Buffalo Mountain Cliff Inscriptions

Buffalo Mountain Cliff Inscriptions

The Buffalo Mountain cliff inscriptions in Wenshang are located on the right side of a cave at the southern foot of Buffalo Mountain, about 1 kilometer southeast of Xiaolou Village, Baishi Town, Wenshang County. The inscribed area is a rectangular, polished stone surface measuring 2 meters in length and 1.5 meters in width, featuring six lines of clerical script totaling 52 characters. “Shariputra, you ask what is meant by the name Buddha. It is said that to behold the Buddha is to see what is unborn, undying, not coming, not going, without name, without form—this is called the Buddha. Just as when one contemplates the true form of their own body, so too should one contemplate the Buddha. Only the wise can truly know this—this is called beholding the Buddha.” The inscriptions are clear and the brushwork vigorous, bearing stylistic similarities to the cliff inscriptions at Mount Tai’s Jing Shi Yu and those at Iron Mountain. According to the *Golden Hundred Studies*, “The auspicious day of Ji Ri Gui Si refers to these cliff inscriptions. And the stone engravings of Buddhist scriptures... began in the Gao Qi era, during the Yuwen Zhou period.” Judging by the grid layout, they are believed to have been created around the same time as those at Jing Shi Yu, suggesting the Buffalo Mountain inscriptions were carved during the Northern Qi dynasty. The Buffalo Mountain cliff carvings primarily feature clerical script, interspersed with regular, seal, and running scripts. The calligraphy is elegant, bold and powerful, simple yet profound, combining square and round strokes, and holds significant historical and calligraphic value. In recent years, the number of domestic and international calligraphers visiting Buffalo Mountain for research and appreciation has increased year by year, and more and more tourists have come to visit the site. To enhance the protection of these precious inscriptions, a protected area has been designated, hiking paths have been built, and safety facilities have been added, both increasing preservation efforts and facilitating visitor access. In 1975, the Jining Municipal People's Government issued a document designating it as a municipal-level key cultural relic protection unit. On June 12, 1992, it was announced as a Shandong Provincial Key Cultural Relic Protection Unit.

Further Reading:

· First Batch of Shandong Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units

· Second Batch of Jining Municipal-Level Cultural Relic Protection Units