Dazu Rock Carvings at Baodingshan

Dazu Rock Carvings at Baodingshan

The Dazu Rock Carvings at Baodingshan are a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Dazu Rock Carvings at Baodingshan are located about 15 kilometers northeast of Dazu County in Chongqing.

The stone carvings at Baodingshan were first created in 1179 during the Chunxi era of the Southern Song Dynasty and completed in 1249 during the Chunyou era, spanning over 70 years. They were constructed under the direction of the renowned Southern Song monk Zhao Zhifeng as a sacred site for Esoteric Buddhism. There are 13 main clusters of carvings with tens of thousands of statues, among which the Great Buddha Bay and Little Buddha Bay are the largest in scale.

Great Buddha Bay is horseshoe-shaped, stretching over 500 meters in length with cliffs ranging from 15 to 30 meters in height. The carvings are distributed on the eastern, southern, and northern sides. Initially modeled after Little Buddha Bay, these rock caves were later carved here. There are more than 30 large-scale carvings, including the famous Six Paths of Reincarnation, Great Jeweled Tower, Avalokiteshvara with Thousand Arms, Nirvana of Sakyamuni, Nine Dragons Bathing the Prince, and Peacock King Sutra illustrations. The Song Dynasty carvings are particularly distinctive, remarkably well-preserved, and rich in storytelling and visual interest.

The Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara niche is carved into the eastern cliff face at the southern end of Great Buddha Bay, featuring 1,007 intricately arranged arms that spread out like a peacock’s tail—splendidly golden and ornate. It is the only one of its kind in China. The Avalokiteshvara with Thousand Arms statue stands 7 meters tall, with the bodhisattva holding a thousand-jin (500 kg) stone pagoda that has remained intact for centuries, showcasing the exceptional engineering techniques used during its construction. The Baoding Yuanjue Cave, located on the southern cliff of Great Buddha Bay, is world-renowned for its ingenious design and exquisite carvings. The cave features a skylight for natural light and dual entrances. Spring water from the cave roof is channeled through grooves in the walls, flows out of a dragon’s mouth, and then drains away through underground channels. The main wall inside features three Buddha statues, with a kneeling bodhisattva in front of the central figure, hands pressed together in devout reverence. The side walls depict twelve Yuanjue (Enlightened) Bodhisattvas seated on lotus thrones, each uniquely beautiful and majestic. The walls also include carvings of pavilions, figures, birds, animals, plants, and grotesque rocks—all strikingly lifelike, representing the artistic pinnacle of the Great Buddha Bay carvings.

The Shengshou Temple on Baodingshan is closely associated with the stone carvings. Originally built during the Song Dynasty, it was later abandoned. The surviving structures date back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, including the Heavenly King Hall, Jade Emperor Hall, Mahavira Hall, Scripture Hall, Lamp-Lighting Hall, and Vimalakirti Hall. These grand, multi-eaved halls feature intricate carvings, delicate designs, and classic Ming-Qing architectural styles.

The Shimenshan Rock Carvings are located on Shimenshan Mountain in Shimashi Town, Dazu County, Chongqing, and feature carvings that integrate Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism.

The Shimenshan Rock Carvings were created between 1094 and 1151, spanning the Shaosheng era of the Northern Song Dynasty to the Shaoxing era of the Southern Song Dynasty. The site includes 12 niches with over a thousand statues, four inscribed stelae from the Song, Ming, and Qing Dynasties, and more than ten carving inscriptions. Among them, the "Guanyin Transformation Niche" includes statues of the Amitayus Buddha, Embracing Guanyin, Cintamanicakra Bodhisattva, and five manifestations of Guanyin. The "Three Sovereigns Grotto" features Taoist figures wearing Song-style crowns. Other niches depict Confucius, Laozi, and the Holy Mother. The uniquely rendered Five Emperors of the Five Directions are rare among Sichuan rock carvings.

The carved cliff face spans 71.8 meters in length and ranges from 3.4 to 5 meters in height, organized into 16 sections with 12 niche clusters. In addition, there are 20 inscription records, 8 steles and inscribed tablets, 8 repair records, and the names of artisans such as Wen Weiyi, Wen Judao, and Jian Zhongjin. The Shimenshan Rock Carvings represent a combined Buddhist and Taoist carving area, with Taoist sculptures being particularly distinctive. The Thousand-Mile Eye figure outside the Jade Emperor niche (No. 2) has copper-bell-like eyes that seem to see for miles, while the Will-Follow Ear deity has an ugly, exaggerated expression as he cups his ear to listen. Both figures are muscular with visible veins, rendered in a highly stylized manner. The One-Legged Five Emperors of the Five Directions (No. 7) stands atop a wind-fire wheel with a broad forehead, deep-set eyes, wide mouth, thick lips, and flowing robes, exuding a swift, wind-like presence. The Three Sovereigns Cave (No. 10) houses 35 statues characterized by refined, elegant features and realistic drapery folds, leaning more toward human-like qualities than divine ones. The Dongyue Great Emperor’s Confession Transformation Niche (No. 12) features 98 figures, centered around the Dongyue Great Emperor and Empress Shuming, reflecting the prominence of the Dongyue deity in the Taoist pantheon between the 10th and 13th centuries (Song Dynasty). Buddhist subjects include the Medicine Buddha niche, Water-Moon Guanyin niche, Sakyamuni niche, Ten Saints Guanyin grotto, Peacock King Sutra illustration niche, and Hariti niche. Among these, the Ten Saints Guanyin grotto (No. 6) is especially exquisite.

In 1961, the Dazu Rock Carvings at Baodingshan were listed in the first group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units by the State Council. In 1996, the Shimenshan Rock Carvings were incorporated into the Baodingshan designation, entering the fourth group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units. On December 1, 1999, during the 23rd session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held in Marrakech, Morocco, the Beishan, Baodingshan, Nanshan, Shizhuanshan, and Shimenshan rock carving sites of the Dazu Rock Carvings were officially inscribed on the World Heritage List.

Further Reading:

· First Group of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units