Heritage: Yungang Caves

From thumb-sized figurines to a 17m colossus, the Buddhist carvings at Yungang are one of the most spectacular holy sites in China.

Clustered in groups, the Yungang Caves (yúngǎng shíkū 云冈石窟) are meant to be viewed as a whole. This endeavor will take a few hours, but considering the carvings took almost half a century and 40,000 laborers to complete, the few hours spent exploring these majestic caves is time well-spent. Of the numerous artistic masterpieces that Buddhism has germinated in China in the past 2,000 years, the caves at Yungang are among the most profound.

The caves are located 16km west of Datong in northern Shanxi Province. A notch south of Inner Mongolia, this strategic location was once a cultural crossroad, with influences from India, Central Asia and Mongolia. In AD 368 a group called the Tangut (tuòbá 拓跋) made Datong the capital of their Northern Wei dynasty. The Tanguts were fervent Buddhists and began work on the caves in 453, ending around 494 when the Northern Wei moved their capital to Luoyang and continued their devotional work at the Longmen Caves.

Over the centuries, the region’s fortunes have wavered. Datong is now an industrial city and an important coal production center. Situated on the Loess Plateau, the old capital is sometimes referred to as the “Sea of Coal.” Convoys of coal-laden trucks and swarms of bicycles clog the flat road to the mountain.

Once out of the city the traffic begins to thin out and the Wuzhou Hills ripple into view. Stone watch towers that have guarded China’s northern border for thousands of years are silhouetted against the horizon. Amid such sparse surroundings, caves full of Buddhas in fanciful poses come into view. Though the caves are famous for their depictions of the Buddha, other celestial beings are also represented. There are minutely detailed bodhisattvas and apsaras. Some caves are guarded by stone soldiers and others are covered with exuberant designs painted onto walls and ceilings.

The caves extend 1km from east to west and are divided into three major clusters. The grouping of the caves is seemingly haphazard, but it’s possible to follow stylistic changes in the carvings as influences ebbed and flowed. Persian, Indian, even Greek and Byzantine influences can be seen in the rock carvings from the weapons, music instruments and clothing displayed.

Tours normally begin at Caves 5 to 13. Located centrally, they were built from AD 462 to 495 and contain some of the best artistic works at Yungang. Meandering from one cave to the next, the high level of artistry within the caves is readily apparent. In Cave 5 is an awe-inspiring 17m high seated Buddha. This pudgy Buddha would be barely able to fit his thumbs into the cave entrance if he could stand and move around. Resembling a dimly lit cathedral, at either side of the cave is an arched door with fine relief sculptures of flying apsaras at the top. The walls of the cave are festooned with a tightly knit honeycomb of smaller Buddhist figures, some retaining their ancient colorings thanks to recent restoration efforts, while others remain stark and stunning in sandstone hues. Pale light filters down from what seems like an open window which was actually the original entrance for workmen to hollow out the massive chamber.

Large or small, most Yungang statues have a square faces, thick lips, high noses, wide shoulders and broad chests – stylistically representative of the Northern Wei, but traces of other cultural influences are also present. Cave 8 features multi-headed statues of Indian origins which demonstrate the successful mixing of differing artistic traditions and the eclectic influences of the era. There is a five-headed, six-armed statue of the Hindu God Shiva sitting on a giant bird. Beside Shiva is the three-headed Vishnu sitting on a bull.

For art students studying this era, caves 9 to 13 are an important resource. Caves 9 and 10 are of a square design consisting of an outer and inner room. The outer pillars of each cave are carved with intricate figures bearing musical instruments. The eastern and western walls of the outer rooms and the door lintels of the inner room are finely carved with plant designs.

Cave 12 is known as the musical cave. Walking into the cave, we are greeted by a carved bank of celestial musicians holding different musical instruments demonstrating the vibrant cultural exchange of the time. Such instruments as the konghou (箜篌), pipa (琵琶) and waist-drums were introduced from Central Asia while panpipes and zithers originated from China. The cave is an invaluable resource for researchers on ancient China’s music and dance.

Neatly arranged rows upon rows of tiny seated Buddha carved into the walls greet you upon entering Cave 15. There are more than 10,000 miniature Buddha carvings in this cave, thus the name Cave of Ten Thousand Buddha (wànfó dòng 万佛洞).

Royal stories are behind Caves 16 to 20, the oldest caves in Yungang. Each of the statues in the five caves symbolizes an emperor from the Northern Wei dynasty, reflecting their belief that the emperor is a living embodiment of Buddha. The caves, collectively known as “Five Cloudy and Luminary Caves” (tányào wǔkū 昙曜五窟), were created in AD 453 to 462. According to the legend, one emperor was convinced by an adviser to renounce Buddhism. To the adviser’s misfortune, the emperor followed his suggestion then immediately fell ill. After executing his non-believing adviser, the wayward emperor returned to the faith and quickly recovered from his illness. The succeeding emperor began construction of these caves as a sign of piety in hopes of avoiding his predecessor’s fate. The Buddhas here are clad in robes with their palms pressed together in front of their chests, a gesture of devotion.

