Sited west of Datong City, Shanxi Province, Yungang Grottoes were cut against hills, extending 1km from east to west. Now existing there are 53 grottoes with more than 51,000 statues, being one of the largest stone grotto groups of our country. First dug in the first year of the Heping Period of the Northern Wei Dynasty (460), most of them were completed in the eighteenth year of the Taihe Period (494) before the capital was moved to Luoyang. The highest Buddha statue measures 17m, while the smallest one several centimeters.

The grottoes are well spoken of for their statures with magnificent vision and content richness, and the bodhisattvas, men of unusual strength and flying Apsaras are of vivid and lively image, especially the groups of flying Apsaras on the panel caisson are of a naturally graceful gesture while flying and dancing in the sky. Their sculpture art has inherited and developed the artistic tradition from the Qin-Han times, as well as absorbed and fused with the cream of the art from the outside, occupying an important position in the art history of our country. In 2001 they were included in the “World Cultural Heritage List”.