Beijing Expert

Heritage: Yungang Caves

From thumb-sized figurines to a 17m colossus, the Buddhist carvings at Yungang are one of the most spectacular holy sites in China.

Clustered in groups, the Yungang Caves (yúngǎng shíkū 云冈石窟) are meant to be viewed as a whole. This endeavor will take a few hours, but considering the carvings took almost half a century and 40,000 laborers to complete, the few hours spent exploring these majestic caves is time well-spent. Of the numerous artistic masterpieces that Buddhism has germinated in China in the past 2,000 years, the caves at Yungang are among the most profound.

The caves are located 16km west of Datong in northern Shanxi Province. A notch south of Inner Mongolia, this strategic location was once a cultural crossroad, with influences from India, Central Asia and Mongolia. In AD 368 a group called the Tangut (tuòbá拓跋) made Datong the capital of their Northern Wei dynasty. The Tanguts were fervent Buddhists and began work on the caves in 453, ending around 494 when the Northern Wei moved their capital to Luoyang and continued their devotional work at the Longmen Caves.

Over the centuries, the region’s fortunes have wavered. Datong is now an industrial city and an important coal production center. Situated on the Loess Plateau, the old capital is sometimes referred to as the “Sea of Coal.” Convoys of coal-laden trucks and swarms of bicycles clog the flat road to the mountain.

Once out of the city the traffic begins to thin out and the Wuzhou Hills ripple into view. Stone watch towers that have guarded China’s northern border for thousands of years are silhouetted against the horizon. Amid such sparse surroundings, caves full of Buddhas in fanciful poses come into view. Though the caves are famous for their depictions of the Buddha, other celestial beings are also represented. There are minutely detailed bodhisattvas and apsaras. Some caves are guarded by stone soldiers and others are covered with exuberant designs painted onto walls and ceilings.

The caves extend 1km from east to west and are divided into three major clusters. The grouping of the caves is seemingly haphazard, but it’s possible to follow stylistic changes in the carvings as influences ebbed and flowed. Persian, Indian, even Greek and Byzantine influences can be seen in the rock carvings from the weapons, music instruments and clothing displayed. (more…)

Once a remote outpost reached only by the most pious of pilgrims who traveled for months with wills steeled by devotion, Wutai Shan remains a hidden treasure for those seeking true contemplation.

Wutai Shan’s name means “five terraces,” which accurately describes the five flat peaks of this sacred spot – north, east, south, west and central peak. In the quiet valleys between the peaks lay a smattering of ancient temples, twisting trails and awe-inspiring views.

The major sights at Wutai Shan are rather spread out, forcing one to indulge in the gorgeous scenery that surrounds the five terraces. This also means that no one sight is overwhelmed with tour groups. Wutai Shan’s temples are an eclectic mix of Han Buddhist and Tibetan and Mongolian Lamaist traditions, making the mountain one of the best places in China to view Buddhist architecture. (more…)

Heritage: the Ancient City of Pingyao

The past is alive in Pingyao. Whereas other cities have embraced modernity often at the expense of their historical heritage, Pingyao tenaciously holds onto its past.

As dawn breaks and the morning sun bathes Pingyao’s gray city walls in warm tones, you find yourself flung back in time, as your eyes behold a Ming dynasty fortress in all its imposing glory. Watchtowers, cast iron cannons, intimidating wooden gates and sturdy walls render an impenetrable feel. And then the city wakes up. Narrow alleys that coil around time-honored courtyard homes fill up with its 480,000 denizens. Shops open their doors to reveal modern cashier equipment perched on antique tabletops. Bustling about are bicycles, rickshaws and scooters. Here in Pingyao, modernity lives with centuries old relics.

The old walled city is an architectural treasure trove. Civic buildings, private homes and streets are well preserved in Ming and Qing styles. Few buildings rise above two stories. Several are adorned with splendid eave roofs, intricately latticed windows, hand-painted glass lanterns and ornate wood. (more…)

Inner Mongolia has the lure of open grassy plains, herds of horses and sheep roaming freely while nomadic herdsmen watch over their flock, and a stretch of blue sky that eventually touches the green plains far off in the horizon.

Hohhot, the capital of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, may not immediately stir images of a rough and ready frontier, but what this cosmopolitan city does offer is a gateway to the majesty of the grasslands which lie just beyond the city. The sights within the city shouldn’t be dismissed either. Once a political and cultural center, the relics of the past are strewn throughout. More than 36 ethnic groups live in Hohhot’s confines, with Mongolians making up about 9% of the population.

Bone fragments of early humans who lived in the area as early as 500,000 years ago have been found; these early ancestors are thought to be contemporaries of Peking Man. The first permanent establishment began about 2,300 years ago during the Warring States Period when the King of Zhao built the city – Yunzhong in the area. The merger of a 16th century Mongolian settlement and a city founded by Ming emperor Wanli has become present day Hohhot.

Though no longer apparent, the city was once a center of Buddhism with over 50 temples, although many are now in ruins. The Dazhao Temple (dàzhāo 大召), “zhao” means temple in Mongolian, was built in 1580 and is home to a 2.5m tall silver Buddha which the 3rd Dalai Lama came to personally bless in 1586. The 30,000m² complex is an interesting mix of Tibetan and Han architectural traditions.

The Xilitu Temple (xílìtú zhāo 席力图召), only 100m away from the Dazhao Temple is the largest and prettiest temple. It was built from 1567 to 1619 and has seen continual expansion. The 4th Dalai Lama’s teacher was the former abbot of this Lama temple and upon the accession of the 4th Dalai Lama; the temple was greatly expanded in honor of his teacher. The temple complex is mostly of traditional Han Chinese design, but the Dajing Hall (dàjīng táng 大经堂) features Tibetan styling. In the southeast corner is a 15m high tower. During the regularly held Buddhist festivals, colorful dancers wear intricate Tibetan style masks. (more…)