a 40 foot tall seated Buddha in a cave at Yungang
Long ago, in a valley near the Gobi desert, ancient Buddhist built a series of grottoes into the sandstone cliffs alongside a river. Constructed over fifteen hundred years ago, Yungang was the first of several cave art complexes in China. The cave art complex, located near the northern terminus of the Silk Road, was visited by Marco Polo on his way to meet Kublai Khan. The grottoes are famous for their large size, pristine preservation, and because the paint the artists used has survived the centuries largely intact. Although there are other examples of Buddhist cave art in China, the amazing quality of the grottoes in Yungang is attributable to their remote location and the dryness of the climate.
an interesting choice for hair color...
We have been hoping to visit the Yungang grottoes for several years now, ever since buying a book on UNESCO World Heritage sites before we moved to Korea, but their remote location prevented us from going there on our previous trips to China. This time we decided to endure the long slow train ride from Beijing to Datong, and we are glad we did. The beauty and grandeur of the grottoes surpassed our expectations, and amazed us with their color and detail.
Beautifully carved and painted ceilings
The artists who made the grottoes carved them out of the sandstone cliffs, forming large (50 foot) high chambers with giant Buddha statues in the center, and various attendant bodhisattvas and angels around the perimeter.
Often the central Buddha had a window in the cliff wall from which he could look out at the beautiful landscape of China. Human nature being what it is, it shouldn’t be surprising to learn that the emperors who commissioned the statues demanded that the faces of the Buddhas bear their likeness.
a room with a view
Of course, the enormity of the main statues was impressive, but the most amazing thing about the caves was the intricate floor to ceiling reliefs depicting demons, elephants, dragons, pagodas, and various holy men. The only thing I can compare it to is the temples of Angkor in Cambodia.
Floor to ceiling reliefs depicting angels, bodhisattvas, pagodas, and elephants
We found it quite amazing that the paint on the walls and statues had managed to endure for fifteen hundred years. Naturally most of it had faded, but enough of it remained to allow us to appreciate the skill of the artists who lived and died so long ago.
a wall mural in one of the antechambers
Most of the grottoes were entered through an antechamber, often covered with hundreds of seated Buddha figures. At the back of each antechamber the entrance into the main grotto was guarded on either side by scary looking statues.
Scary looking guardians to keep out the bad spirits
We were happy that Yungang grottoes surpassed our expectations, and also that it gave us a reason to visit the ancient city of Datong near inner Mongolia. Datong is a major coal mining area, and consequently the city has for many years been dirty and dilapidated. In an example of China’s get-it-done public works mentality, the old walled part of the city where we stayed is in the process of being completely renovated and turned into a beautiful and fun tourist destination. If you ever plan on traveling to China, you should consider including Datong and its surrounding historic attractions to you itinerary.
Good bye for now
