Cliff Inscriptions at Shiniu Ancient Cave

Cliff Inscriptions at Shiniu Ancient Cave

The Cliff Inscriptions at Shiniu Ancient Cave are designated as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Shiniu Ancient Cave, situated at the foot of Tianzhu Mountain, houses over 300 stone inscriptions of poetry and prose from historical officials, nobles, and literati, and is of considerable academic importance.

Shiniu Ancient Cave, located at the foot of Tianzhu Mountain, contains more than 300 stone inscriptions of literary works by officials and scholars through the ages, making it highly valuable for research. The famous scholar Huang Tingjian once resided here to devote himself to study, the renowned painter Li Gonglin created a portrait of him sitting by the stone ox, and during the reign of Emperor Renzong of Song in the Huangyou era, Wang Anshi visited the site and left an inscribed poem. It holds notable historical and cultural significance.

In the western ravine of Sanzu Temple lies a large stone resembling a sleeping ox, surrounded by cavernous cliffs and adorned with murmuring springs—hence the name Shiniu Ancient Cave (“Ancient Cave of the Stone Ox”). Both “Shiniu Ancient Cave” and “Valley Stream of the Gorge” are among the Ten Scenic Spots of Qianyang. The poetic inscriptions here vary greatly in size—some characters are as large as a dou (a traditional measuring vessel), others as small as a cup. Some are carved into hundred-foot cliffs, others engraved within deep, secluded cave rocks.

Stylistically, the inscriptions cover a full range of literary forms, including poetry, songs, odes, and inscriptions. In terms of script styles, regular, running, clerical, seal, and cursive scripts are all represented. The carving techniques include both intaglio and relief, combining square and round forms. Chronologically, the inscriptions span from the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, the Republic of China, all the way to modern times—each period is represented, with anywhere from just 2 to as many as 109 pieces, showing no temporal gaps.

Tianzhu Mountain

Sanzu Temple

Mysterious Valley

Black Tiger Waterfall

Immortal Peach Stone

Xiguan Fort

Tianning Fort

Cliff Carvings

Mazu Hermitage