pair of caves, with a central seated Buddha statue 17 meters tall. 3⃣️Cave 15: Also known as the 'Cave of Ten Thousand Buddhas', its four walls are covered with Buddha statues. 4⃣️Tanyao Five Caves (Caves 16-20): Constructed under the supervision of the famous monk Tanyao, these are the earliest group of caves excavated at Yungang. ✅Stamping locations: 1⃣️Yungang Cultural Square on the first floor of the ticket hall; 2⃣️Shop next to the Mahavira Hall; 3⃣️Cultural and creative shop opposite Cave 5; 4⃣️Drink shop opposite Cave 7; 5⃣️Cultural and creative shop next to the open-air Buddha; 6⃣️Yungang Museum; 7⃣️Entrance of the Shadow Puppet Hall; 8⃣️Cold drink cart next to the sightseeing car ticket office; 9⃣️Yungang Art Gallery; 🔟Yungang Cultural and Creative Shop. ---- 📍Address: Yungang District, Datong City, Yungang Town. ---- 🚗Transportation: Take bus No. 3 or 12, and get off at Yungang Station. ---- 🕙Opening Hours: 9:00-17:00 (Entry stops at 16:30). ---- 💰Ticket Price: 120 yuan.

⛷⛷⛷ Are you ready? Let's embark on this snowy journey to Shanxi together! 🛷🛷Preparation before departure: The winter in Shanxi is very cold, be sure to bring thick down jackets, hats, gloves and scarves.🧣 Snow boots are also essential to ensure that your feet are warm and dry.🥾 Bring a camera to capture the beautiful moments of the snow scene. 🍽🍽Food recommendation: Be sure to taste Shanxi's special mutton soup, dumplings, lantern festival and copper hot pot, which are delicious, warm and nourishing. 🎭Cultural experience: Listen to a genuine Shanxi Bangzi opera and feel the charm of Sanjin culture. The performance of the opera actors is very wonderful, which makes people intoxicated.🎭 🏛️Visit ancient relics: The Hanging Temple is the only unique temple in China where Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism are combined. It is carved on the cliff, and there are various Buddha statues in the grottoes, which are vivid. The Yungang Grottoes are one of the four major grottoes in China. Each Buddha statue in the grottoes has its own characteristics, and the craftsmanship is exquisite, which is amazing. Wutai Mountain is the dojo of Manjusri Bodhisattva. There are many temples on the mountain, with unique architectural styles and full of mystery.🗿 Folk art: Shanxi paper-cutting, shadow puppets and woodblock New Year pictures and other folk arts are full of strong local characteristics and ethnic customs. These handicrafts are both beautiful and valuable for collection.🖼️ Highlights of the trip: This trip not only allows you to appreciate the spectacular snow scenes, but also allows you to deeply understand the history, culture and customs of Shanxi.❄️ Taste authentic food and feel the hospitality of Shanxi people. Visit ancient architectural remains and appreciate folk art, making your journey more colorful.🏛️ Hope you have a pleasant and unforgettable winter in Shanxi!

Next stop - Yungang Grottoes. Hehe, we've arrived at the Yungang Grottoes! There are many tourist spots in Shanxi Province, but the Yungang Grottoes, as a World Cultural Heritage site, have extremely high tourism value. Every year, it attracts a large number of domestic and foreign tourists, becoming an important tourist attraction in Shanxi Province and Datong City. Tourists can appreciate the spectacular grottoes and profound cultural heritage here, further enhancing their understanding and knowledge of Chinese culture.

| A rendezvous with national treasures that spans a thousand years. Stepping into the Yungang Grottoes is like stepping into the world of a thousand years ago The sculptors seem to be whispering in your ear🙌 Have a cross-time eye contact with the Buddha in front of you I really understand why it can be called a national treasure🎁 · The Yungang Grottoes is the first royal authorized excavation of grottoes in China It not only reflects the political ambition of the Northern Wei Dynasty And it integrates a variety of foreign styles🔮 It coincides with the name of Datong city Reflecting the deep relationship with the world's major civilizations It can be called 'World Datong'‼️ · 📍 Address: Yungang Scenic Area, Yungang District, Datong City, Shanxi Province ⏰ Opening hours: 9:00-17:00 💰 Tickets: 100¥/person 🚗 Transportation: You can drive or take a taxi, the cost from the city is about thirty yuan, or you can take bus 3 directly to the terminal · 🌟 Small tips: -The Yungang Grottoes are divided into 20 caves in total, it is suggested that friends with ample time can spend a whole day to enjoy it slowly🚶 -Strongly recommend to listen to the explanation during the visit‼️ You can join a group or activate the electronic explanation in the visitor center for ten yuan -It is recommended to go in summer and autumn🛎 , the spring is windy and the winter is cold