Most of the caves were dug during the Northern Wei dynasty; however, Cave 3, the largest of the Yungang caves, was created by later artists during the Sui and Tang dynasties. The face of the cliff into which it was carved is about 24m high; on the upper central part are 12 rectangular holes that were used to hold beams that used to support a monastery. The cave is divided into inner and outer chambers. There is now only one Buddha statue and two bodhisattvas in the west end of the inner chamber. The faces of these images are full and smooth, the figures full-bodied. Because this cave was carved at a later period, the sculptural style here differs from that in the other caves.

Yungang Caves are famous for their depictions of the Buddha, but other celestial beings are also represented. There are minutely detailed bodhisattvas, disciples who have elected to forego nirvana in order to save others. Some caves are guarded by stone soldiers and others are covered with exuberant designs painted onto walls and ceilings. The mingling of different cultures in ancient Datong is vividly reflected in the cave art.

Unfortunately, pollution from this industrialized valley has had a profound effect on the statues. Soot has covered the exposed areas of many of the carvings, while their undersides, which are normally hidden in shadow, appear bright in contrast.

Besides the caves, there are many other sites of interest within driving distance. One interesting sight is the 1,500-year-old Hanging Temple (xuánkōng sì 悬空寺). The temple is a Northern Wei dynasty structure that clings precariously to the side of the Heng Shan mountain range. Caves carved into the cliffs or along natural contours make up the rooms and walkways, and bridges connect the different halls. Rain or shine, a few dozen slender beams acrobatically balance the temple and visitors walking on top of the narrow squeaky walkways.

Back to the city, Datong itself is dotted with its own assortment of ancient landmarks, such as the Drum Tower (gǔ lóu 鼓楼), Nine Dragon Screen (jiǔlóng bì 九龙壁), and Huayan Monastery (huáyán sì华严寺). The Drum Tower is located in the downtown area, rising above the shorter buildings of the city and making itself a key point of reference. The Nine Dragon Screen, a preserved Ming dynasty wall section, is 8m high, 45m long and 2m thick, about four times larger and 350 years older than a similar one in Beijing’s Beihai Park (běihǎi gōngyuán 北海公园). There are a few other minor dragon walls in Datong. The Huayan Monastery is unusual in that it faces east whereas most temples in China face south. It’s one of China’s few remaining wooden Buddhist temples.

Making Your Trip Easy

Area Code: 0352 

Practical Tips

This area is located on the Loess Plateau, more than 1,100m above sea level. Often affected by the Siberian cold front, the annual temperature averages between 5°C and 7°C. Summers are cool, but in winter the temperature can drop to -13°C. It’s hottest in July and coldest in January.

Datong China International Travel Service (540 2265 / 2165) can arrange tours to the Yungang Caves and Hanging Temple for RMB 100. Most tours depart at 9am and finish around 6pm. They can also help buy train tickets.

The ten-day Yungang International Travel Festival is held annually in August. The festival features various exhibitions on folk customs and a multitude of variety shows.

Transportation

Bus – The long distance bus station is located on Xinjian Nan Lu. There are daily buses from Datong to Beijing.

Taxi – Taxis are RMB 5 at flag-fall for full-sized cabs.

Train – Daily trains from Datong to Beijing are about 5 hours. Trains to Xi’an take about 16 hours.

