Datong - Yungang Grottoes: May the thousand caves bring you peace and happiness!

Here is a travel guide to the Yungang Grottoes that I have compiled. I hope it will be helpful for your trip: The Yungang Grottoes are located on the southern slope of Wuzhou Mountain, about 16 km west of Datong City, Shanxi Province. It is one of the four major grottoes in China. It was built in the 5th century AD and has been excavated from the Northern Wei Dynasty to the Sui and Tang Dynasties. There are 45 main caves, 252 small caves, and more than 51,000 stone statues. It is not only a treasure trove of Buddhist art, but also an important place for the study of ancient history, culture, and art. 2. Transportation Guide • From Datong City: • Bus: Take bus No. 31, No. 12, etc. to the scenic area. • Taxi: The journey takes about 30 minutes and costs about CNY 30. • From other cities: • Taiyuan: Enter the Erguang Expressway Dayun Section (G55) from the Dadongguan entrance and head north to Datong Ring Expressway. Exit the expressway at Yungang and go west along Yungang Road to Yungang Scenic Area. • Beijing: Enter the Jingzang Expressway (G6) from the Qinghe Toll Station, and go along the Jingzhang Expressway (G110) - Xuanda Expressway (G109) - Sunyou Expressway - Datong Ring Expressway - Provincial Highway 339 to Yungang Grottoes Scenic Area. • Hohhot: Go east along the Jingxin Expressway (G110) to Jining, and go south along the Erguang Expressway (Jifeng Expressway Section) to Datong Ring Expressway. Exit the expressway at Yungang and go west along Yungang Road to the scenic area. 3. Ticket Information • Ticket Price: • Peak season (April 1 to October 31): Full price ticket CNY 120, half price ticket CNY 60. • Off season (November 1 to March 31 of the following year): Full price ticket CNY 100, half price ticket CNY 50. • Free Ticket Policy: • Free tickets are available for seniors aged 60 and above, active military personnel (including military school teachers and students), disabled military personnel, disabled persons, tour guides, and children aged 6 and below or with a height of 1.2 meters and below. • Ticket Purchase: The Yungang Grottoes Scenic Area has fully implemented real-name reservation for visits. You can make a reservation and purchase tickets through the official website of the scenic area or related platforms. 4. Visiting Time • Opening Hours: From November 1, the opening hours will be adjusted to 8:30 to 16:30 every day, and the ticket gate will be closed at 16:50. • Recommended Visiting Time: It is recommended to reserve at least half a day. If you want to visit in depth, you can arrange a whole day. 5. Visiting Route • East Line: Start from Cave 1, visit Cave 2, Cave 3, etc. in turn, and end at Cave 5. • Middle Line: Start from Cave 6, visit Cave 7, Cave 8, etc. in turn, and end at Cave 12. • West Line: Start from Cave 13, visit Cave 14, Cave 15, etc. in turn, and end at Cave 45. • Recommended Route: From east to west, visit the Five Caves of Tanyao first to feel the grandeur of the Northern Wei Dynasty; stroll along the Avenue of Worship to admire the stone elephants and lotus thrones; enter the grottoes to appreciate the Buddha statues and murals; finally, visit the Yungang Museum and Study to learn about the historical development and artistic features. 6. Recommended Attractions • Cave 20: The most representative Buddha statues and beautiful murals. The open-air Buddha is the iconic landscape of the Yungang Grottoes. • Cave 18: Shows the diversity and refinement of early stone carving art. • Cave 6: Known as the "First Great Cave", the central tower pillar in the cave is exquisitely carved and is one of the representatives of the Yungang Grottoes. 7. Accommodation and Dining • Accommodation: There are many affordable hotels and characteristic inns in Datong City to choose from. • Dining: The delicacies of Datong are not to be missed, such as mutton soup, oat noodles, knife-cut noodles, fried pork, etc. The local specialties will definitely satisfy your taste buds. 8. Notes • Wear comfortable shoes and clothes, as the visiting route is long and you need to climb stairs. • Pay attention to sun protection, as the ultraviolet rays in Datong are strong. • Protect cultural relics, and do not touch or carve them at will. • Arrange your time reasonably, and slowly savor the artistic charm of each cave to feel the accumulation of thousands of years of history.