Dazu Rock Carvings is the general name of Buddhist-themed cliff carvings (grottoes) in Dazu District, Chongqing City, including Baodingshan, Beishan, Nanshan, Shimenshan, and Shizhuanshan. Here, one can admire the well-preserved stone carving art of the Tang and Song dynasties. Up to now, there are as many as 75 stone carvings announced as cultural relic protection units, with more than 50,000 statues.
The Dazu Rock Carvings were built in the early Tang Dynasty, went through the late Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties, flourished in the two Song Dynasties, and continued until the Ming and Qing Dynasties, lasting more than a thousand years. It is a monument in the history of Chinese grotto art and also a glorious page in the world’s grotto art from the end of the 9th century to the middle of the 13th century. Rooted in the fertile soil of the long-standing Bashu culture, on the basis of absorbing and integrating the essence of previous grotto art, Dazu Rock Carvings innovate and create extremely elaborate and diverse works, opening up a new world of grotto art. With distinct nationalization, secularization, and life characteristics, it has become a model of grotto art with Chinese style. Dazu Rock Carvings is a representative work of Chinese late grotto art and, together with Dunhuang, Yungang, Longmen and other grottoes, constitutes a complete history of Chinese grotto art. Dazu Rock Carvings shows the significant development and changes of Chinese grotto art style and folk religious beliefs from different aspects from the 9th century to the middle of the 13th century. It has made important contributions to the innovation and development of Chinese grotto art and has irreplaceable historical, artistic, scientific and appreciation values that previous generations of grottoes do not have. On December 1, 1999, Dazu Rock Carvings was included in the World Heritage List by UNESCO as a cultural heritage. Among the relatively concentrated groups of stone carvings in Baodingshan and Beishan, the more concentrated ones are the stone carvings of Baodingshan and Beishan. Baodingshan and Beishan stone carvings are sold separately, and a joint ticket can also be purchased. The two are more than ten kilometers apart. The other three scenic spots of the stone carving group are located in relatively remote areas or have not been opened to the public. Baodingshan Stone Carvings. The Baodingshan Grottoes are located in Baodingshan, 15 kilometers northeast of Dazu urban area. Centered around the large and small Fowan, they were excavated by the monk Zhao Zhifeng from the Chunxi to Chunyou years of the Southern Song Dynasty (1174 – 1252 AD). Dafowan is a ‘U’-shaped mountain bay. The cliff surface with statues is about 500 meters long and 8 – 25 meters high. The statues are carved on the cliff walls on the east, south, and north sides and are numbered as 31 in total. The Baodingshan Grottoes statues show many characteristics different from previous grottoes in China in many aspects. First, the Baodingshan Grottoes statues are a rare large-scale Buddhist Esoteric Buddhist grotto site in China, extending the history of Chinese Esoteric Buddhism by nearly four hundred years. Second, the expression form of the Baodingshan Grottoes statues is unique in grotto art. Thousands of statues in Dafowan have no repeated themes. There is not only an inherent connection in doctrine but also a mutual connection in form between niches and caves, forming an organic whole, quite like a magnificent historical long scroll painting.All the statues are richly illustrated with both pictures and texts. Most of the inscribed scriptures are different from those in the Tripitaka. They are mostly Buddhist stone carvings documents outside the Tripitaka that have not been included in the successive Tripitakas. They have important academic value for the study of Buddhist scriptures. Thirdly, the statues focus on expounding philosophical theories, integrating the basic doctrines of Buddhism with the ethics of Chinese Confucianism, the mind-nature of Neo-Confucianism in the Song Dynasty, and the doctrines of Taoism.
They are eclectic and show the characteristics of Buddhist thought in the Song Dynasty of China. Fourthly, the grotto statues at Baoding Mountain are a model of nationalization and life-orientation of Chinese grotto art in terms of both content and form. The respect for Confucian filial piety and the rendering of secular market life make it an art treasure trove with strong characteristics of traditional Chinese culture, marking the completion of the Sinicization process of grotto art originating from India. Fifthly, the grotto statues at Baoding Mountain are a masterpiece of grotto art and have creative developments in many aspects. It takes the ability to subdue people’s hearts as its creative principle to inspire the devout belief of believers in the Buddha Dharma. It also integrates scientific principles into artistic modeling. Its statues, decorations, layouts, drainage, lighting, support, and perspectives all pay great attention to formal beauty and artistic conception beauty. In addition, there are still 16 steles in the grotto statues at Baoding Mountain, as well as 44 inscriptions, travel notes, and poems, and 49 records of restoration and decoration. Among them, the Stele of Biography of Liu Benzun in the Tang Dynasty engraved between 1174 and 1252, and the Stele Inscription of Reopening Baoding Mountain written by Liu Tianren in 1425 are of great academic value for studying the history of Baoding Mountain grottoes and even the history of Chinese Esoteric Buddhism.
