Yungang Buddha

Yungang Grottoes Buddhist art can be divided into three stages: early, middle, and late, according to the development of the grottoes' shape, content, and style. Early Grottoes: The current 16th to 20th caves, also known as the Five Caves of Tan Yao. According to the "Wei Shu Shi Lao Zhi" (Volume 114), "In the early years of peace, Master Xian died. Tan Yao replaced him and was renamed the monk. At first, Tan Yao was ordered to go to the capital from Zhongshan in the year of Fufa. When he met the emperor on the road, the horse bit Yao's clothes. People thought the horse recognized a good person, and the emperor later treated him as a teacher. Tan Yao told the emperor that he would dig five caves in the west of the capital, Wuzhou, and build a Buddha statue in each cave. The tallest was 70 feet, and the second was 60 feet. The sculptures were magnificent and the best in the world." The five caves mentioned in the text are the famous Five Caves of Tan Yao, which were built by the eminent monk Tan Yao in the beautiful Wuzhou Mountain, marking the beginning of the Yungang Grottoes. The 16th to 20th caves are the Five Caves of Tan Yao, symbolizing the emperor. The plane is horseshoe-shaped, with a dome top and a thousand Buddhas carved on the outer wall. The main statues are the Three Buddhas, which are tall, with round faces, high noses, deep eyes, and straight shoulders, showing a strong, thick, and simple style. The carving techniques inherited and developed the excellent traditions of the Han Dynasty, absorbed and integrated the essence of ancient Indian Gandhara and Mathura art, and created a unique artistic style.