In the vast land of Sanjin, Shanxi, there are ten places you must visit. They are like bright pearls on the loess plateau, each with its own characteristics, exuding unique charm. First, we are going to visit the Hanging Temple of Hengshan. This building, which was built during the Northern Wei Dynasty, has a history of more than 1500 years and is the most dangerous high-altitude wooden cliff building in the world. It hangs in the air like a painting, hanging on the cliff, which is breathtaking. Next, we are going to Wutai Mountain in Xinzhou. As the first of the four famous Buddhist mountains in China, Wutai Mountain not only has monks of dry boats, but also can see the horns of Tibetan boats. It is the intersection of faith and culture, which makes people awe. Then, let's come to Ying County and admire the highest tomb tower building in the world - Ying County Wooden Tower. This building, more than 60 meters high, does not use a nail or rivet, and is built entirely by traditional mortise and tenon technology. It is tilting every year, and it is a precious building that you see less once. Then, we come to the Eight Springs Gorge of Taihang Mountain. This is the essence of the Taihang Mountain Grand Canyon, known as the peak of mountain and water scenery in Shanxi. The canyon is deep, and the mountain spring waterfall flows, which is intoxicating. In addition, we are going to visit Yanmenguan in Xinzhou. The history here can be traced back to the Warring States Period. The stories of Zhaojun going out of the fortress and the Yang family are well-known, and it is known as the first pass in China. Next, let's walk into the Yungang Grottoes in Datong. As one of the four major grottoes in China, the Yungang Grottoes were built during the Northern Wei Dynasty. The statues here blend the essence of traditional Chinese art style, ancient Indian culture and Western Region culture, which is breathtaking. Then, we are going to Linchuan Wangmangling. The forest coverage rate here is over 95%, and the summer temperature remains between 18~20 degrees, which is an ideal place for summer in Shanxi. In addition, we are going to admire the Hukou Waterfall of the Yellow River. Although the Hukou Waterfall spans Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces, the water of the Yellow River here is surging and surging, like a rush from the sky, giving people a strong visual impact. Finally, we are going to Pingyao Ancient City in Jinzhong. This is the only ancient county town in the country that has successfully applied for World Cultural Heritage as a whole ancient city. It is full of the atmosphere of ancient Jin merchants' culture, which makes people feel as if they have traveled through time and space and returned to that prosperous era.

Yungang Grottoes in Shanxi, a millennium-old relic known as the 'treasure trove of Eastern art', has recently become a hot search. The Yungang Grottoes are located at the southern foot of Wuzhou Mountain in the western suburbs of Datong City, Shanxi Province, and have a history of more than 1500 years. The entire grotto group is large in scale, with 254 existing caves, the largest of which is the 5th cave. These caves are carved with thousands of Buddha statues, each with different shapes, lifelike, showing the superb skills of ancient Chinese stone carving art. The Yungang Grottoes are not only a treasure of ancient Chinese art, but also one of the world's cultural heritages. In recent years, with the continuous development of the tourism industry, the Yungang Grottoes have attracted more and more tourists to visit. In order to better protect this millennium-old relic, the scenic area management department has introduced a series of measures, including limiting the number of daily tourists and strengthening cultural relic monitoring. The Yungang Grottoes are not only an art treasure trove, but also a treasure of Chinese civilization. Let us all contribute to the protection and inheritance of these precious cultural heritages.

The span of five thousand years seems vast, yet Shanxi feels close at hand. How to capture the beauty of the moment in your journey, when nowadays a DSLR camera may not be the only solution. Datong, Shanxi, formerly known as Yunzhong, has been a strategic military location throughout history, known as the 'Key to the North'. During this witnessing process, I chose to use my mobile phone to record the Yungang Grottoes as I see them. 🗺️ The Yungang Grottoes were carved during the Northern Wei Dynasty, starting in the third year of Emperor Daowu's reign (398 AD), when Emperor Tuoba Gui moved the capital from Shengle to Pingcheng (present-day Datong), and Wuzhou Mountain became a crucial pass between Shengle and Pingcheng. After Emperor Wencheng ascended the throne, Tan Yao chose the spiritually endowed Wuzhou Mountain, 'carving into the mountain cliffs, creating five caves, each with a Buddha statue, the tallest being seventy feet, the next sixty feet, with extraordinary carvings and decorations, crowned as the best of the era'. The excavation of the Yungang Grottoes spanned about 150 years, through the Northern Wei, Eastern Wei, Western Wei, Northern Qi, Sui, and Tang dynasties, with 45 main caves, 252 niches of various sizes, and over 59,000 stone sculptures remaining, making it a treasure in the art of grottoes. With the advent of more advanced 64-megapixel ultra-photography periscope telephoto lenses, optical performance has been greatly enhanced. The ultra-photography image algorithm not only provides a stronger sense of space, three-dimensionality, and presence in well-lit outdoor spaces but also automatically activates night mode in low-light conditions inside the caves, ensuring high-quality images under the ultra-clear quality algorithm.