Beishan Rock Carvings: The Beishan Grottoes are located on the top of Beishan Mountain, 1.5 kilometers north of the main city of Dazu District (commonly known as Fowan). They were first excavated by Wei Junjing, the prefectural governor of Changzhou and the commander-in-chief of Changpu, Yuhe, and Hezhou in the first year of Jingfu in the Tang Dynasty (892). Later, local officials, gentry, commoners, monks, and nuns successively constructed them.
The carvings from the Five Dynasties period are delicate and graceful, with varied postures and a natural elegance, reflecting the transitional style from the Tang to the Song Dynasty. The Northern Mountain Grottoes feature 21 themes from the Song Dynasty, with the depictions of Guanyin being particularly prominent, earning it the reputation of ‘China’s Guanyin Statue Exhibition Hall’. The Song Dynasty statues are characterized by distinct personalities, elegant postures, harmonious proportions, and vibrant attire, displaying great decorative beauty.
There are seven existing steles in the Northern Mountain Grottoes. Among them, the ‘Wei Junjing Stele’, engraved in 895 AD, holds significant value in supplementing the gaps in Tang Dynasty history. The ‘Zhao Yijin Stele’, inscribed between 1163 and 1189 AD, is written by one of the four great calligraphers of the Song Dynasty, Cai Jing, and is considered a treasure of calligraphic art. The ‘Twenty-Two Chapters of the Classic of Filial Piety’ stele is referred to by historians as ‘unique in the world’. The grottoes are renowned for their exquisite elegance, distinct era characteristics, delicate carvings, superb craftsmanship, and well-preserved condition. They also showcase a collection of works from the late Tang, Five Dynasties, and both Song periods, displaying the different styles and evolutionary development of grotto art from the late Tang to the Song Dynasty, and are praised as the ‘Tang-Song Stone Carving Art Exhibition Hall’. The entire site is open year-round from 09:00 to 18:00. The Baoding Mountain Scenic Area visitors’ center opens at 08:30 and closes at 16:30, with ticket sales from 08:30 to 16:00 and last entry at 16:10. The Baoding Mountain Scenic Area (including Shengshou Temple) opens at 09:00 and closes at 18:00, with ticket sales from 08:30 to 16:00 and last entry at 17:00. The Northern Mountain Scenic Area opens at 09:00 and closes at 18:00, with ticket sales from 08:30 to 16:00 and last entry at 17:00. The Northern Mountain Scenic Area (night tour) opens at 19:30 and closes at 23:00, with ticket sales from 19:30 to 21:00 and last entry at 21:30. The Dazu Rock Carvings Museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, daily from 09:00 to 17:00 (closed on Mondays, except for legal holidays), with last entry at 16:30. Digital movies (4K cinema and dome cinema) are shown seven times a day at 09:30, 10:20, 11:10, 12:00, 13:30, 14:20, and 15:10. Baoding Mountain Scenic Area transportation (including tour buses and sightseeing vehicles) operates from 08:40 to 19:00 for tour buses, with a 10-minute interval between departures, and from 09:00 to 18:30 for sightseeing vehicles, also with a 10-minute interval. Preferential policies include: Students: Full-time undergraduate and below students aged 18 and above in China can enjoy a half-price ticket with a valid ID and ‘Student Card’. Elderly: Individuals aged 60 to 64 can enjoy a half-price ticket with a valid ID.Half-price tickets are available. Seniors aged 65 and above can visit for free with their original valid ID cards. Minors under 18 years old (excluding 18) can visit for free with their original valid ID cards or other valid certificates. Active-duty soldiers can visit for free with their original valid ID cards and valid certificates such as military officer certificates, non-commissioned officer certificates, conscript certificates, and civilian cadre certificates.
