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Carvings and Cliff Inscriptions at Keyan

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The carvings and cliff inscriptions at Keyan are located at the southern foot of Keya Mountain in Keqiao Town, west of Shaoxing City. These stone carvings date back to the Sui and Tang dynasties. The first volume of the A Brief Record of Keya Mountain states: “The stone Buddha stands five zhang and six chi tall. It is said that during the Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty, a stonemason vowed to carve it but passed away before completing it. His disciple continued the work, followed by the disciple’s disciple, and the project was finally completed after three generations.” Volume 24 of the Shanyin County Annals from the Jiaqing era states: “Keya Temple is located thirty li west of the county and was built by imperial decree during the Yonghe era of the Jin Dynasty. Old records say: Stone was quarried here by local people, forming caves, which skilled craftsmen carved into Buddha statues. Temples were built over them starting from the Tang Dynasty.” The temple later fell into disrepair and was rebuilt by Ming Dynasty deputy regional commander Huang Youji, who renamed it Puzhao Temple. During the Kangxi era, locals gilded the Buddha statue with gold powder. In the 1970s, the Buddha’s hands and lower knees were damaged. In 1997, the county cultural relics department restored the Buddha’s hands and curly hair.

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The carvings and cliff inscriptions at Keyan are a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The carvings and cliff inscriptions at Keyan are located at the southern foot of Keya Mountain in Keqiao Town, west of Shaoxing City. These stone carvings date back to the Sui and Tang dynasties. The first volume of the A Brief Record of Keya Mountain states: “The stone Buddha stands five zhang and six chi tall. It is said that during the Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty, a stonemason vowed to carve it but passed away before completing it. His disciple continued the work, followed by the disciple’s disciple, and the project was finally completed after three generations.” Volume 24 of the Shanyin County Annals from the Jiaqing era states: “Keya Temple is located thirty li west of the county and was built by imperial decree during the Yonghe era of the Jin Dynasty. Old records: Stone was quarried here by local people, forming caves, which skilled craftsmen carved into Buddha statues. Temples were built over them starting from the Tang Dynasty.” The temple later fell into disrepair and was rebuilt by Ming Dynasty deputy regional commander Huang Youji, who renamed it Puzhao Temple. During the Kangxi era, locals gilded the Buddha statue with gold powder. In the 1970s, the Buddha’s hands and lower knees were damaged. In 1997, the county cultural relics department restored the Buddha’s hands and curly hair.

This attraction is located within a massive arc-shaped rock on the southern side of Keya Mountain, about 1 kilometer northwest of Keyayan Village (Zhiliugang) in Keqiao Town. It is a statue of Maitreya, standing 11.3 meters tall, with curly hair and a domed topknot, a broad face and forehead, wearing a kasaya robe in the flowing wide-sleeved style, with an exposed chest and a cinched waist. The left hand rests on the knee, while the right hand forms the teaching mudra. The figure sits cross-legged on a flat base. The overall proportions of the carving are well-balanced, the form is robust, the lines are smooth, and the carving technique is refined, making it one of the better-preserved large ancient stone carvings in the province.

The Buddha statue is carved inside a massive isolated rock and depicts Maitreya. According to measurements taken in 1992, the grotto is 27.3 meters high, and the Buddha statue begins 5.5 meters above the ground, standing 11.3 meters tall. The entire figure is carved in the round, with a spiral-shaped topknot, a full-faced expression, slightly downcast eyes, ears close to the shoulders, a prominent nose bridge, thin lips, and a serene expression. The left hand rests on the knee, while the right hand is in the teaching mudra. The statue wears a kasaya robe in the flowing wide-sleeved style, with an exposed chest, a nearly square collar, a cinched waist belt tied at the abdomen.