In the Tiantishan Grottoes of Wuwei, there are 10 caves of the Sixteen Kingdoms extant. Through analysising the form and layout of caves, the compositions form, and decorative style of the statues by using the typological method in archaeology, the chronological sequence of them can be divided into two stages. Caves 1,4,16,17 and 18 belong to the first stage which can be inferred 414 439 A.D. Caves 5,6,7,8 and 9, can be dated 510 515 A.D. They belong to the second stage .The construction of grottoes in Liang zhou area discontinued around 439 510 A.D. In the beginning of the sixth century, the political power of Rouran declined and economy and Buddhism in Liangzhou developed. At that time, in the Tiantishan Grattoes ,a group of caves with influence of Luoyang style were built.
