Yungang Grottoes, one of the three major cave clusters in China, punctuate the north cliff of Wuzhou Mountain, Datong. The area was excavated along the mountain, extending 1 km (0.62 miles) from east to west, revealing 53 caves and over 51,000 stone statues.

Started in 450, Yungang is a relic of the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534). Absorbing Indian Gandhara Buddhist art, Yungang sculptures developed traditional Chinese art melded with social features of the time.

The Caves are divided into east, middle, and west parts. Pagodas dominate the eastern parts; west caves are small and mid-sized with niches. Caves in the middle are made up of front and back chambers with Buddha statues in the center. Embossing covers walls and ceilings.

East Portion of the Grottoes

These are made up of grottoes No.1 through No.4 and are generally called the 'tower' caves due to the carved tower or pagoda in the middle of each. All of these were carving during the Bei Wei period, and grottoes No.1 and No.2 are best preserved. In the center of each is a square tower and covering it as well as all four walls are carved stories of the Buddha and Buddha in various structures. These provide important reference material in researching Northern Wei architecture. The tower in the No.3 grotto was not completed before the Northern Wei mm'ed their capital. Liter one Buddha and two Bodissatva statues were added and from the looks of the carving technique and style these appear to be Tang dynasty works. The No.4 grotto has severely deteriorated but on the southern wall is preserved an inscription from the year 520 of Northern Wei. This is the latest inscription still remaining from the Northern Wei period in the Yungang grottoes.

Central Portion of the Grottoes

The No.5 to No.20, these are situated in the central region of the precipice of Wu Zhou mountain. They were the earliest part of the grottoes to be carved and they are of the highest value. The five grottoes numbered 16 to 20 were supervised by the high priest under the Northern Wei Emperor Wencheng and are considered to be the most resplendent of all. They are particularly notable for their Buddhist carvings. To the east of these five grottoes are Grottoes No.9 to No.13, which have come to be known as the 'painted' caves since later generations painted the carvings in them. Again, these provide important material for researching the history of architecture, arts, calligraphy and music.

Grottoes No.5 and No.6 are closely linked and are on a very grand scale: the central seated Buddha in No.5 stands seventeen meters high, the tallest of any statue at the Yungang Grottoes. In the No.6 grotto stands a 16-meter-high stupa, carved with Buddha statues on all sides. The carvin in these two grottoes is very practiced and is considered to represent the pinnacle of the art at Yungang.

West Portion of the Grottoes

To the west of the No.20 grotto are relatively small caves, some of which have not yet been given numbers. Right now they number No.21 to No.53. The dating of these is relatively late, most being works after the 19"' year of Emperor Tai He of Northern Wei (495). The carving styles and techniques are more developed than in the eastern and central sections, the Buddha figures are thinner and so on. This is a more Sinified style of Buddhist art, which begins to approach the style of Longmen after the capital of the Northern Wei moved to Luoyang.

The Yungang Grottoes are an open-air museum that attracts the attention of thousands of scholars from around the world every year. The historic and artistic value of the art here is of the highest level.