Endless three-dimensional picture scrolls shuttling through thousands of years

Yungang Grottos is one of the three major grotto sites in China. It is located on the southern part of Wuzhou Mountain at the northern bank of Ten-miles River, about sixteen kilometers west of Datong City, Shanxi Province. The grottos extend about one kilometer from east to the west, and were all carved out of the mountain. The 254 extant grottoes consist of 45 major grottoes and more than 51,000 sculptures. Representing the highest level of world carved art in the fifth century, the Yungang Grottos is considered to be exemplary Chinese Buddhist art work at its finest. The site was listed on the first batch of Chinese key cultural relic preservation units in March, 1961 by the State Council. In December, 2001, Yungang Grottos was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and became one of the nation’s earliest 5A tourist areas in May, 2007.