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The Dazu Rock Carvings
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Dazu Rock Stone Carvings' Breathtaking Sculptures |
Overview of Dazu Rock Stone Carvings
Dazu Rock Carvings, located in Dazu County, the “wonderland of stone sculptures” which sits at the southeast of Sichuan province. It is 271 km west from Chengdu and 167 km east from Chongqing. Covering an area of 1,400 square km, Dazu County stretches a history of 1,230 years since it came into existence in 758 during the Tang Dynasty (618-907).
This site was first built in 649AD during Tang dynasty. Late Tang and Five Dynasties (907-959) saw its continuous expansion while Northern Song (960-1127) and Southern Song (1127-1279) dynasties witnessed its flourishment. During Ming and Qing dynasties (14-19th century), a lot of complementation works were done to it. Within more than one millennium, it has turned into a magnificent stone sculpture clusters which represent the acre of late stage stone sculpture in China, and can rival Yungang Grottoes, Longmen Grottoes and Mogao Grottoes regarding on the grand construction scale, the profusion of content and the high artistic value.
Dazu Rock Carvings’ 100,000 stones statues are scattered among 70 sites, mainly concentrate around 5 sites: Beishan, Baodingshan,Nanshan, Shizhuanshan and Shimenshan. Among them, Beishan and Baodingshan are of the highest artistic attainment and demonstrate the most exquisite skills of ancient Chinese people, thus become the two most famous and important sites. More than 5,000 statues and over 100, 000 Chinese characters of inscriptions and epigraphs scatter among those stunning statues.
This site is not just famous for its rock carvings which are remarkable for high aesthetic quality, rich diversity of secular and religious subject matter, but also the cultural coexistence. In Dazu Stone Carvings, Buddhism, Taoism and one school of China philosophy Confucianism clash and co-exist together, bringing the eye-dazzling scene, creating an interesting phenomenon and trigger people to delve into its mysterious spiritual world.
In 1999, the Dazu Rock Carving was ranked as a World Cultural Heritage Site. Every year thousands of tourists home and abroad throng here for visits.
Dazu Rock Carvings, located in Dazu County, the “wonderland of stone sculptures” which sits at the southeast of Sichuan province. It is 271 km west from Chengdu and 167 km east from Chongqing. Covering an area of 1,400 square km, Dazu County stretches a history of 1,230 years since it came into existence in 758 during the Tang Dynasty (618-907).
This site was first built in 649AD during Tang dynasty. Late Tang and Five Dynasties (907-959) saw its continuous expansion while Northern Song (960-1127) and Southern Song (1127-1279) dynasties witnessed its flourishment. During Ming and Qing dynasties (14-19th century), a lot of complementation works were done to it. Within more than one millennium, it has turned into a magnificent stone sculpture clusters which represent the acre of late stage stone sculpture in China, and can rival Yungang Grottoes, Longmen Grottoes and Mogao Grottoes regarding on the grand construction scale, the profusion of content and the high artistic value.
Dazu Rock Carvings’ 100,000 stones statues are scattered among 70 sites, mainly concentrate around 5 sites: Beishan, Baodingshan,Nanshan, Shizhuanshan and Shimenshan. Among them, Beishan and Baodingshan are of the highest artistic attainment and demonstrate the most exquisite skills of ancient Chinese people, thus become the two most famous and important sites. More than 5,000 statues and over 100, 000 Chinese characters of inscriptions and epigraphs scatter among those stunning statues.
This site is not just famous for its rock carvings which are remarkable for high aesthetic quality, rich diversity of secular and religious subject matter, but also the cultural coexistence. In Dazu Stone Carvings, Buddhism, Taoism and one school of China philosophy Confucianism clash and co-exist together, bringing the eye-dazzling scene, creating an interesting phenomenon and trigger people to delve into its mysterious spiritual world.
In 1999, the Dazu Rock Carving was ranked as a World Cultural Heritage Site. Every year thousands of tourists home and abroad throng here for visits.
Highlights of Dazu Rock Carvings
Beauty is the universal language, so does art. Anyone behold Dazu Rock Carvings will be shocked by its breathtaking beauty. No need of interpretation, art tells itself and stirs the string of our heart and embraces eternity.
The Six Realms Wheel of Life
Beauty is the universal language, so does art. Anyone behold Dazu Rock Carvings will be shocked by its breathtaking beauty. No need of interpretation, art tells itself and stirs the string of our heart and embraces eternity.
