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Yungang Grottoes get tech boost

Researchers and restorers study 1,600-year-old historical site to both protect and deepen knowledge

China Daily | Updated: 2024-07-27 10:02

Visitors admire the precious relics both inside and outside the caves at Yungang Grottoes, Datong, Shanxi province, on July 15. Having more than 59,000 sculptures and statues and 45 major caves that survive to date, Yungang Grottoes was created under authorization of the Northern Wei (386-534) rulers. The decorative patterns, architectural styles and features of the figures there signify a mixture of various cultures along the Silk Road with Chinese tradition and craftsmanship, and showcase how Buddhism got localized in ancient China. The tallest statue is 17 meters in height, while the smallest is just 2 centimeters.[Photo provided by Zhu Xingxin/China Daily]

Byzantine-styled copper goblets have been unearthed in the caves, and there have also been traces of Greek columns and Persian instruments.

"The Yungang Grottoes are a result of cultural exchanges between China and the rest of the world. When researching a multicultural hub like this, cross-disciplinary study is a consistent principle," says Sun Yu, professor of the College of Yungang Studies at Shanxi Datong University.

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