The Dalongmen Cliff Carvings

The Dalongmen Cliff Carvings

The Dalongmen Cliff Carvings are a cultural relic protection unit of Hebei Province.

The Dalongmen Cliff Carvings are located 0.5 kilometers northwest of Dalongmen Fortress in Jiulong Town, Laishui County, nestled within towering mountains and steep ridges. On both sides of the canyon, peaks compete in beauty, while sheer cliffs rise high into the clouds, as if cut by a knife. The valley is filled with rushing streams and turbulent waves, creating an especially spectacular landscape. The site was regarded as a military stronghold during the Jin, Ming, and Qing dynasties. At the eastern end of the canyon, a fortress was built, which was heavily guarded by government troops throughout the dynasties. It served as a strategic military pass where "one man could hold the gate against ten thousand." The cliff faces are inscribed with many poems and inscriptions by ancient celebrities, authentic works left behind by military officers stationed at the passes.

There are more than 20 cliff inscriptions in the entire canyon, among which the most striking is the “Ten Thousand Ren Heavenly Pass” (Wan Ren Tian Guan), written in the 23rd year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1585 AD) by Jia Sanjin, a military officer and the Right Vice Minister of War from Yiyang, Shandong. The characters are 2.7 meters tall and 1.8 meters wide, displaying a majestic and graceful style, making it a true artistic masterpiece. Other inscriptions vary in size from 0.6 to 2 meters. “Heaven’s Majestic Scenery” (Tian Cheng Xing Sheng) was inscribed by He Jiwen, the commander of the Dumen Pass guard, during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. “Thousand-layered Sheer Cliffs” (Qiao Bi Qian Chong) was written by Wang Shixing in the 46th year of the Wanli reign (1618 AD) on the 15th day of the second lunar month. “Golden Ramparts Ten Thousand Ren High, Jade Walls Thousand Fathoms Steep” (Jin Tang Wan Ren, Yu Lei Qian Xun) was inscribed by Lü Zhiru, the Ming Dynasty general in charge of the Mashuikou Pass. Other surviving inscriptions include phrases such as “Dragons and Tigers Hold Their Ground, Jade Walls and Golden Fortifications,” “Peaks Layered Thousands Deep, Danger Surpasses All Encirclements,” “Gateway to the Territory,” “Thousands of Peaks Stand in Reverence,” “Clear Springs Cascade Down the Ravine,” “Emerald Walls and Bizarre Peaks,” “Wind Dancing in the Sky, Clouds Flying Before One’s Eyes,” “Dragon Gate Gorge,” “Two Mountains Rise Like Walls Near the Azure Heaven, A White Ribbon Flows Through the Stream,” and others. These inscriptions provide reliable evidence for the study of calligraphy art from the Ming Dynasty.

In addition, there are two 1.5-meter-tall Buddha statues carved in the canyon, serving as places where stationed soldiers prayed for the safety of the pass and sought relief from troubles. Although the carvings are not finely detailed, the simple and solemn figures of the deities complement the scenery of the canyon.

In July 1982, the Dalongmen Cliff Carvings were listed as a cultural relic protection unit of Hebei Province.

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units in Hebei Province