The Six Realms Wheel of Life
The ghost who bites a big wheel in his mouth shows the circulation of life and the alternate of luck is called impermanence ghost. According to Buddhism doctrine, people have three lives: the former life, the present life and the afterlife, one has to perform good deeds to be blessed to enter heaven and be rebirth as human being and have happy afterlife, otherwise will be condemned to hell or doomed to be an animal.) The six beams of light divided the wheel into six parts, Buddha,heaven, human, animal, ghost and hell are depicted vividly. The middle 18 images highlight the pain of human beings, the utter 18 images mirrors the transformation between human and animals, (if people commit crimes, Buddha will spell the into animal in afterlife). And two pairs of people who stand by the wheel, ready to turn the wheel, symbolize the desire of greediness and the lust for love. It is because of people’s desire, will bring the wheel of pain to turn. One has to do good deeds, and be pious Buddhist, in order to be blessed with happy life.
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the Six Realms Wheel of Life in Mt Baoding shan ( contains Naturelaw, Asura Road, human Road, beasts Road, Hungry Ghost Road, Hell Road.) |
The Shakyamuni’s Nirvana Holly Figure in Baoding Shan
This statue is 31 m in length, the biggest statue in Dazu Rock Carvings. According to Buddhism doctrine, it is called” The Shakya’s Nirvana Holly Figure”. Unlike lying Buddha statues elsewhere with whole body carved, this one is carved only half of the body, aiming to indicate Buddha is immeasurable, just like Venus without arm, intended to give people room for imagination. (Nirvana is the ultimate and highest status of the monks, after they fulfilled their mission to cultivate their mind and prayed for the blessing of others, they are relieved from the restraint of death and desires, entering the idea land which is perfect and one gains immortal.)
This statue is 31 m in length, the biggest statue in Dazu Rock Carvings. According to Buddhism doctrine, it is called” The Shakya’s Nirvana Holly Figure”. Unlike lying Buddha statues elsewhere with whole body carved, this one is carved only half of the body, aiming to indicate Buddha is immeasurable, just like Venus without arm, intended to give people room for imagination. (Nirvana is the ultimate and highest status of the monks, after they fulfilled their mission to cultivate their mind and prayed for the blessing of others, they are relieved from the restraint of death and desires, entering the idea land which is perfect and one gains immortal.)
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The Shakyamuni’s Nirvana Holly Figure in Baoding Shan |
Guan Yin with One Thousand Hands
This is the unique Guanyin statue with 1007 hands which dashed forward. Every palm varies with the rest. It is said there is an eye in each palm. One thousand eyes means boundless power to save the mass from disaster, natural or man-made, one thousand eyes indicating limitless wisdom, which can perceive the world with precision and enlighten those blinded mind and lost souls. About building her hands, there is one little story, the little monk cast a little piece of wood the minute a palm is finished carving, so without a single palm missing.
This is the unique Guanyin statue with 1007 hands which dashed forward. Every palm varies with the rest. It is said there is an eye in each palm. One thousand eyes means boundless power to save the mass from disaster, natural or man-made, one thousand eyes indicating limitless wisdom, which can perceive the world with precision and enlighten those blinded mind and lost souls. About building her hands, there is one little story, the little monk cast a little piece of wood the minute a palm is finished carving, so without a single palm missing.
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Guanyin Buddha With 1007 Hands |
Huanyan Three Sages
These three statues erect there like mountains, the 1.8-m-high pagoda wenshu Buddha is holding weighs 2 tons, this is amazing, how comes it does not fall down? It turns out the attire of wenshu Buddha and the pagoda form a triangle shape, the most stable frame, according to architecture principle. Considering it is built one thousand years ago, we have to admire our ancestors’ wisdom.
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Left: Wenshu Buddha; Middle:Lushena Buddha;Right: Puxian Buddha |
Rat and cat
This painting is called the most painful thing in the world. The cat is tortured with the desire to eat the rat on the bamboo, while the rat pants on the bamboo feebly, trapped in a dilemma: starve to death or become the lunch of cat is his fate. This statue aims to indicating desire is the source of human’s ultimate pain.
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rat and cat: a fable of desire and painess | the Six Roots Symbolize Desires of Man, one Has to Control Desires to be a Buddha |
Five Main Sites of Dazu Rock Carvings
The Main Five Sites’ stone sculptures are esteemed for their massive scale, exquisite handcraft, colorful theme and well-preserved condition. The seamless integration of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism differentiate itself from the former stone grottoes. Imbued with Chinese flavor and instilled with the breath of secular life, it stands out among numerous grottoes in China, and even the world. The profusion of statues and inscriptions spanning from the 9th to the 13th century reflect the artistic style and the evolvement of religious belief during that period, thus are of immeasurable historical, scientific and artistic value.
Number one: Beishan
Beishan Stone sculptures, 2km Northwest of Dazu County, were carved from 892AD in Tang Dynasty to 1161AD in Southern Song dynasty along the facade of cliff from South to North,300 m in length, 7m to 10m in height. The layout resembles the shape of new moon, and carvings look like beehive. The majority is well-preserved except few towers and inscriptions suffer damage.
