Fenglong Mountain Grottoes

Fenglong Mountain Grottoes

The Fenglong Mountain Grottoes are a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Fenglong Mountain (located at the border of Yuanshi County and Luquan City) Grottoes currently consist of two sites: one is located in the Western Stone Hall Courtyard on the western foothills of Fenglong Mountain, and the other is in the Eastern Stone Hall Courtyard on the eastern foothills. The cave sculptures in the Eastern Stone Hall Courtyard have been destroyed. The Western Stone Hall Courtyard contains three caves, arranged from west to east as Cave No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3. Cave No. 1 is the Trikāya Buddha Cave, with the main niche housing a seated statue of Shakyamuni Buddha, the right niche a seated statue of Maitreya Buddha (the future Buddha), and the left niche a seated statue of Amitabha Buddha (the past Buddha). In addition to the three main Buddha statues, there are over 90 smaller niches carved on the cave walls. Cave No. 2 is the Thousand Buddha Cave, featuring a seated statue of Shakyamuni. Its walls are covered with rows and clusters of small Buddha figures carved in crisscross patterns, totaling 847 in all. Judging from the carving content and techniques, this cave was excavated slightly later than Cave No. 1, likely in the early Tang Dynasty. Cave No. 3 is the Nirvana Cave, which features a carving of the nirvana of Shakyamuni Buddha. Its carving style suggests it was created during the Northern Song Dynasty. On the cliff to the east of the Western Stone Hall Courtyard, six characters are inscribed: “Autumn Worship in the Third Year of Wu Ping,” serving as strong evidence that the grottoes were first carved during the Northern Qi Dynasty.

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Hebei Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units