What are the artistic characteristics of the Yungang Grottoes?

The statues are magnificent and colorful.

Yungang Grottoes is located in northern China, Shanxi Province, Datong City, 17 kilometers west of the southern foothills of Mount Wuzhoushan, the grottoes are carved out of the mountain, the east and west stretches 1 kilometer. There are 45 major caves, 252 large and small niches, stone statues of more than 51,000 bodies, one of the largest group of ancient grottoes in China, and Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang and Tianshui Maiji Mountain Grottoes and known as China's four major grottoes and treasures of art.

Yungang Grottoes statues magnificent, colorful content, known as the 5th century A.D. China's crown of the art of stone carving, known as China's ancient treasure trove of carving art. According to the time of excavation can be divided into early, middle and late three periods, different periods of the grottoes statue style also has its own characteristics.

Early "Tanya five grottoes" magnificent, with a thick, pure and simple Western mood. The mid-term grottoes are carved, decorated with gorgeous known in the world, showing the complexity of the Northern Wei Dynasty art style, opulent and varied. Late cave room size is small, but the figure is thin and handsome, proportionally moderate, is the example of northern China's grotto art and the origin of the "thin bones and clear like".

Expanded information:

Yungang Grottoes recorded the historical trajectory of the development of Buddhist art from India and Central Asia to the development of Buddhist art in China, and reflected the gradual secularization and nationalization of Buddhist statues in China. Reflects the gradual process of secularization and nationalization of Buddhist statues in China. A variety of Buddhist art statue style in the Yungang Grottoes to achieve an unprecedented integration.

Yungang Grottoes is the beginning of cave art "Chinese". Yungang middle caves appeared in the Chinese palace architecture style carving, and based on the development of Chinese-style Buddha niche, in later generations of the construction of cave temples have been widely used. Yungang late grottoes cave layout and decoration, more prominently displayed a strong Chinese architectural, decorative style, reflecting the "Chineseization" of Buddhist art continues to deepen.

Baidu Encyclopedia -- Yungang Grottoes