The excavating and building of caves was originally from India where the practice was associated with Buddhism. Buddhists advocated living in reclusion for the purpose of self-cultivation; therefore, monks carved out caves in remote mountainous locales for this purpose. The layout of an Indian cave usually comprised a square central room surrounded by pillars. On three sides were a number of square-shaped meditation chambers. Outside the cave were colonnades. Chinese caves, at first, were excavated and built to emulate Indian caves. Most of them were located along the Yellow River in northern China. The period extending from the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534) through the Sui (581–618) and Tang (618–907) dynasties saw the heyday of cave excavation. Many large-sized caves were built, especially in the Tang, but the number of new ones gradually decreased afterwards.

Cave art is part of religious culture and derived its themes from Buddhist lore. Cave art absorbed the best of Gandhāran art, and combined it with the traditional techniques and aesthetics of Chinese painting and sculpture. Because it reflects Buddhist philosophy as well as its localization in China, it is a treasure trove of invaluable material for scholarly research on the history of Chinese society, Buddhism, art, and the history of Sino-foreign cultural exchange. The extant groups of caves are mainly products of Wei to Tang times or the early Song period. Four of these caves have won great renown for their sculptural art, namely the Yungang caves in Datong, the Longmen caves in Luoyang, Mt. Maiji in Tianshui, and the Dazu caves in Chongqing. Among the numerous caves in China, the Mogao caves in Dunhuang are the largest in size and the most well-preserved art repository in the world. The art of the Mogao caves represents architecture, polychrome sculpture, and murals. In December 1987, it was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The combination of the aforesaid three media makes up the main characteristics of the Mogao cave art. The structure and form of these caves are varied, such as caves for meditation, basilica caves, pagoda-shrine caves, and others. Their painted sculptures are done in various techniques such as in-the-round, relief, and silhouette, among others. The same can be said about the murals. Some are portraits of noble characters, others are illustrations of transformation sutras and tales, while yet others are historical or simply decorative. Taken together, these works are a rare cultural find which also outlines East-West cultural exchange during a period spanning more than ten dynasties. The statues in the Yungang caves are imposing and are rich and varied in content. They may be regarded as the best of any fifth-century sculpture and have been likened to a priceless repository of sculptural art. The caves in China may be divided into early, middle, and late, according to the time of excavation and building. The statues from each stage are distinctive. There are many more well-preserved, large caves with exquisite statues done in unique styles. What is mentioned here may only be the tip of the iceberg. For example, the Bezeklik caves in Turpan, Xinjiang province, show the influence of not only Uighur Buddhism but also Manicheanism, both of which are rarely found in the world. Although one cannot find a single statue without damage at the Tianlongshan cave temples in Taiyuan, Shanxi province, every statue in this cave may be regarded as a matchless artwork. Although it is impossible to visit every cave in China, it would be a great pity if one is near one but failed to take a closer look.

To a certain extent, cave art is also environmental art. The environment often provides sharp relief for the grotto statues. Almost without exception, caves are located away from urban areas, in areas noted for beautiful scenery. These kinds of environments themselves make one feel as if one is visiting a realm of fantasy. This effect dovetails with the Buddhist doctrine calling on followers to seek out the “pure land” and to cut themselves off from secular desires. For example, the Mogao caves are located at the foot of Mt. Mingsha in Dunhuang. They are encircled by a creek, covered by vegetation, and blanketed with lawns. Caves were dug and statues were made along the mountain range. This serene and beautiful environment, just like the pure land of Buddhism, would evoke a strong religious awe from pilgrims who had traveled across deserts from far away; it would be as though they had actually arrived in another world.

With a millennium long history, cave art represents the wisdom of commoner-artists and constitutes a rich cultural wealth. Although cave carving is a form of religious art, it touches upon a large variety of other fields, reflecting social changes from different historical perspectives. As a result of the merging of traditional Chinese culture with Buddhist culture from India, cave art underwent great developments and opened up a new epoch in the history of Chinese art. In the continuous interactions and blendings, a system of art with a distinct national style has been formed. These factors make Chinese cave art unique in the world.