Pugou Grottoes

The Northern Dynasties Pugou Grottoes in Pugou Village, Tianhu Town, Song County, currently comprise seven caves. The six caves on the eastern side are staggered and adjacent from top to bottom, measuring 1.55–1.7 meters in height, 1.11–1.7 meters in depth, and 1.15–1.6 meters in width. The western cave, commonly known as the "Liulang Cave," has an almost square floor plan, standing 5 meters high and 6.6 meters wide, with a front-facing Buddha statue that is 1...

Pugou Grottoes

Pugou Grottoes

There are seven caves in total. The six caves on the eastern side are staggered and adjacent from top to bottom, measuring 1.55–1.7 meters in height, 1.11–1.7 meters in depth, and 1.15–1.6 meters in width. The western cave, commonly known as the "Liulang Cave," has an almost square floor plan, is 5 meters high and 6.6 meters wide, and features a front-facing Buddha statue that is 1.8 meters tall. The statues in the seven caves have full yet slightly elongated faces, deep-set eyes, high noses, squared shoulders, smooth and pleated drapery lines, and are believed to be works from the late Northern Wei Dynasty.

The Pugou Grottoes were named in modern times, and their original name is no longer known. Their exact date of construction is also difficult to determine due to the lack of inscribed steles and historical records in local gazetteers. Judging from the existing cave structure, subject matter, arrangement of statues, artistic style, and decorative elements, the grottoes were excavated during the later period of the Northern Wei Dynasty after the capital was moved to Luoyang. They share a consistent artistic style with the Longmen Grottoes and are considered an extension of that complex, rather than an independent development.

The Pugou Grottoes are located among Jiugao Mountain, Xiyanshan Mountain, and Luhun Ridge, in a hilly and river valley plain area that slopes from west to east. The Yi River, which flows from south to north, sits at an elevation of about 150 meters in front of the caves. The caves were carved into a hill on the southern ridge of Xiyanshan Mountain, where the rock is gray coarse sandstone. Originally there were eight caves, but two in the northern area were buried underground due to the expansion of the Luoluan Highway, leaving six caves remaining. Aside from one larger cave on the southern side, the other five are clustered in the northern section. Numbered from north to south, they are Caves 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 (all clustered in the north), and Cave 6 (also known as the Liulang Cave). All six surviving caves feature square floor plans with niche altars along the walls, domed or occasionally flat ceilings, square cave entrances, and main wall statues. Two guardian statues (sometimes absent) flank the entrance, similar to those found in the Maitreya Cave and the Lai’en Ci Jiu Cave from the Empress Dowager Hu’s era. Due to prolonged natural disasters, most cave entrances have been damaged, and many statues have eroded into mere stone husks, unrecognizable in form. Particularly, the lower sections of the cave walls have largely weathered away, though the lotus motifs on the ceilings, celestial musicians, and upper wall statues remain relatively well-preserved.

The Pugou Grottoes originally had eight caves, with one larger cave on the southern side. The drainage channel of the Pugou Hydropower Station is situated above this southern cave, which has suffered years of water infiltration and erosion, leading to severe rock collapse and weathering. Only a single weathered stone statue remains. The northern side originally had seven caves, but due to natural disasters and human damage, they are now heavily worn. Most cave entrances are broken or collapsed, and many statues have lost their original features due to the coarse texture of the stone and heavy weathering. Their clothing and decorative details are marred by extensive pitting. Especially in the mid-to-lower sections of the cave walls, erosion is nearly complete, with only the upper wall statues and ceiling decorations remaining relatively intact. Small square holes drilled above the cave section may be remnants of later-added protective eaves. As the site is located in a remote area, it has not yet undergone repairs or archaeological excavation in front of the caves. Vibrations from vehicles on the Luoluan Highway, water seepage in the caves, and the potential collapse of surrounding rock formations are pressing issues for the Pugou Grottoes. Currently, the caves have been enclosed and protected using bricks and cement.

The statues in the Pugou Grottoes share an artistic style that is directly connected to those of the Longmen Grottoes, making them an integral part of Longmen's sculptural heritage. The surviving stone carvings and decorative art in the Pugou Grottoes, while slightly less refined and mature compared to those of Longmen, still represent the craftsmanship of small to medium-sized grottoes and serve as important examples for studying the sculpture of the late Northern Wei Dynasty. Carved by followers from the middle and lower social strata, the Pugou Grottoes reflect and represent the Buddhist art commissioned by folk Buddhist organizations—known as "Foxue She"—that were popular at the time. They provide valuable historical insight into the local Buddhist groups and beliefs in Luoyang during that period.

Category: Stone carving

Period: Northern Wei Dynasty

Address: Pugou Village, Tianhu Town, Song County

Date of designation: November 1, 1986

Batch of designation: Second batch

Pugou Village: Pugou Village…… Detailed information about Pugou Village++

Further reading:

· Second Batch of Henan Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units