Cliff Inscriptions in Longbi Cave, Yandang Mountain

Cliff Inscriptions in Longbi Cave, Yandang Mountain

The Cliff Inscriptions in Longbi Cave, Yandang Mountain are a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Cliff Inscriptions in Longbi Cave, Yandang Mountain

Dates: Tang Dynasty – Republic of China

The Cliff Inscriptions in Longbi Cave, Yandang Mountain are located in Longbi Cave at Lingyan, Yandang Mountain. The cliff inscriptions are distributed along the uppermost sections of both cave walls. The earliest among them is an inscription by Bao Ju from the tenth year of the Zhenyuan era of the Tang Dynasty (794). Among the Song Dynasty carvings, seven are dated, while thirteen have cyclical year notations or inscriptions, among which the two characters “Shen Kuo” are especially valuable. There is one from the Yuan Dynasty, twenty-three from the Ming Dynasty, and nine from the Qing Dynasty onwards. In addition, there are seven stone stelae dating from the Song Dynasty onwards. On the large rock beside the cave entrance ridge are engraved four large characters “Tian Kai Tu Hua” (天开图画, meaning “Heaven Opens a Painting”), written by Zhu Huiweng of the Ming Dynasty.

On October 7, 2019, the Cliff Inscriptions in Longbi Cave, Yandang Mountain were included in the eighth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Source: Zhejiang Cultural Relics Website

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Eighth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units