第1个回答 2024-04-24
Located approximately sixteen kilometers west of Datong, Shanxi Province, the Yungang Caves are among China's four most renowned "Buddhist Cave Art Treasure Houses." These caves, primarily carved during the Northern Wei Dynasty from 460 to 494 AD, feature over 51,000 stone sculptures within 53 caves. Stretching one kilometer from east to west, the caves are divided into three main groups.
The first group, which includes Caves 1, 2, 3, and 4, is situated at the eastern end and is distinct from the others. Cave 1 and Cave 2 have withstood the test of time and weather, while Cave 3, added post-Northern Wei Dynasty, is the largest among the Yungang caves.
The second group, from Cave 5 to Cave 13, is typically where tours begin. This group exemplifies the finest Yungang art. Cave 5 boasts a 17-meter-tall seated Buddha, while Cave 6 features a 15-meter-high two-story pagoda pillar at its center. The walls of the pagoda and the sides of the cave are carved with the life of the Buddha from birth to his attainment of nirvana. Cave 7 contains a carving of a Bodhisattva, and Cave 8 is notable for a rare Shiva Statue with eight arms, four heads, and a bull as its mount. Caves 9 and 10 are known for their front pillars and figures holding musical instruments, with musicians playing instruments also depicted in Cave 12. Cave 13 features a Buddha statue with a large figure supporting its right arm.
The third group comprises the remaining caves. Cave 14 has been severely eroded, and Cave 15, named the Cave of Ten Thousand Buddhas, is part of this group. Caves 16 to 20 form the oldest complex, each symbolizing a Northern Wei Dynasty emperor and embodying the theme of "Emperor is the Buddha." Caves 21 and beyond were constructed in later times and cannot compare to the better-preserved earlier caves in terms of preservation.