Silk Road Backpacking (China and Northern Pakistan): China

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Beijing

Day 5...30th Dec 2009...

Travel Expenses
*** Total: 340RMB per person ***
Cab to Hanging Monastery and Yungang Grottoes: 240RMB
Admission to Yungang Grottoes: 60RMB each
Food and Others: 20RMB each

Overnight Train from Datong to Xi'an: 140RMB each
*** Click for more trains details ***
~ Train Code: 2671
~ Type: Hard Sleeper (Lower Berth)
~ Departure: 4:40 pm
~ Arrival: 9:14 am
~ Travel Time: 16Hrs 34Mins (1,006km)

Arriving at Datong train station

Snow view enroute from Datong city to the Hanging Monastery, but in the end we didn't make it there due to heavy snowing, making the road impassable...

Yungang Grottoes
- Listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Listed as Hillman Wonder of the World (Bronze)

Yungang Grottoes were mainly constructed in the period between 460-525 AD during the Northern Wei Dynasty which adopted Buddhism as their state religion. Buddhism arrived here via the ancient North Silk Road, the northernmost route of about 2600 kilometres in length, which connected the ancient Chinese capital of Xi'an to the west to Wuwei and emerging in Kashgar before linking to ancient Parthia. Yungang Grottoes' designs can be traced to Indian, Persian and even Greece influence, making it stands out from the rest.

Entrance into Yungang Grottoes

Yungang Grottoes Cave 3
Seated Buddha flanked by two Bodhisattvas
~ 3D view of Yungang Grottoes Cave 3 ~

Yungang Grottoes Cave 5
17 metres tall seated Buddha, largest in Yungang Grottoes
~ 3D view of Yungang Grottoes Cave 5 ~

Yungang Grottoes Cave 7
~ 3D view of Yungang Grottoes Cave 7 ~

Yungang Grottoes Cave 9 and 10 Entrances
Carvings with Hindu influences
~ 3D view of Yungang Grottoes Cave 9 and 10 entrances ~

Yungang Grottoes Cave 11 to 19 Entrances

Yungang Grottoes Cave 11
~ 3D view of Yungang Grottoes Cave 11 ~

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Yungang Grottoes Cave 12
Delicate sculptural carvings
~ 3D view of Yungang Grottoes Cave 12 ~

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Yungang Grottoes Cave 13
15 metres tall seated Buddha, with a tiny four-armed guard supporting the right arm of the Buddha
~ 3D view of Yungang Grottoes Cave 13 ~

Yungang Grottoes Cave 19
Statue representing Emperor Wen Cheng

Yungang Grottoes Cave 20
14 metres tall seated Buddha, representing Emperor Dao Wu who is the founding emperor of Northern Wei Dynasty
~ 3D view of Yungang Grottoes Cave 20 ~