Carving China's own Buddhist tradition (2)

Today, 45 of more than 200 grottoes in Yungang are open to the public. Most were created before the empire relocated the capital from Pingcheng (today's Datong) to Luoyang in Henan Province in AD 494. While the huge deep caves on the east and middle were ordered by royals, smaller ones peppering the west are folk art from before AD 494. Do take a look at these smaller ones if you have time, you will still find many surprises that make you awed by the folk wisdom of ancients.

Yungang Grottoes stand out among the four main grotto complexes in China, not only for kaleidoscopic carvings of Buddha and Jataka (the previous lives of Buddha), flying deities and musicians and monks but also for blending traditional Chinese carving with Indian Gandhara art.

A gateway to the west, it is where Buddhist grotto art starts to show Chinese characteristics, with carvings of Chinese pavilions and shrines.

Depictions of Buddha also vary: from the early period's simple masculinity; to the details and lavish decoration of the middle period; to later slender, attractive statues, reflecting folk images for immortals. That created a template for grotto art in northern China, that prevailed until the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907).

It's also a good place to study ancient history, art, architecture and even music - it took me quite a while to identify musical instruments from a group sculpture. Some of them no longer exist.

It's quite amazing that Yungang, built into on a sandstone cliff that is easily weathered, remains a good condition, compared with other grottoes.

Small holes in the statues tell of later renovations. The largest was in the Liao Dynasty (907-1125) when multi-storied pavilions were built on the cliff face, covering the entrance to almost every larger cave, protecting the grottoes from the elements. Renovations also saw parts repaired and the eyes of statues decorated with black glaze.

As with other Chinese grottoes, many caves are scarred by looting by explorers who hacked off parts and shipped them to places such as Japan, France and the United States.

Despite this, Yungang Grottoes remains relatively intact, an enticing gem that continues to beguile millions of visitors every year.

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