North China

Yungang Grottoes Travel Guide

Yungang Five Caves · Cave 20 Great Buddha · Hanging Temple

The Yungang Grottoes are a group of caves excavated by the Northern Wei royal family, and along with Dunhuang and Longmen, are renowned. The giant Buddha of the five caves of Tan Yao provides firsthand material for studying Northern Wei sculpture. It takes about one to two days to visit, often combined with a tour of the Hanging Temple and the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda.

Customized according to this destination View related routes

This site only handles information compilation and itinerary design; prices and bookings are based on final confirmation.

Destination Details

Key facts

Best seasonMay–Oct

Suggested stay1–2 days

Key highlightsCloud Bright Five Caves · Cave 20 Open-Air Great Buddha · Hanging Temple · Ying County Wooden Pagoda

TrafficDatong South High-Speed Rail Station, city buses directly reach Yungang

Admission ticketYungang Grottoes tickets; Hanging Temple admission charged separately

The value of Yungang lies in the fact that it marks the turning point of Chinese grottoes from Western Regions styles to Central Plains styles: early sculptures carry shadows of Gandhara and Gupta, while in the later periods they evolved into Han-style with broad robes and long sashes. Around Datong, there are also two unique structures: the Hanging Monastery and the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda.

Key Highlights

Tanyao Caves 5—16–20

Carved during the reign of Emperor Wencheng of the Northern Wei, the five large Buddha statues represent five emperors.

Cave 20 Open-Air Giant Buddha

The 13.7-meter-high seated Buddha is the iconic image of Yungang.

Hanging Monastery

A wooden temple built on the cliff wall of Jinyong Gorge on Mount Heng, 50 meters above the ground, standing for 1,500 years.

Yingxian Wooden Pagoda

A Liao Dynasty wooden pagoda, 67.31 meters tall, one of the tallest wooden structures in the world.

Recommended Stay & Route

Recommended stay: 1–2 days.
It's more efficient to link with other destinations in the same area; see “Extended Routes” and “Province” below for reference.

Local Tips

Visits to the Hanging Monastery are limited; during peak season, advance booking is required. When not open, you can admire it from below the cliff.
Photography and touching are prohibited inside the grottoes. The lighting relies on natural light, best in the morning.
Combining with Mount Wutai and Pingyao makes for the smoothest 6–7 day Shanxi itinerary.

Province

This entry belongs to Shanxi (2 ready-made routes available), where you can compare all the itineraries in the province from the province page.