A PLACE, A STORY / Datong
Yungang Grottoes
Buddhist figures were carved into these cliffs in the fifth and sixth centuries. Start with one face before taking in the scale.
© Marcin Białek · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons. Resized and compressed. · Original source · License
Dudva · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons. Resized and compressed. · Original source · License
At Yungang, near Datong, sculptors turned a cliff into a vast collection of Buddhist caves and niches. Work in the fifth and sixth centuries brought artistic influences from South and Central Asia into dialogue with local traditions. UNESCO highlights the early caves associated with the monk Tan Yao.
Look first at a face, a fold of clothing or a surrounding pattern. Sharing one detail with a friend can make the site’s great scale easier to absorb.
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