杂志汇中国与非洲

Located in northeast China, the Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom, dating from the first century B.C. to the seventh century A.D., comprise archaeological remains of three cities and 40 tombs: Wunu Mountain City in Huanren Manchu Autonomous County in Liaoning Province, Guonei City, Wandu Mountain City, and the 40 tombs in Ji’an City, Jilin Province.

The Koguryo Kingdom was a regional power from 37 B.C. until the kingdom moved its capital to Pyongyang in 427. The three cities served as capitals of Koguryo during the early and middle period of the kingdom. Wunu Mountain City was the first capital of the Koguryo Kingdom. Surrounded by a defensive wall with three gates, the city included a palace, military camp, watch tower, houses and warehouses. Guonei City, now surrounded by the city of Ji’an, was built on the plain with a stone-built defensive wall and had separate palace and residential zones.

Wandu Mountain City, the only Koguryo mountain city capital whose general layout was planned with the large palace as its core, created a mountain city that perfectly combined the Koguryo culture with the natural environment. Guonei City and Wandu Mountain City were the economic, political and cultural centers of the Koguryo for hundreds of years. Both cities were damaged in wars and rebuilt several times, serving alternately as the capital.

The tombs of kings and nobles of the ancient Koguryo Kingdom are distributed in the Donggou Ancient Tombs Area of Wandu Mountain City. The burial chambers within were roofed with clay tiles. The tombs of the nobles have stone chambers covered with earth mounds and are decorated with wall paintings, depicting scenes of daily life, sports, hunting, nature, gods, fairies, and dragons.XINHUATIPS

Take note of danger-warning signage.

Hire a guide so as to learn more about the culture and history of the site.

INFO

Listed as a World Cultural Heritage Site in 2004

Location:

Around Ji’an City, Jilin Province, northeast China

Best Time to Visit:

All year roundYungang Grottoes

Yungang Grottoes are hailed as a miracle in Chinese art with time-honored history, large scale, rich contents and superb carvings. The whole Yungang Grottoes is dignified with prominent themes, and can be divided into east, central and west parts, and the niches are densely distributed like a honeycomb. The east section features pagodas; hence its name pagoda caves. Each grotto houses a Buddha, and basso-relievo covers cave walls and roofs. In the west section, small grottoes and niches are in the majority.

The massive Yungang Buddhist grottoes were cut from the mid-fifth century to early-sixth century. Comprising 252 caves and niches and 51,000 statues within a carved area of 18,000 square meters, the Yungang Grottoes represent the outstanding achievement of Buddhist cave art in China. The Five Caves created by Tan Yao are a classical masterpiece of the first peak of Chinese art, with a strict unity of layout and design. The will of the state is reflected in Buddhist belief in China during the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534), since the grottoes were built with imperial instructions. While influenced by Buddhist cave art from South and Central Asia, the Yungang Grottoes have also interpreted Buddhist cave art with distinctive Chinese characteristics. As a result, the Yungang Grottoes have played a vitally important role among early Buddhist grottoes and had a far-reaching impact on Buddhist cave art in China and East Asia.

INFO Listed as a World Natural Heritage Site in 2001

Location: Wuzhou Mountain, 17 km west to Datong City, Shanxi Province

Best Time to Visit: From May to October Tips Do not take photos in the caves.