Rescuing The Ancient Buddhist Artifacts of The Yungang Grottoes

THE EPOCH TIMES
By April Holloway

Photo: One of the Buddha statues at Yungang Grottoes in Datong, China.

CHINA---The Yungang Grottoes are ancient Chinese Buddhist temple grottoes near the city of Datong in the province of Shanxi. They are excellent examples of rock-cut architecture and one of the three most famous ancient Buddhist sculptural sites of China. With their 252 caves and 51,000 statues, the Yungang Grottoes represent the outstanding achievement of Buddhist cave art in China in the 5th and 6th centuries and the power and endurance of Buddhist belief in China. The colossal Buddhist statues that sit within the Cliffside caves have survived the rise and fall of dynasties, wars, and revolutions, but it is the harmful effects of modern-day living, including industrial pollution, which is the greatest threat to these ancient wonders, according to reports. [link]