Yungang Grottoes in Datong City, Shanxi Province

The "Yungang Grottoes" are located in Datong City, Shanxi Province, China. Historical evidence indicates that the construction of the Yungang Grottoes began during the reign of Emperor Wen Cheng around 460 AD and continued until 524 AD during the reign of Emperor Xiao Ming of the Northern Wei Dynasty. The construction spanned over 60 years, giving the site a history of more than 1,500 years. The grottoes stretch 1 kilometer from east to west and include 45 large caves, 252 smaller niches carved into the rock, and over 59,000 sculptures both inside and outside the caves. Among these, the Buddha statue in Cave No. 5 stands out as the largest. It is a seated Buddha in a meditative pose, measuring 17.40 meters in height. In 2001, the Yungang Grottoes were designated as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site.