Cliffside Rock Carvings at Fangxiang

Cliffside Rock Carvings at Fangxiang

The cliffside rock carvings at Fangxiang are a cultural relic protection unit of Hunan Province.

Fangxiang

Dating from the Song to the Qing dynasties, it is located about 2 kilometers east of Wugang City, Hunan Province, and has long been famous for its abundant rock carvings.

Also known as Baofang Mountain, Fangxiang is a large limestone karst cave. The Qing-era Comprehensive Gazetteer states: “Baofang Mountain is located five li southeast of the prefecture, also called Baosheng Mountain, and also known as Fangxiang.” According to the Buddhist scripture Mahāyāna-saṃgraha: “All worldly truths, whether conditioned or unconditioned, are referred to as dharmalakṣaṇa (法相, ‘elements of existence’).” The name Fangxiang is derived from this. Inside the cave are eight sub-caves: Qizhen, Shangping, Taibao, Chaoyang, Yingyang, Furong, Yingshan, and Huaru. Each cave bears its name inscribed within. Originally, all eight caves were interconnected, but today only seven remain connected as the Huaru Cave has been sealed. The cave features a forest of stalactites in diverse and striking shapes. More than 70 stone inscriptions from notable figures of the Song to the Qing dynasties are found inside the cave, showcasing a variety of calligraphic styles including cursive, regular, clerical, seal, and running scripts. Among these, the 40-character Diamond Sutra gatha inscribed in 1207 (the third year of the Kaixi era of the Song Dynasty) by Wu Zhong, the three characters “Bi Yu Zan” (Jade Hairpin) and the two characters “Dong Kai” (Cave Open) in regular script by Lou Yue in 1163 (the first year of the Longxing era), are particularly precious and have been highly praised by calligraphers throughout history. Since the Song Dynasty, Fangxiang has been developed as a scenic destination. Its cliff inscriptions across various dynasties have attracted numerous visitors for appreciation, copying, or rubbing, making it of significant historical and artistic value.

On January 24, 1959, the People's Committee of Hunan Province designated it as a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit, with the serial number 118.

Source: Overview of Cultural Relics in Hunan