Beishan statues ranging from the 9th century to the 12th century are distinguished for their extremely fine carving techniques, classic and exquisite beauty, mirroring the development and evolvement of Buddhism and the artistic style of stone grottoes in China.
The carvings are divided into two sections: the South area with 100 carvings (1-100,) the North area with 190 groups of carvings (101-290). Besides, there are 264 niches with statues, 1 intaglio painting, and 8 inscribed pillars, all of which are priceless treasures. What impress people most is an overwhelming number of over 10,000 Buddha statues with 51 kinds of theme. They are the direct products of Buddhism’s secularization trend, unlike prior stone grottoes in China. Most of these statues are funded by the pious pilgrims. Among all the statues, over 50% represent Tantric Buddhism and the rest associate with the concepts of the Trinity and Sukhavati.
In late stage of 9th century, the statues centered around Buddha Guanyin, Amitabha and Jizo, with 12 kinds of theme, featuring stately air, plump body, fine and clinging clothes, inheriting the style of Tang dynasty. 539 Buddha statues were carved at that time, and a number of 460 objects remain intact till today. Among them, No9, 10, 51 and 52 statues are representative works.
The Main Five Sites’ stone sculptures are esteemed for their massive scale, exquisite handcraft, colorful theme and well-preserved condition. The seamless integration of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism differentiate itself from the former stone grottoes. Imbued with Chinese flavor and instilled with the breath of secular life, it stands out among numerous grottoes in China, and even the world. The profusion of statues and inscriptions spanning from the 9th to the 13th century reflect the artistic style and the evolvement of religious belief during that period, thus are of immeasurable historical, scientific and artistic value.
Number one: Beishan
Beishan Stone sculptures, 2km Northwest of Dazu County, were carved from 892AD in Tang Dynasty to 1161AD in Southern Song dynasty along the facade of cliff from South to North,300 m in length, 7m to 10m in height. The layout resembles the shape of new moon, and carvings look like beehive. The majority is well-preserved except few towers and inscriptions suffer damage.
Beishan statues ranging from the 9th century to the 12th century are distinguished for their extremely fine carving techniques, classic and exquisite beauty, mirroring the development and evolvement of Buddhism and the artistic style of stone grottoes in China.
The carvings are divided into two sections: the South area with 100 carvings (1-100,) the North area with 190 groups of carvings (101-290). Besides, there are 264 niches with statues, 1 intaglio painting, and 8 inscribed pillars, all of which are priceless treasures. What impress people most is an overwhelming number of over 10,000 Buddha statues with 51 kinds of theme. They are the direct products of Buddhism’s secularization trend, unlike prior stone grottoes in China. Most of these statues are funded by the pious pilgrims. Among all the statues, over 50% represent Tantric Buddhism and the rest associate with the concepts of the Trinity and Sukhavati.
In late stage of 9th century, the statues centered around Buddha Guanyin, Amitabha and Jizo, with 12 kinds of theme, featuring stately air, plump body, fine and clinging clothes, inheriting the style of Tang dynasty. 539 Buddha statues were carved at that time, and a number of 460 objects remain intact till today. Among them, No9, 10, 51 and 52 statues are representative works.
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Guanyin Buddha |
Over one-third of the Beishan statues with 18 themes originated from the mid-10th century and are characterized by their dainty and pretty figures, varied postures, natural and unrestrained features, and flamboyant attire. It boasts the largest number of statues built at that time in China, bridging the past and the future and mirroring the characteristics of the transitional period when Song dynasty alternate with Tang Dynasty. For example, Carve 53’s Buddha statues combine the luxury air of Tang Dynasty and slim body typical of Song Dynasty.
Song dynasty’s Buddha statues boast 21 kinds of theme (late 10th to mid-12th centuries),among them, there are various Guanyin statues, such as No 125 statue depicts Guan yin with beads, No 113 and No133 statues depict Guan Yin near the water, thus win the fame as “The Showroom of Guan Yin Buddha Statue ” in China. Statues in this period are closer to life, more vivid and with distinctively differentiated personalities, graceful postures, well-proportioned figures and splendid apparel, shedding light on the aesthetic taste of Song Dynasty. No 136 carve (1142～1146) are the representative one. This statue emits an air of tranquil, cladding in gorgeous outfits, depicting her peaceful inner world and noble status. It is full of Chinese flavor, with the flowing lines, and so well-preserved like carved freshly, thus it is renowned as a shinning pear on the crown of stone statues. No 155, 177 and 180 statues worthy of recommendation also.
