Housing 252 caves of varying sizes and 51,000 statues of Buddha, the 18,000 square metre ancient complex was inscribed onto Unesco’s list of world heritage sites in 2001 for its outstanding achievement in Buddhist cave art.
Not only are the statues – ranging from palm-sized statuettes to a 17-metre tall Buddha – monumental, but they also carry a history that testifies to the fusion of religion and politics in the Northern Wei Dynasty (385-535 AD).
As Datong was an important city on the Silk Road that heralded Buddhism’s arrival in China, it is unsurprising that the cave art here contains visual elements imported from Central Asia, India, and even Greek civilisations.
Take for example, the flying apsaras – heavenly nymphs from Hindu mythology – who can be found in rows in the painted temples, along with celestial musicians playing instruments of foreign origins.
At the same time, these caves also chronicle the gradual sinification of Buddhism, as shown through the changes in the representations of sacred figures over various periods of construction.
The initial “Tanyao Five Caves” – named after the imperial monk who commenced them – feature colossal Buddha statues modelled after the faces of Northern Wei emperors, commemorating their royal patronage.
Having their images consecrated on Buddha statues legitimised the political and spiritual authority of the ruling class – a minority Toba clan descending from the Eurasian steppes, among the Han Chinese who labelled them northern barbarians.
Here, trained eyes might notice details revealing the Indian origin of Buddhism, such as sari-clad disciples depicted with long noses and pointed faces.
Yet in temples constructed in the latter period, the heavenly figures began to be clothed in lavish Chinese court garments instead of thin pilgrim robes that symbolise Buddhist austerity.
Such sartorial changes reflect a litany of sinification efforts undertaken by the Toba ruling society, such as forgoing traditional nomadic garb in favour of Chinese costumes, promoting inter-ethnic marriages, and mandating the adoption of Chinese surnames.
In some of the statues, the countenances of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas start to correspond to the Chinese ideal of beauty – think wide, flat faces with benevolent smiles.
Besides being a cultural fossil of political Buddhism in ancient China, the Yungang Grottoes is also known for their wondrous cave arts illustrating Buddhist mythology, which once functioned as a colourful picture book for devout pilgrims.
Intricately chiselled onto a stone wall, a noted carving shows the fantastical birth of Sakyamuni – or Prince Siddharta Gautama, the founder of Buddhism – from the armpit of his mother, Queen Maya.
Another often overlooked but poignant site is a solemn stele mourning the nameless victims who sacrificed their lives to build these monumental structures.
“During the Northern Wei period, the numinous stones were carved by monks and craftsmen who were war captives and slaves; the casualties must have been severe.
“When expanding the western path for the tourists in the summer of 2019, this stupa was built using discarded stone blocks, carvings, and grinding slabs to convey condolences and remind visitors of their sacrifice,” the inscription reads.
The Yungang Grottoes is located 25 km away from Datong City, and can be conveniently reached by bus or an e-hailing ride. Datong is approximately two hours away from Beijing by high-speed train.