Family members of active-duty soldiers can visit for free with their original valid ID cards and military dependent certificates or relevant valid certificates. Retired and discharged veterans can visit for free with their original valid ID cards and valid certificates such as honorary certificates for retired cadres, military officer retirement certificates, civilian cadre retirement certificates, discharge certificates for soldiers, discharge certificates for non-commissioned officers, transfer certificates, and preferential treatment certificates for veterans. In-service and retired (from service) fire rescue personnel and students of fire rescue colleges can visit for free with their original valid ID cards and certificates such as cadre certificates for national comprehensive fire rescue teams, firefighter certificates for national comprehensive fire rescue teams, retirement certificates for national comprehensive fire rescue teams, and student certificates for national comprehensive fire rescue teams. Cardholders of ‘New Chongqing Talents’ can be exempted from the entrance tickets of Dazu Rock Carvings, movie tickets for digital cinemas, and transportation tickets for Baoding Mountain Scenic Area with their original valid ID cards and service cards. Class A and B talents and 1 to 7 accompanying persons are exempted from tickets; Class C talents and 1 to 5 accompanying persons are exempted from tickets; Class D and E talents (in Dazu District) and 1 to 3 accompanying persons are exempted from tickets; Class F talents (in Dazu District) are exempted from tickets. During national statutory holidays, only the cardholder is exempted from tickets, and accompanying persons are not exempted. Buddhist and Taoist clergy can visit for free with their original valid ID cards and clergy certificates printed by the Chinese Buddhist and Taoist associations. People with disabilities can visit for free with their original valid ID cards and the second-generation Disability Certificate of the People’s Republic of China. Disabled military personnel can visit for free with their original valid ID cards and disability military personnel certificates. Disabled fire rescue personnel can visit for free with their original valid ID cards and disability certificates for national comprehensive fire rescue teams. Visually impaired, intellectually disabled, and physically disabled people (grades one and two) can bring one accompanying caregiver to visit for free. Family members of martyrs, family members of military personnel who died on duty, and family members of military personnel who died of illness can visit for free with their original valid ID cards and preferential treatment certificates for family members of martyrs. Supplementary note: (1) Tourists who purchase tickets can enter the park by checking tickets with their original valid identity documents (including ID cards, social security cards, Exit-Entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao, Taiwan Compatriot Travel Permit, Homecoming Permit, passports, etc. ).Invalid entries include those with altered, expired, or non-existent identification numbers; student cards without a registration stamp are also invalid; and those with incomplete information.
Policy-based free admission individuals must present their valid identification and original proof of concession at the online or on-site ticket office to handle free ticket procedures. Students in full-time undergraduate, adult education, on-the-job education, and online education are not eligible for student discounts. For domestic full-time primary, middle, and high school students organized in groups, please send a letter to the Dazu Rock Carvings Research at least five working days in advance to obtain consent, and then handle the visiting procedures with the letter. Minors must be accompanied by a guardian during the visit. During the opening hours of the scenic area, timely visitor flow monitoring and control measures will be taken to arrange for visitors to enter the scenic area in an orderly manner. In case of peak visitor flow or emergencies, please consciously comply with the control and scheduling of the scenic area staff. The Dazu Rock Carvings scenic area includes the Baoding Mountain Scenic Area, Beishan Scenic Area, Nanshan Scenic Area, Shimen Mountain Scenic Area, and Shizhou Mountain Scenic Area. The scenic areas are relatively far apart, and transportation is at your own expense, so please plan your visiting time and route reasonably. Service facilities include parking lots: [Dazu Rock Carvings Parking Lot], reference price: subject to the scenic area’s public notice; address: No. 7 Beishan Road, Dazu County, Chongqing; capacity: 500. WIFI: account: DZSK; password: SMS verification code; coverage: throughout the scenic area. Scenic area讲解: There are more than 20讲解 personnel in the scenic area, charging according to level, ranging from 150 to 600 yuan. Stroller rental: address: Visitor Center. Wheelchair rental: address: Service desk at the Visitor Service Center. Restrooms: There are restrooms within the scenic area, located near the cliff carvings, near the Dazu Rock Carvings Parking Lot, and other facilities, marked with conspicuous signs. Convenience stores: There are small convenience stores within the scenic area, with prices slightly higher than market prices.