Besides, there are 7 inscriptions, 17 poets, 77 essays on statues’ carving record which are inherited intact in Beishan, all of them are important for the study of history, geography, religious beliefs, dating, and the identification of historical figures.
Number Two: Baoding Shan
Baoding Shan, 15 km Northeast of Longgang Street of Dazu Area, was built under the charge of a Monk named Zhao Zhifeng during 1174～1252 in Southern Song dynasty aiming to build a large stone ritual site with ten thousands Buddha statues for preaching and spreading Tantric Buddhism. This endeavor lasted for over 70 years were carried out under the guide of well-designed blueprint, and the diligent work of genius artists.
Baoding Shan is 527.83m above sea level, with 7.93 square acres as key protection area, 37.43 square acres as regular protection area. Its two clusters, Dafo Wan (the main part) and Xiaofo Wan, centering around the magnificent Shenshou Temple (Holy Longevity Monastery), which was built at Southern Song dynasty, covering an area of 1631.68 square meters and consisting 7 temples. Backed by mountain and nestling among forest, it is one of the favorite sites frequented by tourists. During Yuan and Ming dynasties, it suffered damage because of war, and in Qing dynasty, restoration works were done to it. Wansui lou, which features unique structure, bordering it on the south.
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Niche of Parental Love Sutra | Sakyamuni's Filial Piety |
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Nine Dragons | Buddha and Buffalo |
Dafo Wan sits under Shenshou Temple, resembling “U” in shape. The statues are carved on East, South and North façade of three cliffs 500 m in length and 8 to 25 m in height. Various statues themed with Jingbian Stories, Thousand Hands Guan Yin statue, Huayan Three Sages, Six rats, the scene of Hell can be spotted here, without repetition. It is a feast to eye. Dafo Wan Buddha statues embody the basic doctrines of Buddhism, the ethics of Confucianism, the tenets of rationalism and Taoism.
Xiaofo Wan borders Shenshou Temple on right, facing south. Its main architecture is an altar piled up by stones, 2.31 m in height, 16.50 in width, 7.9 m in depth. On the altar, stone walls, stone chambers are built, and decorated with Buddha statues. In many ways the Baodingshan carvings may be considered to represent the acme of Chinese rock sculpture.
Number Three: Nanshan
Nanshan Carvings is famous for their statues themed with Daoism from the 11th to the 13th century, boasting the most exquisite and most complete Taoism statues in China at that time.
Number Four: Shizhuan Shan
Shizhuan Shan mirrors two innovations on statue carvings: first, it takes Confucius and his students as the prototypes, which is rare seen in China history. Second, it combines Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism together to build statues, which is a rare phenomenon also.
Number Five: Shimenshan
Shimen Shan combining Buddhism and Taoism together to build statues, this is unusual, and the statues come out well.
Further Reading: Background of Dazu Rock Carvings
Stone grottoes art, originated from India, crossed the border and was introduced into China in the 3th century. In North China, there were two rounds of Buddha statues construction waves in the 5th and the 7th century respectively. But in the 8th century, it declined as a whole. However, Dazu Rock Carvings along Yangtze river, distinguished by its five sites, rising abruptly like a black horse against the declining background, bringing a new hurricane of stone sculpture activity swept over China, and pushing the stone statue art further to an advanced stage for 400 years. From then on, China stone statues staggered and no stone grottoes bigger than it emerged. Thus, Dazu Stone Carvings marked the last masterpiece of stone carvings in China.
China stone grottoes evolve with time; each period has its own features. Yungang Grottoes represent the early stage of stone statues art during the 4th century and the 5th century, the Northern Wei and Jin Dynasties in China. During that period, India Gandhara and Gupta exerted strong influence on Buddha statues, thus they adopt exotic shapes. Longmen Grottoes embrace the middle stage of stone statue art, during 6th and 9th century, the Sui and Tang dynasties in China, highlighting the cultural blending of Indian and Chinese culture. Dazu Rock Carvings, (from the 9th to the13th century, Late Tang and Southern Song dynasties in China), speak for the late phrase of stone statue art. Absorbing the essence of former grottoes and making innovation on techniques and themes, Dazu Rock Carvings build a stone statue kingdom transcend the past and unparallel yet till today.
Dazu Rock Carvings are full of local flavors and close to everyday life, thus become the model of stone grottoes art in China, together with Mogao Grottoes, Yungang Grottoes and Longmen Grottoes, they complete a stone sculpture art history.
Differentiate itself from other grottoes, big or small, Dazu Rock Carvings combining Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism together, this is a rare phenomenon in history, and is of high aesthetic and philosophy value. Furthermore, Dazu Rock Carvings are one of the best preserved stone statues clusters in China.
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This is the Happy Buddha(Smile Buddha，弥勒佛） |
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