Cliffside Rock Carvings at Lüxian Cliff

Cliffside Rock Carvings at Lüxian Cliff

The Cliffside Rock Carvings at Lüxian Cliff are a cultural relic protection unit of Sichuan Province.

Lüxian Cliff is located in Group 6, Lüxian Village, Molin Township, Rong County, Zigong City, Sichuan Province. About a mile to its northeast lies Rongde Mountain, now known as Laojun Mountain. On the eastern part of the cliff, known as Guanyin Cliff, there are four niches of rock carvings, each about 2 meters high, depicting Guanyin and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattvas, as well as scenes of Shakyamuni and Maitreya preaching.

Legend has it that Lüxian Cliff was named after Lü Dongbin’s visit here. Among the cliff inscriptions are records of the carvings, most of which have faded, though the character “Guangde” can still be faintly made out. “Guangde” was the reign title of Emperor Xizong of the Tang Dynasty (764 AD), and inscriptions inside the niches indicate repairs were made during the Shaoxing era. This shows the carvings date back to the mid-Tang Dynasty, with renovations carried out in the Southern Song Dynasty. In November 1996, the Lüxian Cliff carvings were designated as part of the third batch of county-level cultural relic protection units.

On the sheer cliffs of the “Cliffside Rock Carvings at Lüxian Cliff” sits a statue of Guanyin Bodhisattva. It is worth mentioning that the late Liao Yongqing and his wife, Li Pucui, lived in a cave for a whole year to protect these relics. Enduring harsh winters and scorching summers, sleeping outdoors, battling mosquitoes and insects, they sold herbs to raise funds and built a temple in June 1997 for worshippers to pay their respects.

Lüxian Cliff was once home to a fortress called “Jishengzhai,” said to rival Sanduo Fort in grandeur. Zigong salt merchants built it here to escape the summer heat and bandits. Construction began in the 10th year of the Xianfeng era, covering an area of about thirty acres and taking four years to complete. The fortress was surrounded by towering walls made of cut stones, stretching approximately eight li in length and standing around two zhang high. The east side served as the gate, with both inner and outer layers guarded by sentries. Outside the gate lay a moat, over thirty meters long, more than ten meters wide, and about two meters deep. A drawbridge spanned the moat, usually raised but lowered only after verifying the identity of those wishing to enter or exit. A watchtower stood atop the gate, manned day and night. Inside the fortress was the Wenchang Palace, guarded by stone lions at its entrance, with exquisitely carved beams and painted pillars. There was also the residence of Yan, a martial arts top scholar, featuring imposing stone lions and drums at its gate. The fortress was jointly established by the three prominent families—Li, Yan, and Wang—and reached its peak in the 1930s, bustling with merchants and renowned throughout the region. Sadly, it was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution’s campaign to “Smash the Four Olds.” Today, only broken walls and rubble remain. The sole surviving stone gate, inscribed with “Jishengzhai,” hints at its former prosperity, while scattered cut stones silently recount a glorious history.

Protected Area: East to the adjacent village road, west to the mountaintop, south and north to 50 meters beyond the center of the carvings.