Yungang Grottoes in Datong

Yungang Grottoes in Datong

Attractions Overview: The peak of Chinese Buddhist art
Attraction Type: Grottoes; Cultural; World Heritage Site
Chinese Name:大同云冈石窟
English Name: Yungang Grottoes in Datong
Best Time to Visit: All Year Round
Recommended Visiting Time: 3 Hours
Open Hours: From April 1 to October 15 (peak season), 08:30-17:30; from October 16 to March 31 (off season), 08:30-17:00.
Admission Fee:  100 RMB / Person
Address in English: Yungang Town,  Datong City
Address in Chinese: 大同市云冈镇

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Why is Yungang Grottoes So Special?

Yungang Grottoes is one of China’s most supreme examples of Buddhist cave art, these 5th-century caves are simply magnificent. With their 252 caves and 51,000 statues, Yungang Grottoes represent the outstanding achievement of Buddhist cave art in China in the 5th and 6th centuries. The Five Caves created by Tan Yao, with their strict unity of layout and design, constitute a classical masterpiece of the first peak of Chinese Buddhist art.

Where is Yungang Grottoes?

Yungang Grottoes located in the south of Wuzhou mountain north bank of Ten-Mile River. It is about 16 kilometers to the southwest of Datong in Shanxi Province, China. The Grottoes lies about 17.5 km from Datong Railway Station, and about 33 km from Datong Yungang Airport.

How to Get to Yungang Grottoes?

Travel with China Dragon Tours (top recommended)

If you want to get rid of hustle of transportation and troublesome navigation, you can book a private tour package which covers visiting, dining and transfer from us. Our local tour guide and driver will escort you to Yungang Grottoes with speed and convenience, and take care of all the details. You just need to focus on travel.

Independent Travel

For independent travelers you can

Travelers can take the tourism lines from the railway station to Yungang Grottoes, and the departure time of the travel bus is from 06:00 to 18:40.

Main Attractions in Yungang Grottoes

East Part

The eastern part of the Yungang Grottoes was built earlier than the other parts, and focused mainly on the building of pagodas, the grottoes in the middle have a front chamber and a rear chamber, with the leading statue of Buddha settled in the middle-talland robust-and the walls and ceilings of the grottoes are filled with relief.

West Part

The western grottoes were built a litter later, most of which are medium-sized or small grottoes with a dominant number of small niches in which the statues excel in their thinness. These statues in this place range from the tallest of 17 meters to the shortest of a few centimeters high with some of them still retain their original color.

Middle Part

Caves in the middle are made up of front and back chambers with Buddha statues in the center. Embossing covers walls and ceilings. The  grottoes of middle part were carved from 471 to 494 AD, “the golden age of Yungang Grottoes carving”. These caves are numbered 1–13 except for 4 and 11. They usually have front and back rooms with the main Buddhist statue in the center, while the walls and the ceilings are carved with sculptures.

Useful Travel Tips

  1. Tourists can deposit bags at the north hall of Tourist Service Center by presenting the ticket of Yungang Grottoes and valid ID (passport). The deposit is free.
  2. Tourists can find tour guide in Chinese, English and Japanese in the south hall of Tourist Service Center.

Nearby Attractions

Edited by Emily Wang/王海玲