Dacai Cliff Carvings

Dacai Cliff Carvings

The Dacai Cliff Carvings are situated behind Xishi Village in Xintang Town, Raoping County, Chaozhou City, Guangdong Province. A huge rock there has split into three parts, facing east, west, and north. On the eastern-facing part of the rock, the front side bears an inscription that reads: “Dragon and tiger forces clashed here, slicing the land apart; half veiled in sand, half shrouded in mist and cloud. Of all the steadfast mountains, who rivals you, Dacai? Your gall to mend the heavens shattered — truly pitiful. You stand as a shield before our villages and strongholds, shaped not by axe or chisel but by nature’s hand. Who would doubt there are pillars of strength in this world? Like a great general, you stand firm in the midstream.” The signature reads: “Xiaoyan Lin Yiming, Year of Yi Hai, Daoguang Era,” in semi-cursive script. The carving covers an area of approximately 12 square meters, with individual characters about 10×15 cm in size.

The author, Lin Yiming (1776–1843), was a native of Xishi Village, Xintang Town, Raoping County. He achieved the rank of Jinshi (presented scholar) in the second class of the Qing imperial examination and served as the magistrate of Pinghe County, Fujian Province during the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty. A man of vast erudition, he authored the poetry collection Yan Tian Xuan Shi Chao, which has been handed down through generations. His calligraphy style was widely acclaimed as “the seventh best in the nation, and the best in Guangdong,” and came to be known as the “Yiming Style.” The cliff carvings have been well preserved and hold significant historical and artistic value.

The Dacai Cliff Carvings were designated as a county-level cultural relics protection unit on February 7, 2014.

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