Deer Cliff Petroglyphs

Deer Cliff Petroglyphs

The Deer Cliff Petroglyphs are a cultural tourism attraction.

In ancient times, isolated at the edge of the world, the remote Dayi Mountain was considered a sacred peak — an ideal refuge for those disillusioned with worldly affairs seeking shelter and seclusion. It’s fair to say that Liu Changshi, the creator of these petroglyphs, was one such person. Without a certain level of knowledge, status, and the historical and living context he was in, how could he have accomplished such a feat? To express his inner feelings through symbolic imagery, and to carve them into rock, entrusting them to future generations — this is something ordinary people would never think of.

The signature on the petroglyphs should bear the names of three individuals, but due to the long-term weathering of the rock, the inscriptions have become blurred and are difficult to discern. The three boxes before Liu Changshi likely contain the names of individuals of higher status than him; the three boxes after should be the names of the stonemasons, with a “和” (and) character in between. The full inscription probably reads: “On the 22nd day of the first month in the second year of the Huangqing era, we ascended the mountain to worship the cliff. On the 20th day of the second month, we completed the work. [Names], Liu Changshi, and a stonemason named [Name], four brothers of the stone-carving team.”

One of the characters, “拆,” refers to the act of chiseling or carving the stone to leave a mark.

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