Reclining Buddha Temple Cliff Carvings

Reclining Buddha Temple Cliff Carvings

The Reclining Buddha Temple Cliff Carvings are a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Reclining Buddha Temple Cliff Carvings are located within the Reclining Buddha Temple Reservoir in Baishan Village, Baihe Town, Tang County. They were carved into a approximately 6-meter-high, north-south-facing, west-oriented siliceous limestone cliff. According to an inscription on the left side of the Reclining Buddha figure, these rock carvings were created in the fifth year of the Qingli era during the Northern Song Dynasty (1046 AD). The Reclining Buddha Cliff Carvings currently consist of 95 caves and niches of various sizes, housing 138 statues. It is a large-scale cliff niche group centered around the theme of the Nirvana of Sakyamuni. Among them, the Reclining Buddha statue is 4.5 meters long, making it the largest existing stone Reclining Buddha in Hebei Province. The Nirvana scene features disciples depicted vividly and in diverse postures, effectively conveying the solemn and mournful atmosphere of the Buddha’s passing. The remaining niches also showcase exquisitely detailed carvings with smooth lines, reflecting a high level of craftsmanship. This represents an extremely rare large-scale Northern Song Dynasty stone carving complex in northern China.

Baishan Village: Baishan Village is located 5 kilometers northeast of Baihe Town, on the east side of the Tangchuan Road. It covers an area of 450 mu, with a registered population of 73 households and 256 people. The village currently has 22 Party members, and the village’s two committees consist of 7 members in total—4 from the Party branch and 3 from the village committee. …… More detailed information about Baishan Village++

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Hebei Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units