International content creators get close look at Yungang restoration

International content creators observe a craftsman restoring stone relics at the Yungang Grottoes on July 18 in Datong, Shanxi province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A visit to the Yungang Grottoes in Datong, Shanxi province, offered international creators a close look at both its ancient Buddhist art and ongoing conservation efforts. After touring a number of caves across the site, they observed specialists working carefully on Buddhist sculptures and surrounding surfaces in Caves 33 to 37.

Inside the conservation area, specialists examined Buddhist sculptures and surrounding surfaces, treating damaged sections little by little. Much of the work focused on details that were barely visible from a distance.

Veldesen Yaputra, an Indonesian content creator, said the experience helped him understand why conservation work can take so long. He said an area measuring about one square centimeter could require tens of minutes or even an hour, as conservators studied the original texture and worked to ensure that the repaired section did not appear out of place.

Work on the Yungang Grottoes began in 460 during the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534) and continued for about 150 years. The UNESCO World Heritage Site extends for about 1 kilometer and contains 45 major caves, 209 subsidiary caves and more than 59,000 statues.

Italian photographer Fabio Nodari was struck by the scale and precision of the original carving. Creating so many figures and intricate details directly in stone would have required an enormous amount of time and coordination, he said.

"When you work with stone and carve inside a cave, there is very little room for error," Nodari said.

Yaputra said tourism can help more people appreciate cultural heritage, but public access must be accompanied by effective protection so that the grottoes can be passed on to future generations.