PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
CHINESE GROTTO ART - YUNGANG BUDDHIST TEMPLE GROTTOES
GOLD TWO-HUNDRED YUAN COIN
CERTIFIED BY NGC PROOF 69 ULTRA CAMEO
OBV: NIMBATE 3/4RIGHT FACING HEAD OF SANDSTONE BUDDHA SCULPTURE WITH CARVED BAS RELIEF WALL CARVING PANELS RIGHT; DENOMINATION BOTTOM RIGHT.
REV: CARVED PILLARED ENTRANCE WITH CLIFF TEMPLE RIGHT; DATE IN EXERGUE.
KM # 1949
THE YUNGANG GROTTOES SITE, LOCATED IN THE SHI LI RIVER VALLEY NEAR DATONG IN SHANXI PROVINCE, IS AMONG THE MOST FAMOUS ANCIENT SCULPTURAL ARCHITECTURE SITES IN CHINA. CUT OUT OF THE ROCK, THIS UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE IS COMPRISED OF 252 GROTTOES WITH 51,000 STATUES AND STATUETTES OF THE BUDDHA, AND HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS A "MASTERPIECE". THE STONE CARVINGS DATE FROM THE 5th AND 6th CENTURIES, AND ARE A BLEND OF BUDDHIST ASIAN RELIGIOUS SYMBOLISM AND CHINESE CULTURAL TRADITIONS. THE NORTHERN WEI DYNASTY (386-535) CHOSE DATONG, THEN CALLED PINGCHENG, AS ONE OF THEIR CAPITALS (FROM 398-493), AND ADOPTED BUDDHISM AS THE STATE RELIGION. IMPERIAL PATRONAGE OF THE GROTTOES ENDED IN 498, WHEN THE WEI COURT MOVED THE CAPITAL TO LUOYANG, BUT PRIVATE PATRONAGE LASTED UNTIL UPRISINGS ENDED CONSTRUCTION IN THE AREA IN 525.
CONTAINS 15.55 GRAMS OF .999 FINE GOLD (.5 OZ AGW)
27 MM IN DIAMETER
ONLY 10,000 MINTED
