Yungang Grottoes are located at the southern foot of Wuzhou Mountain, about 16 kilometers west of Datong City, on the north bank of Wuzhou River. They were first built during the Northern Wei Dynasty when the capital was Pingcheng (now Datong). The Yungang Grottoes not only have traditional Chinese art styles, but also integrate the artistic characteristics of various ethnic groups in ancient India, the Western Regions, and the Central Plains.
A representative example is the 13.75-meter-high open-air statue of Shakyamuni Buddha in Cave 20 (White Buddha Cave), which remains intact above the chest and retains typical facial features of ethnic minorities and Indians in the Western Regions.
Yungang Grottoes Scenic Area is divided into landscape areas and grotto clusters. The entire grotto cluster is divided into three zones from east to west according to the natural mountain terrain: east, middle, and west. Currently, there are about 40 caves open to the public.
Travel Tips
Address: No.1 Yungang Town, Yungang District, Datong City, Shanxi Province
Tel: 0352-7992622
Opening hours: 09:00-17:00