Stone Carvings of the Guanyin Pavilion

Stone Carvings of the Guanyin Pavilion

The Stone Carvings of the Guanyin Pavilion are a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Stone Carvings of the Guanyin Pavilion

The Guanyin Pavilion is located to the west of Laojunyuan Village in Chaihedian Town. It was first built in the 37th year of the Wanli reign during the Ming Dynasty (1619) and is a provincial-level key cultural relic protection unit designated by the People's Government of Shandong Province. The main structure of the pavilion is a three-story building built on top of a group of Tang Dynasty stone cave carvings. It was constructed by Zhu Shouyong, the Prince of Taixing, to protect the stone sculptures. Inside, there is a seated, colorfully painted statue of Guanyin, whose carving is exquisitely detailed and remarkably lifelike, making it an artistic treasure among the extant Buddhist statues in China. Historical documents and inscriptions such as the "Tengxian Annals" and the "Record of the Reconstruction of Laojunyuan" all document this historic site: “Fifty li southeast of Teng County lies the ancient site of Laojunyuan, which originated in the Tang Dynasty.” “Upon entering, one sees the richly painted halls that have been refurbished; ascending to the interior, one beholds the resplendently gilded and brilliantly shining divine statues… It is reminiscent of the Tengwang Pavilion and Yueyang Tower.” Unfortunately, due to years of neglect, historical warfare, and the Cultural Revolution, the Guanyin Pavilion suffered severe damage—the heads of the stone carvings were broken, the rock surfaces of the caves eroded and collapsed, the inscriptions among the statues became blurred and illegible, and the pavilion itself was on the verge of collapse.

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