The site was among the first to be designated for protection in 1961 as a Major National Historical and Cultural Site and in 2008 was submitted for future inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the Chinese Section of the Silk Road.
The site was among the first to be designated for protection in 1961 as a Major National Historical and Cultural Site. In 2008 the Yulin Grottoes were submitted for future inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the Chinese Section of the Silk Road.