Datong and the Yungang Grottoes: Where Buddhism Became Art
Datong (大同) in northern Shanxi province is not on most international travel itineraries. It should be. The Yungang Grottoes (云冈石窟) that line the sandstone cliffs 16 km west of the city are among the greatest works of religious art ever created — 252 caves containing 51,000 Buddhist sculptures carved between 460-525 CE under the patronage of the Northern Wei dynasty (北魏).
For context: the Yungang Grottoes were begun just 50 years after the introduction of Buddhism to the Chinese imperial court, and they represent the first major synthesis of Indian Buddhist art with Chinese aesthetic sensibilities. The colossal figures (the largest Buddha is 17 meters tall) combine the physical presence of Gandharan (Indo-Greek) Buddhist art with emerging Chinese stylistic elements. They are both deeply Indian and unmistakably Chinese.
UNESCO inscribed the Yungang Grottoes as a World Heritage Site in 2001.
The Yungang Grottoes: What to See
The 252 caves are organized geographically, with the most significant and best-preserved examples concentrated in specific sections.
The Five Tan Yao Caves (昙曜五窟, Caves 16-20)
The first five major caves to be carved (460-465 CE) were commissioned by the monk Tan Yao under Emperor Wencheng. Each cave contains a massive central Buddha figure — the Five Buddhas represent the five emperors of the early Northern Wei dynasty (a theological-political statement about the sacred nature of imperial rule).
Cave 20: The most famous and most photographed — the central Sakyamuni Buddha (13.7 meters tall) sits in the open air after the front wall of the cave collapsed. The worn but still magnificent face, with its archaic smile and Indian-influenced features, represents the oldest surviving major Chinese-style Buddha image.
The Twin Tower Caves (Caves 9-13)
A series of elaborately decorated caves from the second phase of carving, featuring two-story carved facades with columns, niches, and dense decorative carving. The scale and complexity of the carving shows the Yungang workshop tradition at its most developed.
The Later Caves (Caves 1-8, 21-45)
Various periods of carving, including some of the most technically sophisticated work in the complex. Cave 5 and 6 are particularly notable: Cave 6 contains a 15-meter central pagoda-pillar with complex relief carvings depicting the life of Shakyamuni Buddha.
Visiting Practically
Entry: ¥160 per person (one of China’s pricier entries, justified by the site’s significance)
Time needed: 3-4 hours for a serious visit; rushed visitors who do the “main caves only” can finish in 2 hours but will miss significant material.
Guided tours: Worth taking for a basic visit — the iconographic program is complex and the historical context is not self-explanatory. Audio guides (¥40 rental) are available and adequate.
Photography: Allowed without flash; tripods are technically prohibited but compact tripods/monopods are generally tolerated.
Opening hours: 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM (summer); 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM (winter). Closed during the annual winter maintenance period (usually January-February; check current status).
Getting there: Bus from Datong city center (约40分钟); taxi (¥40-60 one way); organized tour.
Hanging Monastery (悬空寺)
Located 65 km south of Datong, in a ravine on Hengshan Mountain (恒山), the Hanging Monastery (悬空寺) clings to a cliff face at what appears to be an impossible angle. Founded in 491 CE (Northern Wei dynasty, the same period as Yungang), the structure has been rebuilt and expanded multiple times through the centuries.
The monastery combines Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian elements in the same complex — one of the few examples in China of the explicit coexistence of all three traditions under one roof. The Three Sages’ Hall (三教殿) contains figures of Confucius, Buddha, and Laozi placed together, representing the philosophical “Three Teachings” (三教) that defined classical Chinese civilization.
The engineering: The monastery is supported by wooden beams driven into the cliff face and supplemented by brackets underneath. The structure has survived 1,500 years of mountain weather through a combination of structural ingenuity and the protection provided by the cliff overhang.
Visiting: The narrowness of the monastery’s galleries (some only wide enough for one person) means crowding is significant during peak periods. Visit on weekdays or in off-season.
Entry: ¥130. Closed on Tuesdays. Getting there: About 1.5 hours from Datong by road; typically combined with Hengshan Mountain.
Hengshan Mountain (恒山)
One of China’s Five Sacred Mountains (五岳), Hengshan is the “Northern Sacred Mountain” (北岳). The mountain is less visited than the more famous Taishan (Eastern) and Huashan (Western) and retains a more austere, less commercialized character.
The main temple complex (Hengshan Temple area, 恒山庙群) occupies a series of terraces on the mountain’s eastern face. Several Taoist temples are active, and the combination of religious atmosphere, mountain scenery, and relative quietude is genuinely rewarding.
Hiking: Several trails ascend from the cable car terminal or from lower starting points. The main trail to the main temples takes 2-3 hours; more challenging routes continue to higher peaks.
Datong Ancient City
In recent years, Datong has undertaken an ambitious restoration of its ancient city walls (大同古城). The rebuilt walls (complete circuit, original Ming dynasty design) and the reconstructed ancient city center have created one of northern China’s most impressive heritage redevelopment projects.
Ancient City Wall: The restored wall circuit is approximately 7.3 km, with four gates at the cardinal directions. Walking the top of the walls offers views over the ancient city and the surrounding region.
Drum Tower and Bell Tower: Reconstructed to Ming dynasty specifications in the center of the ancient city.
Hua Yan Monastery (华严寺): Dating to the Liao dynasty (907-1125 CE), this is one of northern China’s most important surviving Buddhist monastery complexes. The Main Hall (大雄宝殿) is the largest preserved wooden structure from the Liao dynasty and houses extraordinary Tang/Liao-era Buddhist sculptures with unusually expressive naturalistic faces.
Shanhua Monastery (善化寺): Another Liao dynasty monastery in the ancient city, slightly smaller than Hua Yan but with remarkable examples of Liao/Jin dynasty sculptural art.
Practical Information
Getting to Datong:
- High-speed train from Beijing: Approximately 2 hours via Datong-Zhangjiakou HSR line
- High-speed train from Taiyuan (Shanxi capital): 1.5-2 hours
- By air: Datong Yungang Airport has domestic connections to major cities
Best Time to Visit:
- Summer (June-August): Good weather for the mountain and monastery; caves are hot and crowded in August
- Autumn (September-October): Excellent — clear skies, moderate temperatures, fall color on Hengshan
- Winter (December-February): Cold (below freezing), but dramatically fewer visitors. The caves are stunning with fewer crowds. Check for closures.
Accommodation: Datong has several business hotels and budget options; the area near the ancient city center is convenient for exploring on foot. International chains are limited.
Duration: 2 full days minimum to see Yungang, Hanging Monastery/Hengshan, and the ancient city; 3 days is more comfortable.
Combined itinerary: Datong pairs well with the Shanxi historical circuit — Taiyuan (Shanxi Museum), Pingyao Ancient City (世界遗产, remarkably preserved Ming-Qing dynasty walled town), and Mount Wutai (五台山, one of China’s four sacred Buddhist mountains) all within 2-3 hours of Datong.
Datong is proof that China’s most significant historical sites are not always its most visited ones. The Yungang Grottoes are in the same category of importance as Angkor Wat or Khajuraho — large-scale Buddhist art at the highest level of artistic achievement. The relatively small number of international visitors means the site retains an atmosphere of contemplation appropriate to its original purpose.