China's Shanxi Makes Great Efforts to Protect and Study Yungang Grottoes

　April 23, 2025
China's Shanxi Makes Great Efforts to Protect and Study Yungang Grottoes

Wang Yanqing (L), a staff member of the research institute of the Yungang Grottoes, conducts an archaeological investigation at the grottoes in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province, April 15, 2025. Yungang Grottoes was built during the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534). It is considered a pinnacle of Chinese Buddhist art and represents the highest level of sculptural artistry in the world during the 5th century.

In recent years, Shanxi has made great efforts to protect and study the grottoes. In 2021, the research institute of the Yungang Grottoes was established for the protection, research and management of the Yungang Grottoes.

Since 2003, the UNESCO World Heritage Site has started the digitization of its 45 major caves and more than 59,000 stone statues that are threatened by weathering. Cutting-edge technology has been used to record details of the Buddhist artworks, paving the way for their 3D digital reconstruction.

At present, the Yungang Grottoes scenic area has upgraded tourist facilities and offers various educational programs, receiving 4.44 million trips in 2024. [Xinhua/Yang Chenguang]

   

China's Shanxi Makes Great Efforts to Protect and Study Yungang Grottoes
Sun Lina, a staff member of the research institute of the Yungang Grottoes, dusts a cultural relic of the grottoes at the institute in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province, April 15, 2025. [Xinhua/Zhan Yan]

 

China's Shanxi Makes Great Efforts to Protect and Study Yungang Grottoes
A tourist selects cultural and creative products at a shop near Yungang Grottoes in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province, April 16, 2025. [Xinhua/Zhan Yan]

 

China's Shanxi Makes Great Efforts to Protect and Study Yungang Grottoes
Actors dressed in costume interact with tourists at Yungang Grottoes in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province, April 15, 2025. [Xinhua/Zhan Yan]

 

China's Shanxi Makes Great Efforts to Protect and Study Yungang Grottoes
Tourists visit Yungang Grottoes in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province, April 15, 2025. [Xinhua/Zhan Yan]

 

China's Shanxi Makes Great Efforts to Protect and Study Yungang Grottoes
Tourists visit Yungang Grottoes in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province, April 16, 2025. [Xinhua/Zhan Yan]

 

China's Shanxi Makes Great Efforts to Protect and Study Yungang Grottoes
An Yongfang (L) and Wei Songlin, staff members of the research institute of the Yungang Grottoes, prepare for a study tour activity at the institute in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province, April 15, 2025. [Xinhua/Yang Chenguang]

 

China's Shanxi Makes Great Efforts to Protect and Study Yungang Grottoes
Zhang Fan, a staff member of the research institute of the Yungang Grottoes, dissolves the sample of the grottoes wall at the institute in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province, April 16, 2025. [Xinhua/Yang Chenguang]

 

China's Shanxi Makes Great Efforts to Protect and Study Yungang Grottoes
Li Pengfei, a staff member of the research institute of the Yungang Grottoes, restores porcelain of the grottoes at the institute in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province, April 15, 2025. [Xinhua/Zhan Yan]

 

China's Shanxi Makes Great Efforts to Protect and Study Yungang Grottoes
Pan Bo (R), a staff member of the research institute of the Yungang Grottoes, collects data at the grottoes in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province, April 16, 2025. [Xinhua/Zhan Yan]

 

China's Shanxi Makes Great Efforts to Protect and Study Yungang Grottoes
Huang Yifan (L), a staff member of the research institute of the Yungang Grottoes, collects data at the grottoes in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province, April 16, 2025. [Xinhua/Yang Chenguang]

 

China's Shanxi Makes Great Efforts to Protect and Study Yungang Grottoes
Dai Yuxiang, a staff member of the research institute of the Yungang Grottoes, restores a mural of the grottoes at the institute in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province, April 15, 2025. [Xinhua/Yang Chenguang]

 

China's Shanxi Makes Great Efforts to Protect and Study Yungang Grottoes
Wang Na, a staff member of the research institute of the Yungang Grottoes, displays a 3D-printed Buddha statue at an exhibition hall of the institute in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province, April 16, 2025. [Xinhua/Yang Chenguang]

 

