Datong · history museum
Yungang Grottoes Museum (云冈石窟博物馆, Yúngǎng Shíkū Bówùguǎn)
The Yungang Grottoes Museum (云冈石窟博物馆) is at the Yungang Grottoes site near Datong in Shanxi. Yungang is one of China's four great Buddhist cave temple sites, containing 51,000+ Buddhist images carved between 460-525 CE during the Northern Wei Dynasty.
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Quick Answer
Is Yungang Grottoes Museum worth visiting?
One of China's four great Buddhist cave temple sites — Yungang (云冈石窟) with 51,000+ Buddhist images carved 460-525 CE. ¥120.
Quick facts
| Category | history |
|---|---|
| Ticket | ¥120 (includes cave and museum). |
| Hours | 8:30-18:00. Open year-round. |
| Recommended duration | 2-3 hours. |
| Best time to visit | April through October. Summer best. |
| How to get there | Bus from Datong city center (¥3). From Pingyao by high-speed train: 2 hours. |
| English signage | partial |
Why visit
Yungang is one of China's four great cave temple sites and the Northern Wei Buddhist art here influenced all subsequent Chinese Buddhist art.
Collection highlights
- 51,000+ Buddhist cave images
- Northern Wei Buddhist art
- Cave 1-45 major caves
Tips
- Combine with the Yungang Grottoes and Pingyao in a Shanxi itinerary
Frequently asked questions
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Other things to do in Datong
Hanging Temple (Xuankong Temple)
A 1,500-year-old temple fused into a sheer cliff face 75 meters above the ground — the only temple in China combining Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian halls. ¥130. 1–1.5 hours.
Huayan Temple
A pair of Liao-dynasty (907–1125) wooden temples holding one of China's largest surviving ancient halls and a celebrated 1,000-year-old smiling bodhisattva. ¥65. 1.5–2 hours.
Mount Wutai
Holiest Buddhist mountain — 53 temples, Manjusri bodhisattva's seat. UNESCO site. ¥135 entry. Cool summer retreat at 3,058 m. From Datong or Taiyuan.
Nine-Dragon Wall
China's oldest and largest Nine-Dragon Wall — 45.5 m of Ming glazed tile built in 1392 for a prince's mansion, viewable in about 30 minutes. Pair it with Huayan Monastery around the corner.
Yingxian Wooden Pagoda (Sakyamuni Pagoda of Fogong Temple)
A 67-meter all-timber pagoda built in 1056 without a single nail — the oldest and tallest surviving wooden pagoda in the world, 70 km south of Datong. ¥60. 60–90 minutes, but only the ground floor is climbable today.
Yungang Grottoes
51,000 Buddhist statues carved into 252 caves across a 1 km sandstone cliff — the largest 5th-century rock-cut temple complex in the world. UNESCO. ¥120. 3–4 hours.
Yungang Grottoes
A ~1-km sandstone cliff holding some 51,000 Buddhist carvings begun in 460 AD under the Northern Wei — allow 3–4 hours, and arrive before 10:00 to beat the tour-bus waves.