Yungang Grottoes
Da Tong, Shanxi
252 caves and roughly 51,000 Buddhist statues carved into a sandstone cliff face during the 5th and 6th centuries.
Why visit Yungang Grottoes?
Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2001, Yungang ranks among China's great Buddhist grotto sites alongside Dunhuang's Mogao Caves and Luoyang's Longmen Grottoes — with noticeably smaller crowds than either.
How to experience it
Budget at least half a day; the caves stretch along a cliff face roughly a kilometre long, and the largest statues (Cave 5 and 6) reward slow viewing.
Tip
Bring a flashlight or use your phone's — some caves are dimly lit and the smaller carved details are easy to miss.