In Dazu District in western Chongqing, there lies an artistic miracle spanning thousands of years – Dazu Rock Carvings. It is not a single grotto, but a group of cliff carvings scattered in more than 100 locations across the district, with tens of thousands of statues. As the pinnacle of southern Chinese grotto art, it was listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1999, and is known as one of China’s Four Great Grottoes together with Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, Yungang Grottoes and Longmen Grottoes. With its exquisite statues, rich themes and superb craftsmanship, the rock carvings carry the religious Culture and folk beliefs from the Tang and Song dynasties to the Ming and Qing dynasties, becoming a living fossil for interpreting ancient Chinese art and social life, attracting countless Chinese and foreign tourists to explore the beauty of these millennium-old rock carvings.
The excavation of Dazu Rock Carvings began in the early Tang Dynasty, flourished in the Song Dynasty, and continued to the Ming and Qing dynasties, lasting nearly a thousand years. It covers three major religious themes: Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. The statues are diverse in content, including not only the solemn Buddhist world, but also secular life scenes and philosophical story depictions. Among them, Baoding Mountain Rock Carvings, Beishan Mountain Rock Carvings, Nanshan Mountain Rock Carvings and Shizhuan Mountain Rock Carvings are the four most representative scenic spots. Baoding Mountain and Beishan Mountain Rock Carvings are the core of the core, must-visit areas for tourists. They have distinct styles but together form the artistic essence of Dazu Rock Carvings.
Baoding Mountain Rock Carvings, located in Baoding Town, Dazu District, is the largest, best-preserved and most artistically valuable scenic spot in Dazu Rock Carvings, and the only large-scale grotto group in China themed on Esoteric Buddhism. It was presided over by the Song Dynasty monk Zhao Zhifeng and took more than 70 years to complete. The statues stretch about 500 meters along the cliff, with 13 statue groups and nearly 10,000 statues, forming a complete Buddhist story system. Entering Baoding Mountain, the first thing you see is the magnificent Sakyamuni Nirvana Statue. The 31-meter-long reclining statue of Sakyamuni has a serene and compassionate expression, with smooth clothes, which can be called the pinnacle of stone carving art. Standing in front of the reclining statue, you can always feel the solemnity and sanctity of religion.
In addition to the Sakyamuni Nirvana Statue, other statues in Baoding Mountain also have their own characteristics. The Thousand-Armed Guanyin Statue is exquisitely carved, with 1,007 arms in different postures, each holding a different dharma instrument, with intricate details, known as “a treasure of Chinese grotto art”. The Six Realms of Rebirth Statue vividly interprets the concept of reincarnation in Buddhism, depicting the scenes of “Heavenly Realm, Human Realm, Asura Realm, Animal Realm, Hungry Ghost Realm and Hell Realm” lifelike, with both artistic value and religious connotation. The Cowherd Taming the Cow series consists of ten groups of statues, depicting the process of a cowherd taming a cow, implying the journey of a practitioner eliminating troubles and achieving enlightenment, full of life atmosphere and philosophical meaning. In addition, Baoding Mountain also has many classic statues such as the Parents’ Grace Sutra Statues and the Three Saints of Huayan, each of which embodies the wisdom and hard work of ancient craftsmen, leaving people amazed.
Different from the grandeur of Baoding Mountain Rock Carvings, Beishan Mountain Rock Carvings are famous for their “exquisiteness, delicacy and elegance”. Located on the top of Beishan Mountain in Dazu District, they were excavated in the Tang Dynasty and flourished in the Song Dynasty, mainly Taoist statues, supplemented by Buddhist statues, with 290 niches and nearly 3,000 statues. Although the scale of Beishan Mountain Rock Carvings is not as large as that of Baoding Mountain, the carving craftsmanship is more exquisite, with vivid statues and smooth lines, especially the Song Dynasty statues which are the most exquisite. Among them, the Wheel of Dharma Cave is known as “the essence of Beishan Mountain Rock Carvings”. The statues in the cave are reasonably arranged, with lifelike figures. The Bodhisattva statues have gentle faces and fluttering clothes, as if they will dance in the next second. The Pearl-Holding Guanyin Statue is famous for its “smile”, with a slight upward curve at the corner of the mouth and gentle eyes, known as “the most beautiful statue in Beishan Mountain Rock Carvings”, and has become a popular photo spot for countless tourists.
In addition to Baoding Mountain and Beishan Mountain, Nanshan Mountain Rock Carvings and Shizhuan Mountain Rock Carvings are also worth a visit. Nanshan Mountain Rock Carvings are mainly Taoist statues, which are small and exquisite with smooth lines, and are important physical materials for studying Chinese Taoist art. Shizhuan Mountain Rock Carvings are a model of coexisting Confucian, Buddhist and Taoist statues, with rich themes, integrating the cultural connotations of the three religions, showing the cultural characteristics of “the unity of three religions” in ancient China. In addition, there is a Rock Carving Museum in the Dazu Rock Carvings Scenic Area, which displays a large number of stone carving fragments, rubbings and related cultural relics, detailing the excavation history, artistic characteristics and cultural value of Dazu Rock Carvings, allowing tourists to have a more comprehensive understanding of the charm of this world cultural heritage.
To facilitate tourists’ travel, here is sorted out practical travel information: the scenic area implements a combined ticket system. The combined ticket for Baoding Mountain + Beishan Mountain is 135 yuan per person, and the separate ticket for Baoding Mountain is 90 yuan per person and Beishan Mountain is 70 yuan per person. Students and the elderly can enjoy a 50% discount with valid certificates. Real-name online ticket purchase is implemented, and you can enter the Park with your ID card or QR code. The opening hours are from 8:30 to 18:00, and the last entry time is 17:00. It is recommended to spend 1-2 days visiting. In terms of transportation, you can take the high-speed rail to Dazu South Station, then transfer to a bus or taxi to reach the scenic area; self-driving can directly arrive via Chengyu Expressway and Yurong Expressway, and there are sufficient parking spaces around the scenic area.
Recommended travel route: On the first day, visit Baoding Mountain Rock Carvings. In the morning, visit the Rock Carving Museum to understand the historical background of Dazu Rock Carvings. In the afternoon, visit the core statues such as the Sakyamuni Nirvana Statue, Thousand-Armed Guanyin and Six Realms of Rebirth along the cliff, and feel its grand artistic momentum. On the second day, visit Beishan Mountain Rock Carvings, focusing on viewing exquisite statues such as the Wheel of Dharma Cave and Pearl-Holding Guanyin. In the afternoon, you can go to Nanshan or Shizhuan Mountain Rock Carvings to feel the unique charm of different themed rock carvings. In the evening, you can taste local specialties such as Dazu Dingjiapo Potato, Youting Crucian Carp and Dazu Noodle around the scenic area, and feel the local fireworks atmosphere.
Dazu Rock Carvings are an artistic monument carved by thousands of years of time, a crystallization of the wisdom of ancient craftsmen, and a perfect integration of Chinese religious Culture and folk art. Here, you can stop to stare at each statue and understand the stories and beliefs behind them; you can touch the lines on the cliff and feel the traces of thousands of years; you can walk in the rock carving group and immerse yourself in the strong cultural atmosphere. Whether you are an art lover, a history lover or a religious culture lover, you can find your own shock and touch here, and understand this millennium-old rock carving legend.
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