China's Shanxi Makes Great Efforts to Protect and Study Yungang Grottoes
Children visit Yungang Grottoes under the guidance of their teachers in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province, April 16, 2025. [Xinhua/Zhan Yan]

 

China's Shanxi Makes Great Efforts to Protect and Study Yungang Grottoes
Wang Yanqing (L) and Ma Junyu, staff members of the research institute of the Yungang Grottoes, conduct an archaeological investigation at the grottoes in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province, April 15, 2025. [Xinhua/Yang Chenguang]

 

China's Shanxi Makes Great Efforts to Protect and Study Yungang Grottoes
A staff member of the research institute of the Yungang Grottoes restores ironware of the grottoes at the institute in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province, April 15, 2025. [Xinhua/Zhan Yan]

 

China's Shanxi Makes Great Efforts to Protect and Study Yungang Grottoes
Zhang Fan, a staff member of the research institute of the Yungang Grottoes, analyzes the sample of the grottoes wall at the institute in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province, April 16, 2025. [Xinhua/Yang Chenguang]

 

China's Shanxi Makes Great Efforts to Protect and Study Yungang Grottoes
Zhang Fan, a staff member of the research institute of the Yungang Grottoes, weighs the sample of the grottoes wall at the institute in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province, April 16, 2025. [Xinhua/Yang Chenguang]

 

China's Shanxi Makes Great Efforts to Protect and Study Yungang Grottoes
A staff member of the research institute of the Yungang Grottoes conducts an archaeological investigation at the grottoes in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province, April 16, 2025. [Xinhua/Zhan Yan]

 

China's Shanxi Makes Great Efforts to Protect and Study Yungang Grottoes
A staff member of the research institute of the Yungang Grottoes restores broken porcelain of the grottoes at the institute in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province, April 15, 2025. [Xinhua/Zhan Yan]

 

China's Shanxi Makes Great Efforts to Protect and Study Yungang Grottoes
Dai Yuxiang, a staff member of the research institute of the Yungang Grottoes, chooses tools to restore a mural of the grottoes at the institute in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province, April 15, 2025. [Xinhua/Yang Chenguang]

 

China's Shanxi Makes Great Efforts to Protect and Study Yungang Grottoes
Dai Yuxiang, a staff member of the research institute of the Yungang Grottoes, restores a mural of the grottoes at the institute in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province, April 15, 2025. [Xinhua/Yang Chenguang]

 

China's Shanxi Makes Great Efforts to Protect and Study Yungang Grottoes
Liu Quanyi, a staff member of the research institute of the Yungang Grottoes, restores porcelain of the grottoes at the institute in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province, April 15, 2025. [Xinhua/Zhan Yan]

 

China's Shanxi Makes Great Efforts to Protect and Study Yungang Grottoes
Tourists visit Yungang Grottoes in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province, April 16, 2025. [Xinhua/Zhan Yan]

 

China's Shanxi Makes Great Efforts to Protect and Study Yungang Grottoes
Sun Lina, a staff member of the research institute of the Yungang Grottoes, restores ironware of the grottoes at the institute in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province, April 15, 2025. [Xinhua/Zhan Yan]

 

China's Shanxi Makes Great Efforts to Protect and Study Yungang Grottoes
An aerial drone photo shows a panoramic view of Yungang Grottoes in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province, Nov. 7, 2024. [Xinhua/Yang Chenguang]

 

China's Shanxi Makes Great Efforts to Protect and Study Yungang Grottoes
This photo shows 3D-printed Buddha statues at an exhibition hall of the research institute of the Yungang Grottoes in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province, April 16, 2025. [Xinhua/Yang Chenguang]

 

China's Shanxi Makes Great Efforts to Protect and Study Yungang Grottoes
Wang Chao (L), a staff member of the research institute of the Yungang Grottoes, collects data at the grottoes in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province, April 16, 2025. [Xinhua/Yang Chenguang]

 

China's Shanxi Makes Great Efforts to Protect and Study Yungang Grottoes
A staff member of the research institute of the Yungang Grottoes dusts a cultural relic of the grottoes at the institute in Datong, north China's Shanxi Province, April 15, 2025. [Xinhua/Zhan Yan]

 


(Source: Xinhua)

Editor: Wang Shasha

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