Five Caves Cliff Carvings

Five Caves Cliff Carvings

The Five Caves Cliff Carvings are a cultural relic protection unit of Chongqing Municipality.

Period: Tang to Qing Dynasties

Type: Grotto Temples and Stone Carvings

Region: Tongnan County, Chongqing

Batch: First Batch

The Five Caves Cliff Carvings are situated on the steep western cliff of Wudongyan in Group 5, Weigan Village. Oriented from northeast to southwest, they were carved between the Tang and Qing dynasties. The site preserves six niches with a total of 128 statues, numbered M1–M6 from right to left. Niche M1 is a round arch niche with one statue; Niche M2 is 2.28 meters high, 2.2 meters wide, and 0.61 meters deep, covering an area of 5.01 square meters; Niche M3 is 2.4 meters high, 2 meters wide, and 0.98 meters deep, covering an area of 4.8 square meters; Niche M4 is 2.3 meters high, 2.4 meters wide, and 1 meter deep, covering an area of 5.3 square meters; Niche M5 is 2.2 meters high, 2 meters wide, and 1.15 meters deep, covering an area of 4.4 square meters; Niche M6 is 2.15 meters high, 2.2 meters wide, and 0.7 meters deep, covering an area of 4.75 square meters. Most of these carvings are double-layered niches, featuring an outer square frame and an inner round arch with pointed willow-leaf tips, exhibiting typical characteristics of Tang Dynasty carving style. The outer wall of Niche 2 bears an inscription reading “...Shaoxing Jiayin...”, giving it significant historical and research value as representative physical material for the study of Tang Dynasty stone carvings.