Caves 7 and 8 of UNESCO-listed Yungang Grottoes reopen to public after digital conservation

The UNESCO-listed Yungang Grottoes in Datong City, north China's Shanxi Province, reopened its Caves 7 and 8 to the public on Monday, following a five-month digital conservation and restoration effort led by the Yungang Grottoes Research Institute.

Located in the central area of the grotto complex, Caves 7 and 8 are the oldest "double caves" excavated during the mid-period of the Yungang Grottoes. Boasting 45 major caves, the 1,500-year-old Yungang Grottoes were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001.

Carved during the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534), these large-scale chambers in Caves 7 and 8 are considered masterpieces of early Chinese Buddhist cave art. Their meticulously composed sculptures and intricate carvings exemplify the artistic and spiritual sophistication of the era.

To advance the "digital conservation project for Caves 7 and 8", the Yungang Grottoes Research Institute temporarily closed the two caves on May 13 to conduct comprehensive data collection and structural surveys. The project has now been fully completed, allowing visitors once again to experience these iconic relics up close.

Using cutting-edge technologies, including high-resolution laser scanning and multi-spectral imaging, the conservation team captured millimeter-precision data of the caves' sculptures, murals, and architectural features. This project has established a permanent digital archive for future research and preservation.

Beyond digital documentation, the project also addressed critical structural concerns. Engineers sealed cracks and reinforced unstable rock formations while installing a real-time environmental monitoring system to track temperature, humidity, and light levels, enabling scientific management and protection in the future.

"We employed 3D hyperspectral imaging this year to collect spectral data from the caves this year. In the next phase, we'll integrate this spectral information with high-resolution 3D models to build a comprehensive panoramic data system for the caves," said Li Lihong, a staff member at the Yungang Grottoes Research Institute's digital conservation center.

A representative of the outstanding achievement of Buddhist cave art, the Yungang Grottoes are one of China's three major grotto sites, with the other two being the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang City of northwest China's Gansu Province and the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang City of central China's Henan Province.

Caves 7 and 8 of UNESCO-listed Yungang Grottoes reopen to public after digital conservation

Both Chinese and British companies expect to deepen economic and trade cooperation across sectors, following British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's call for stronger dialogue and deeper engagement between businesses and institutions in the UK and China at the opening ceremony of the UK-China Business Forum in Beijing.

Starmer pointed to what he described as "real progress" during his visit to China from Wednesday to Saturday, citing China's decision to cut tariffs on Scotch whisky. He also urged guests to strengthen exchanges and turn dialogue into practical cooperation.

The forum was co-organized by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the British government. It brought together more than 300 guests, including over 60 business and cultural delegates across different sectors accompanying the UK Prime Minister. Healthcare and pharmaceuticals were among the key focuses.

According to Wang Xingli, co-president of Fosun Pharma, China-UK cooperation in healthcare is moving beyond market access, toward cooperation across research, clinical development and manufacturing.

"With their science, our productivity, our technology know-how, as well as AI capabilities, I think we can produce big blockbuster drug together," said Wang.

Financial cooperation also featured prominently.

As a long-established global financial center, the UK plays a key role in international banking and capital markets, while China is expanding its cross-border financial services to support trade and investment with the world.

"We've already seen that London has become the biggest hub for RMB clearing offshore from China. The volumes today are tremendous, about 350 billion RMB's worth of trading and clearing that's going on through London," said Tim Skeet, chief institutional relationship officer at the London Branch of the Bank of China.

"All the major Chinese banks are represented in London, and similarly, most of the UK banks have a presence in China. So there's that cooperation between the two centers is very important for the mutuality of interest that we share in terms of the financing of trade, the financing of investment," said Brendan Nelson, group chairman of HSBC.

Chinese, British companies see great potential for cooperation in various sectors