• Dazu Grottoes

• Name in Chinese characters: 大足石刻
• Name in Pinyin: Dàzú Shíkè

• General Overview

  The Dazu Buddhist Grottoes are listed along with Mogao, Longmen and Yungang as the very finest in China. A visit is an absolute must for those interested in all aspects of Buddhist art whether professionally or just casually.

  The Dazu Rock Carvings are believed to date back to the 7th Century. This was the time of the Tang Dynasty when the Buddhist doctrine was at its peak. Later carving belong to other periods of Buddhist ascension including the late 9th Century and 12th Century.

  Ostensibly Buddhist, the Dazu rock carvings show the strong influence of other Chinese beliefs especially Taoism and aspects of ancestor worship.

  The Dazu Grottoes were listed as a World Cultural Heritage site by UNESCO in 1999. The Justification for the listing has three components:

  "The Dazu carvings represent the pinnacle of Chinese rock art for their high aesthetic quality and their diversity of style and subject matter."

  "Tantric Buddhism from India and the Chinese Taoist and Confucian beliefs came together at Dazu to create a highly original and influential manifestation of spiritual harmony."

  "The eclectic nature of religious belief in later Imperial China is given material expression in the exceptional artistic heritage of the Dazu rock art."

  Attractions For Visitors

  Dazu County lies pretty much half-way between downtown Chongqing and Chengdu, just off the main expressway connecting the two. The Dazu Grottoes cover an extensive area over several mountains though visitors tend to focus only on the most accessible.

  Baodingshan Grottoes

  Reputed to have more than 10 000 statues along its 500 metre horse-shoe cliff, Baodingshan is the site most associate with Dazu. Most of the best rock carvings are situated here, many the work of the monk Zhao Zhifeng who dedicated 70 years of his life here.

  Beishan Grottoes

  Some experts rate the carvings at Beishan the most highly. The statue of the Puxian Buddha is often referred to as the "'Oriental Venus" as it captures a life-like posture with simple elegance. Almost all of the works here date to the Song Dynasty period.

  Other Grottoes

  Visitors with a specific interest and much more time may also be interested in the other sites belonging to the Dazu Buddhist Grottoes listing:

  • Nanshan Grottoes
  • Shimenshan Grottoes
  • Shizhuanshan Grottoes
  
  
  
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• Current Comments

  2 comments so far (post your own)

  Hi Fiona
  
  For sure - those who appreciate such things find a wealth of artistic treasures to enjoy and it is easy enough to find new venues for subsequent visits. Of course, with many of the best works having been removed it is also worth seeking these out in foreign museums (London, Paris, Tokyo, Washington etc)

  Posted by China Journeys on Thu 29 Mar, 2012

  Having visited a number of grottoes I have admired the pictures and carvings and marvelled at the dedicated work involved. Memories of the atmosphere or ambience of these places never leaves me,hard to describe,peace,serenity,timelessness.Muted sounds and filtered light must play a part.

  Posted by FionaD-V on Wed 28 Mar, 2012

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