These are the caves numbered 16 to 20, which were constructed under the command of the famous monk Tan Yao.
In 452, the monk Tanyao asked Emperor Wencheng to sculpt 5 giant Buddhas representing him with his four predecessors, which manifest the imperial power of the royal family. By associating the emperor and the Buddha, the spiritual and the temporal, he responded to the desire to make people forget the persecutions perpetrated by his predecessor Emperor Taiwu who killed the monks and burned the sutras. The carving skills inherited and developed the excellent traditions of the Han Dynasty, absorbed and integrated the essences of ancient Indian Gandhara and Dodo art, creating a unique artistic style. These 13 to 17 m high statues were made in 15 years.