Buddhist Niches and Carvings in Menggezhuang Village

Buddhist Niches and Carvings in Menggezhuang Village

The Buddhist niches and carvings in Menggezhuang Village are a protected cultural heritage site of Laizhou City.

The Buddhist niches and carvings in Menggezhuang Village are located southeast of Menggezhuang Village, Zhashan Town, Laizhou City. Three kilometers north of the carvings is an east-west highway connecting Laizhou and Guojadian Town. The carvings were carved into a massive rock, which stands 2.95 meters high, 3 meters wide, and 1.35 meters thick. There are three niches in total, with the largest one located on the southern side of the rock, measuring 1.25 meters in height and 1.3 meters in width. The niche contains a carving of one Buddha flanked by two attendant bodhisattvas. In the center is the main Buddha, facing south and seated in the lotus position. On either side are standing bodhisattva statues. The bodhisattvas are dressed in celestial robes and scarves, wearing close-fitting long skirts, and standing barefoot on lotus pedestals. Behind the main Buddha is a large lotus-shaped halo, and traces of cinnabar-painted flame patterns can be faintly seen on the ceiling of the niche. On the eastern and western sides of the rock, there are two smaller niches, both of which are uncarved. The carvings have suffered severe weathering and human damage, with the heads and clothing patterns blurred and indistinct. The exact date of their creation remains to be further investigated. To the east of the carvings, there used to be a stone house, commonly known as the "Stone Temple," which no longer exists. These carvings hold significant reference value for the study of the history of Buddhism and the art of carving in the Jiaodong region.

In 2012, it was designated as a key cultural heritage protection unit of Laizhou City.

Source: Laizhou City Museum

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