Yungang Grottoes
雲岡石窟 · 청 구 (다퉁 시)
ancient Chinese Buddhist temple grottoes in Shanxi
Contents
8 sections · tap a section for its opening lines1Yungang Grottoes2:13
Welcome to the Yungang Grottoes, a monumental ensemble of Buddhist cave art located near Datong in Shanxi Province. As we stand here at the base of the sandstone cliffs of Mount Wuzhou, you are looking at one of the three most…
Listen in the app2The Thousand Buddha Pillars & Entrance1:47
As we approach the main grotto area, we pass through a magnificent avenue of the Thousand Buddha Pillars. Each pair of these pillars is traditionally said to represent one of the thirteen schools of Buddhism. …
Listen in the app3Cave 3 — The Lingan Cave1:32
Cave 3, also known as the Lingan Cave or the Great Buddha Cave, is the largest Grotto in Yungang, measuring about twenty-five meters long and fifteen meters high. It was originally intended to house a massive pagoda, but the…
Listen in the app4Caves 5 & 6 — The Story of Buddha1:43
Caves 5 and 6 form a magnificent twin cave system, famous for their well-preserved carvings and the wooden structures that protect them. Cave 5 is home to the 'Great Buddha,' a seventeen-meter-high seated statue that is the…
Listen in the app5Cave 13 — The Maitreya & The Support Guardian1:39
Cave 13 is a large-scale statue cave with a distinctive vaulted ceiling. The central figure is a massive Maitreya Bodhisattva, seated with legs crossed. …
Listen in the app6Caves 18 & 19 — Imperial Repentance & The High Five1:35
Caves 18 and 19 are part of the original 'Five Caves of Tanyao,' the earliest and most imperial of the grottoes. Cave 18 is believed to represent the Emperor Taiwu. …
Listen in the app7Cave 20 — The Open-Air Vairochana Buddha1:41
We conclude our specific cave visits at Cave 20, home to the most famous image of the Yungang Grottoes: the giant seated Vairochana Buddha. Originally, this Buddha was enclosed within a cave, but centuries ago, the front wall and…
Listen in the app8Closing1:32
As we stand back and look at the entire sweep of the Yungang Grottoes, I hope you feel the weight of sixteen hundred years of history. We have seen the 'Imperial Will' transformed into stone, from the repentance of emperors in…
Listen in the app
What is Yungang Grottoes?
Yungang Grottoes is a place in 청 구 (다퉁 시) with 8 story sections on Tellby. You can read the opening of each section on this page; the sound plays in the app.
| Location | 청 구 (다퉁 시) |
|---|---|
| Type | Heritage |
| Story sections | 8 |
| Total length | 13 min 42 s in all |
| Text language | English |
| Coordinates | 40.1097, 113.1222 |
| Last updated |
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