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1997

Route in China (CHINA - Datong)

Bec
2004-09-19 16:52:51

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Datong
Inner Mongolia's grasslands are very much like Outer Mongolia's but the higher population density on the Chinese side becomes apparent soon after crossing the border; trees have been planted wherever there was enough shelter to give them a chance of survival.

Very soon cultivated fields are reached and it is obvious that we are now in China where population pressure makes it imperative to grow food wherever possible.

Re-entering China from Mongolia I decided to stop in Datong on my way to Xi'an to see the nearby Yungang caves carved by Buddhist monks during the Northern Wei Dynasty in the 5th century.

I was hoping to take an organized tour organized by CITS that would have included a visit to the "Hanging Monastery" some 75 kms south of here but they decided not to run it for I would have been the only client. CITS did however find me a bunk in the railway hotel where I dropped my bag not far from the station shown here.

There was no tour so I took a no. 2 bus to the western outskirts and then a no. 3 bus to Wuzhou Shan 16 kms out of town. Fifty three grottoes carved into the face of Wuzhou cliff before us contain over 51 000 stone sculptures.

On top of the cliff can be seen the remains of a huge 17th century Qing Dynasty mud brick fortress.

Starting from the west end, a succession of small caves leads to this 14 meter Buddha in cave No. 20 which is now no longer a cave but a depression exposed to the elements since the outer wall crumbled way.

Further east are several caves of various sizes and states of repair. Originally they were all protected by wooden structures similar to those seen still standing before caves 6 and 5 on the right.

It is said that the colours of these sculptures in cave No. 12 have not been retouched. I personally doubt that they could have remained so vivid after 15 centuries without a little help.

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