Yungang Grottoes in Datong 28 June 2008
Ancient Chinese city Datong (大同市), situated in Shanxi (山西省) Province in China's central region near the Great Wall Pass to Inner Mongolia, has more than two thousand years of history and a current population of over 3 million people. The urban settlement was initially developed in 200BC during the Han Dysnay (206BC - 220AD), and blossomed when it became a stop-off point for camel caravans along the silk road. During the period following the collapse of the united and prosperous Han Dynasty, Datong served as the capital of Northern Wei, and it was during this period in the 5th centurey, the world heritage Yungang Grottoes (云冈石窟), located at the southern foot of Wuzhou Mountain 16 km west of Datong, were created. The whole project, led by Buddhist monk Tan Yao (昙曜) with nearly 40,000 people contributed their efforts, took 50 years to complete. Built against the Wuzhou Mountain, the grottes extend about 1 km from east to west. The east part is chiefly consistsed of Buddhist sputas, while most grottes in the centre have double-rooms, with a major statue in the middle and statuettes all over the cave walls and ceilings. As for the stone sculptures in the west, they were mainly added onto the site at later stages and in small scales with less significance.
With over 51,000 Buddha statues and statuettes in 252 caves, the Yungang Grottoes, one of the three greatest Buddhist cave sculpture sites in China, represensts a high achievement of Chinese rock-cut architecture and stone carving arts, and is renowned for the vigorous features and wide variety of themes, with the sizes ranging from 2 centimeters for a stone figurine to 17 metres for the giant Buddha statue, and the body postures including those happily dancing, joyfully flute / pipa playing, and engaging in a serious religious practice of praying or meditating. Pre: The
Best-Preserved Ancient City in China
Related:
More:
|
|
