Clerics › Religious Figure
Tan Yao
Eminent Northern Wei Buddhist master who supervised the creation of the Yungang Grottoes and the monumental Tan Yao Five Caves.
Mural guide
Mural of the event “Yungang Monumental Grottoes”, which this person took part in.
After the Taiwu anti-Buddhist persecution, Emperor Wencheng of Northern Wei restored Buddhism and sought a monumental medium to unify nomadic and Han subjects through imperial patronage.
Also known as Shamen Tong Tan Yao · Master Tan Yao
- Roles
- Religious Figure
Tan Yao (c. 405 CE–475 CE) was the imperial superintendent of monks in Northern Wei. Leading the restoration of Buddhism under Emperor Wencheng, he engineered and directed the excavation of the world-renowned Yungang Grottoes.
Life and times
Dates 405 CE–475 CE
EraJinNorthern and Southern