Yün-kang caves ［雲岡石窟］ (PY Yungang;  Unkō-sekkutsu): Large-scale Buddhist cave-temples located sixteen kilometers west of the city of Ta-t’ung (PY Datong) in Shansi Province, China. The Yün-kang caves cover an area measuring about one kilometer from east to west. The construction of these cave-temples, which were cut from the rock faces of cliffs, began in the fifth century. Carved from the cave walls inside these temples are statues of the Buddha, bodhisattvas, and other figures. Among the rock-cut Buddhist sculptures found in the Yün-kang caves are images of the Buddha standing sixteen meters in height. The rock walls and ceilings are decorated in relief. The early works at the Yün-kang caves are regarded as representing the culmination of early Buddhist sculpture in China. Around 460 T’an-yao, who was appointed national director of the Buddhist clergy by Emperor Wen-ch’eng of the Northern Wei dynasty, began construction of the Yün-kang cave-temples. The emperor supported his construction because he wanted to ensure the salvation of the emperors before him and tried to restore Buddhism, which had been suppressed by the late Emperor T’ai-wu, his grandfather. T’an-yao built the first five of the Yün-kang cave-temples. The construction continued under dynastic support over thirty years until 494, when Emperor Hsiao-wen transferred the capital from P’ing-ch’eng (present-day Ta-t’ung) to Lo-yang. Later smaller cave-temples were added to the complex.