A study on the spatial composition of five grottos in Tanyao

Abstract

The Yungang Grottoes are one of China’s four major grotto sites and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This study examines how to incorporate social rights and religious traditions into the grotto space via architecture. Focuses on three main areas: 1. An examination of the historical context surrounding the creation of the Tanyao Five Caves. 2. An exploration of the internal structure of the Tanyao Five Caves through the analysis of spatial elements, such as points, lines and surfaces. 3. At the micro level, this study incorporates human vision and perception within the cave environment, it identifies three parallel dimensions that influence spatial perception: physical, psychological and perceptual spaces. This blend contributes to the establishment of a religious ideal within the grottoes, where architecture seamlessly intertwines the divine and the human, resulting in a rich spatial experience defined by uniqueness, diversity and unity.

Keywords

• Yungang Grottoes
• Spatial composition
• Worship space
• The Northern Wei Dynasty
• Politics. Religion