South Xiangtangshan Grottoes

South Xiangtangshan Grottoes

The South Xiangtangshan Grottoes are a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Xiangtangshan Grottoes are located on Mount Gushan in the Fengfeng Mining District of Handan City, divided into northern and southern sections about 15 kilometers apart. The grottoes earned their name because when people laugh, wave, or walk near the mid-mountain caves, the sound echoes crisply. There are currently 16 surviving caves, over 450 cliffside niches with carvings, more than 5,000 statues of various sizes, as well as a large number of carved sutras and inscriptions. They are the largest grotto complex discovered so far in Hebei Province and were among the first group of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level announced by the State Council.

Both the Northern and Southern Xiangtang Grottoes were initially built during the Northern Qi Dynasty. At that time, the Northern Qi had two political centers: one was the capital Ye (in today’s Linzhang area), and the other was the secondary capital Jinyang (today’s Taiyuan in Shanxi). Mount Gushan, which lies on the key east-west passageway of the Taihang Mountains, was a necessary route between the two capitals. With its beautiful scenery and excellent stone quality, the mountain was chosen by Emperor Gao Yang of the Northern Qi—who revered Buddhism as the state religion—to carve caves, build temples, and construct imperial gardens as a place for summer retreats, leisure, and Buddhist worship during his travels between the two capitals. Later dynasties including Sui, Tang, Song, and Ming also added new carvings here.

The carvings of the Xiangtangshan Grottoes—Buddhas, flowers, and more—are elegant and grand. Their craftsmanship bridges previous and later styles and marks an important transitional phase in the development of China’s grotto art, from the Yungang Grottoes in Datong to the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang. It is also one of the significant treasuries for studying China’s Buddhist, architectural, sculptural, painting, and calligraphic arts.

The South Xiangtang Grottoes are situated northwest of Zhifang Village in Linshui Town, at the southern foot of Mount Gushan and on the northern bank of the Fuyang River. Nearby are auxiliary structures such as temple halls, hillside pavilions, and ancient pagodas. There are currently seven surviving caves of varying sizes, arranged on two levels: five on the upper level and two on the lower. From bottom to top, they are the Huayan Cave, Prajna Cave, Empty Cave, Amitabha Cave, Shakyamuni Cave, Vajra Cave, and Thousand Buddha Cave. Among them, the Huayan Cave is the largest, standing 4.9 meters high with a width and depth of 6.3 meters each. It houses carvings of the "Mahāvaipulya Buddhāvataṃsaka Sūtra," hence its name. On the upper central part of the southern wall inside the cave is a large relief depicting the Pure Land story of Amitabha Buddha, and the central pillar on the south side features reliefs of Shakyamuni preaching and Jataka tales. The Thousand Buddha Cave on the upper level is small but exquisitely preserved.

Above the outer ceiling of the cave is a carved inverted alms bowl stupa. The tip of the stupa features curled-cloud-shaped kirtimukha leaves, with a golden-winged garuda mid-flight in the center, and a precious jewel atop the bowl. On either side are octagonal jewel-topped pillars. Inside the cave, three sides feature shrines with carvings of one Buddha, two disciples, and two bodhisattvas in each niche. The main figure in the central front niche is Shakyamuni Buddha. The cave walls are covered with numerous small Buddha carvings, totaling 1,028 statues of various sizes, hence the name “Thousand Buddha Cave.” The ceiling is slightly arched, with a carved lotus in the center and eight flying apsaras carved around it in symmetrical pairs, creating the image of a heavenly paradise of singing and dancing immortals. This cave features rigorous structure and exquisite carving, especially the large exterior reliefs and the celestial dancers on the ceiling, all of which are unparalleled artistic masterpieces.

Linshui Town: A town under the jurisdiction of the Fengfeng Mining District in Handan City. It is the seat of the district government. Established as Linshui Township in 1957, upgraded to Linshui Commune in 1958, and merged with the Fuyang Subdistrict in 1984 to form Linshui Town. Located in the eastern part of the Fengfeng Mining District, it covers an area of 30 square kilometers with a population of 92,000. The Handan-Ci Railway runs through the area, and the Handan-Fengfeng Highway provides access. The town administers 15 village committees (Linshui, Nantou, Shiqiao, Donggou, Heilong Cave, Guozhuang, Xizhifang, Dongzhifang, Xiqingliu, Dongqingliu, Zhongqingliu, Xinqingliu, Dongquantou, Xiquantou, Beiliuwang) and 38 neighborhood committees. Its industry is dominated by building materials. ... More detailed information on Linshui Town++