Yulin Cave, also known as Wanfo Gorge, Yulin Temple and Shangdongzi, is located 70 kilometers south of Guazhou County (formerly Anxi County) in Jiuquan City, Gansu Province, and is under the jurisdiction of Dunhuang Research Institute. This cave was dug on the cliff from east to west on both sides of Yulin River Canyon, named after the elm forest on both sides of the river.

The establishment date of Yulin Cave has not been verified. Inferred from the cave form and related inscriptions, it was built in the Northern Wei Dynasty before Sui and Tang Dynasties. Judging from the style of murals and the inscriptions of tourists, there were sculptures and colored sculptures in the Tang, Five Dynasties, Song, Xixia, Yuan and Qing Dynasties, and large-scale construction was carried out. There are 43 caves in Yulin Cave, with a distribution area of112,850 square meters and a total mural area of 4,200 square meters.

Painted Buddhist map 10856, painted Buddhist statue 244. Among the caves, there are 3 caves in Tang Dynasty, 8 caves in Five Dynasties, 13 caves in Song Dynasty, 4 caves in Xixia Yuan Dynasty and 9 caves in Qing Dynasty. From the form, content and artistic style of the grottoes, it is highly similar to the Mogao Grottoes and is a branch of the Mogao Grottoes' artistic system. 196 1 year, Yulin cave was announced by the State Council as the first batch of national key cultural relics protection units.

Architectural features of Yulin Grottoes;

The shape of Yulin Grottoes mainly includes three types: central Buddhist altar grottoes, central pagoda grottoes and elephant grottoes. Various cave shapes began in the Tang Dynasty and have been in use ever since. But there are many deep caves in front of the upper caves on the east and west cliffs, which are different from the Mogao Grottoes.

During the Five Dynasties and the Northern Song Dynasty, 23 caves were built and rebuilt. Among them, there are a large number of portraits of supporters, which are divided into three categories: namely, portraits of rulers of Cao Shi rebel regime and their families, and officials of all sizes; Portraits of the rulers of ethnic minority local governments who married Cao Shi, such as the travel maps of King and Queen Yu and Murong Guiying of Tuguhun.

In particular, the portraits of Cao Shi Academy of Painting, such as Ambassador of Xi Du Academy of Painting, painter who understands books and is reasonable, painter of Du Jiang and painter, are important historical materials. The content and style of cave murals in the Five Dynasties and the early Song Dynasty are mostly inherited from the previous generation. But in some caves, there are rare themes in Dunhuang Grottoes.

Reference to the above content: Baidu Encyclopedia-Yulin Cave