The Best of Datong

Hanging Temple 悬空寺 xuánkōng sì

Address: Hunyuan County 浑源县

Phone: 832 7795, 832 7300

Opening hours: 6am to 7pm, peak-season；8am to 5pm, off-season

￥: 46

Huayan Monastery上下华严寺 shàngxià huáyán sì

Address: Huayan Jie 华严街

Phone: 206 1480, 242 7185

Opening hours: 8am to 6pm, peak-season; 8:30am to 5pm, off-season

￥: 10

Yungang Caves 云冈石窟 yúngǎng shíkū

Address: 1 Dong Jie, Yungang Town; 16km west of Daton 大同市城西16公里处，云冈镇东街1号

Phone: 302 6230

Opening hours: 8am to 5:30pm, peak-season; 8:30am to 5pm, off-season

￥: 60

Hotels

Datong Hotel 大同宾馆 dàtóng bīnguǎn ★★★★

Address: 37 Yingbin Xi Lu 迎宾西路37号

Phone: 586 8666

￥: 580 – double room

Website: www.datonghotel.com

Hong’an International Hotel 宏安国际酒店 hóng’ān guójì jiǔdiàn ★★★★

Address: 28 Yingbin Xi Lu 迎宾西路28号

Phone: 586 6655

￥: 480 – double room

Jingyuan Hotel 京原迎宾馆 jīngyuán yíngbīnguǎn ★★★★

Address: 3 A Yongjun Nan Lu 拥军南路甲3号

Phone: 288 0988

￥: 260 – double room

Website: www.jingyuanhotel.com

Yungang Hotel 云冈宾馆 yúngǎng bīnguǎn ★★★

Address: 21 Yingbin Dong Lu 迎宾东路21号

Phone: 502 1601

￥: 400 – double room, peak-season; 260 – double room, off-season

Yungang International Hotel 云冈国际酒店 yúngǎng guójì jiǔdiàn

Address: 38 Daxi Jie 大西街38号

Phone: 586 2002

￥: 460 – double room

Food & Restaurants

Cuisine here is based on flour and the generous use of vinegar; Shanxi’s famous vinegar is mild with a tinge of sweetness. With over 2,500 years of development, Shanxi people love their vinegar. Local flour based creations range from pastries to noodles and come in a variety of shapes. Cat’s ear noodles (māo‘ěr miàn 猫耳面) are served with a tomato and egg sauce or a meat sauce, but don’t worry, no cats will be harmed in the making of this dish. It’s a popular fill-me-up and can be found on most menus for about RMB 5 a bowl. Try the fried cake (yóuzhá gāo 油炸糕), a Chinese version donut, fatty but very delicious. Another local delicacy is youmian tuntun (莜面饨饨), a kind of wonton where the shell is made of oat and filled with vegetables.

RESTAURANTS

Hongqi Restaurant 红旗大饭店

Specializes in Sichuan, Shandong, Cantonese and Shanghai dishes.

Address: 11 Zhanqian Jie, Railway Station Square 火车站广场站前街11号

Phone: 536 6566

Opening hours: 7am to 2am

Jindadu Restaurant 金大都酒家有限公司

Address: 131 Yingbin Xi Lu 迎宾西路131号

Phone: 502 9090

Jiuzhou Restaurant 九洲饭店

Address: 164 Xiao Nan Jie 小南街164号

Phone: 205 5179

Lao Datong Restaurant 老大同饭店

Address: No. 3 Bus Station, Zhenhua Bei Jie 振华北街3路汽车总站

Phone: 210 3270

Yixingxuan Qingzhen Kaoshuanguan 义兴轩清真烤涮馆

Muslim hotpot and barbeque.

Address: 5 Xinjian Bei Lu 新建北路5号

Yonghe Hongqi Meishicheng 永和红旗美食城

Specializes in Cantonese, Sichuan, Hunan and Shandong cuisines.

Address: 8 Yingbin Dong Lu 迎宾东路8号

Phone: 510 0333

Opening hours: 11am to 2am

Yonghe Shifu 永和食府

Address: end of Shanhuasi Lu and Xiaonan Jie 小南街善化寺路口

Phone: 204 7999

Souvenirs

There are many art and antique shops around the caves where you can buy jade and bronze Buddhist statues at low prices. You can get them at 60% of the offered price if you enjoy bargaining.

Since the area around Datong is an important coal-mining center, Jinhua coal sculptures (jìnhuá méidiāo 晋华煤雕) make for a unique souvenir. Depending on the complexity and size, prices can range from RMB 10 to 1,000. You can head over to the Jinhua Mine (jìnhuá gōngkuàng 晋华宫矿) and browse the Jinhua Mine Handicrafts Gallery (jìnhuá gōngkuàng jìnhuá gōngyì měishùchǎng 晋华宫矿晋华工艺美术厂, 708 6754) and check out the artisans making their works of art.

The Yinxing Jindian (银星金店) on 8 Da Dong Jie (大东街8号) specializes in gold and sliver jewelry. Also try Datong Jiayi Lipin Store (大同市佳艺礼品商场) on 328 Xinkai Nan Lu (新开南路328号) for your souvenir needs. If you want some upscale shopping you’ll need to get back to Datong. West Street (dà xī jiē 大西街) and South Street (xiǎo nán jiē 小南街) are the main higher-end shopping areas.

Other Information

POST OFFICES

Guangchang Post Office 广场分局

Address: Post Office Square 邮政局广场

Phone: 202 3937, 202 3751

HOSPITALS

The Third Datong Municipal People’s Hospital 大同市第三人民医院

Address: 1 Yiwei Jie 医卫街1号

Phone: 502 1001

COMPLAINT HOTLINES

General: 202 0315

Taxi: 202 2322