Small Pavilion Stone Carvings

Small Pavilion Stone Carvings

The Small Pavilion Stone Carvings are a cultural relic protection unit of Liaoning Province.

The Small Pavilion Stone Carvings are located on a solitary hill to the north of Hewa Village in Beizhen City. Research indicates that they date back to the Liao Dynasty.

The carvings are on the cliff face of a peak behind the ruins of the Small Pavilion Temple. At the top of the peak lies an artificially constructed platform measuring 7.5 meters from north to south and 4.5 meters from east to west. Twenty-four steps on the eastern side lead up to the platform. The surface of the platform exposes architectural elements such as bricks and tiles, and also reveals circular column base pits that were carved out. On the naturally protruding cliff face to the north of the platform, a rectangular niche facing south has been carved. Inside the niche, there are three relief stone Buddha statues. These statues feature spiral hair buns, round and benevolent facial expressions, wide ears that hang down to the shoulders, and they wear monk robes with exposed chests, sitting cross-legged on stone pedestals. Between the central Buddha and the two flanking ones, relief images of standing attendants, resembling Ananda, are carved. The stone carvings are rough yet concise in style. Judging by their form and arrangement, they are believed to be from the Liao Dynasty. Fifty meters north of these carvings, on another raised cliff face, two additional niches have been carved, featuring relief standing statues of Guanyin. On the flat stone surface in front of the Guanyin statues, a square kneeling stone has been carved. Beneath the kneeling stone, a stone chamber has been hollowed out. On the northern wall of the chamber, another relief seated Buddha is carved. On the cliff top to the east of the Guanyin statues, a circular pillar-like base with a hole in the center has been carved, possibly serving as an altar. Currently, the Small Pavilion Stone Carvings are very well preserved, with only minor damage.