Yungang Grottoes
Northern Wei carves giant Buddhas into the cliffs
Around 460, on the initiative of the monk Tanyao, caves with colossal Buddhas began to be carved into the sandstone cliffs near the Northern Wei capital Pingcheng. Within half a century there were more than 250 grottoes and some 51,000 statues — one of the first great monuments of Chinese Buddhist art.
Wikipedia (Russian) · Wikipedia (English) · 5th century
Meanwhile around the world (±25 years)
Europe
- 455 Vandals sack Rome — 5 years earlier
- 476 Fall of the Western Roman Empire — 16 years later
Middle East
- 451 Council of Chalcedon — 9 years earlier