UNESCO has a decent track record in choosing places worth seeing, and we headed off to one of their World Heritage sites, the Yungang Grottoes, first thing in the morning, hoping to be able to see these and The Hanging Temple in the same day, which is easily done from Datong.
Started in the 5th century Yungang is a series of caves and statues, with a real mix of size and intricacy. Some are delicate, some huge, some scary! Almost as impressive as the carvings themselves is the setting – a really well maintained visitor centre includes a brand new active temple, a lake offering boat rides and fantastic landscaping – along with a ‘tourist village’ at the end, almost worth going to in its own right.
On the day we went, one of the main caves was being renovated, but what was open was pretty impressive nonetheless. Here’s a few photos of Yungang’s riches, and those enjoying them.
<
An Unweeded Garden 
Posted on December 18, 2012
0