• Buddhist Grottoes Along The Silk Roads

  Buddhism flowed into China back along the Silk Roads. A series of Buddhist Grottoes record the progress and transformation of this alien religion from its Indian roots to one with distinctly Chinese characteristics.

  The Purpose Of Buddhist Grottoes

  Buddhist Grottoes (aka caves, rock carvings) are temples. Their construction was often financed by Silk Road traders hoping for some divine assistance on their hazardous journeys and reflects the environment in which they were created.

  Most of the grottoes listed below are located in desert areas where building materials are in short supply. Caves were a natural alternative to consider, and in some it was found that the rock could be carved easily so as to produce magnificent statues - both in terms of size and quality. In others, layers of plaster were used to prepare walls before frescoes were painted to honour Buddha and to relate his teachings.

  Caves had another benefit. Since they left little trace on the landscape they were more easly hidden from those of other religions. In many cases this has helped with the preservation of their contents, until more recent times at least.

  The Top 4 Buddhist Grottoes In China

  Aficionados generally agree that the top 4 Buddhist Grottoes in China are as listed below.

  • Mogao Grottoes, Dunhuang, Gansu Province;
  • Longmen Grottoes, Luoyang, Henan Province;
  • Dazu Rock Carvings, Chongqing Municipality; and
  • Yungang Grottoes, Datong, Shanxi Province

  The rock carvings at Feilai Feng ('the hill that flew here') within the Lingyin Temple site (Temple of the Soul's Retreat) in Hangzhou are also very popular.

  The Dafo (Big Buddha) at Leshan is not strictly a grotto but is often of interest to those following this topic.

  Those with a specific interest may find the lists and links below useful in finding the grottoes/caves/carvings that offer such opportunities.

  Buddhist Grottoes In Gansu

  Gansu Province has a strange shape strongly influenced by geography. The middle section is often referred to as the Hexi Corridor (aka Gansu Corridor) as it is long and narrow, being the most obvious route between two sets of mountains to the north-east and south-west. The route is not the only viable one, there is another via Xining in Qinghai Province, but that is considerably more difficult and often impassable in winter.

  The 'bulges' at either end reflect early colonies and adminstrative centres in the region more than they do common cultural ties. The eastern bulge was, for a long time, the limit of Chinese influence; the western one contains the important fortifications that extended that considerably.

  Gansu has a particulary rich mix of Buddhist Grottoes, with many in an excellent state of preservation. Many grottoes can be visited easily using public transport though a few require a private vehicle and one or two are out of bounds completely (e.g. Wenshu Temple near Jiayuguan). For more details, follow the links to each site (Please note: these will only become live as other pages are completed. Do Contact Us if you need specific information sooner.

  Major Sites

  • Mogao Grottoes;
  • Yulin Grottoes;
  • Mati Temple;
  • Bingling Temple; and
  • Maiji Mountain;

  Minor Sites

  • Wugemiao;
  • Changma;
  • Wenshu;
  • Jinta Temple;
  • Tianti Mountain;
  • Wufo Temple;
  • Mutu Temple;
  • Wu Mountain;
  • Wangmugong;
  • Lianhua Temple; and
  • Baoguan Temple.;

  Buddhist Grottoes In Xinjiang

  Buddhism reached the Tarim Basin area from Kashmir in India by about the 1st Century. It became popular with the local rulers and therefore soon dominated, with Sanskrit becoming the language for religion and religious matters. Many of the city states became important centers of Buddhist Thought and for Buddhist Art. Hinayana Buddhism flourished along the northern Silk Road whilst Mahayana (Greater Vehicle) Buddhism flourished along the southern Silk Road.

  The collapse of the Tang Dynasty in the 10th Century left a power void that was to allow conquests from the west - bringing Islam and eventual conversion of the whole region by the 15th Century. This new faith did not allow the depiction of deities and much of the splendid Buddhist Artwork was damaged or destroyed.

  Major Sites

  • Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves;
  • Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves;
  • Kumtura Caves;

  Minor Sites

  • Kizil Kara (aka Kizil Gaha) Buddhist Caves;
  • A-ai Grotto;
  • Three Immortals Buddhist Caves;
  • Sayilamu Thousand Buddha Caves;
  • Simusimu (aka Senmusaimu) Thousand Buddha Caves;
  • Wenbashi Thousand Buddha Caves;
  • Aiken Thousand Buddha Caves;
  • Taitai'er Grottoes;
  • Mazhaboha Grottoes;
  
  
  
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• Current Comments

  2 comments so far (post your own)

  Hi Fredrik
  
  Longmen Grottoes are the easiest to include in an itinerary. Luoyang is on a major rail route and close enough to be visited from Xi'an in a day, albeit a long one.
  
  Many of the statues have been damaged over time (you may hear several different explanations given) but the site is still worthwhile with several outstanding examples of Buddhist art.

  Posted by China Journeys on Thu 15 Mar, 2012

  Amongst your top 4 grottoes you list the Longmen Grottoes, Luoyang,Henan Province. Are these easily reached and in a good state of preservation?

  Posted by Fredrik on Tue 13 Mar, 2012

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