North Reliefs Grottoes

North Reliefs Grottoes

The North Reliefs Grottoes is a cultural tourism attraction.

The North Reliefs Grottoes are located at the southern foot of Su Mountain, about 1 kilometer north of Bazhong City. There are 34 existing niches containing 348 Buddha statues in total. The carving began in the early Tang Dynasty, with most of the statues created during the peak of the Tang Dynasty. The Buddhist statues in the North Reliefs Grottoes are exquisitely carved, with soft lines and a delicate, graceful appearance. Some figures have slender bodies, while others feature full faces. Cave 7, standing 350 centimeters tall, 320 centimeters wide, and 290 centimeters deep, features five celestial musicians on the inner lintel — some playing the guzheng, some the bamboo flute, some the pipa, and others rhythmically beating the waist drum, all bearing extremely delighted expressions. On the cave ceiling, four shallow-relief flying apsaras also whirl through the air to the rhythm of the music. On the lower right wall of the cave is carved a donor figure: a slender maiden with high bun, long legs, a slim waist, and dressed in a long robe. The lintel of Cave 14 has a uniquely designed composition. Above a continuous scroll pattern, two back-to-back flying apsaras are carved. The one on the left plays the pipa, while the one on the right plays the sheng; both tread on clouds and dance gracefully with their flowing ribbons. The main wall of Cave 12 features two shallow-relief taotie motifs, atop whose necks a secular figure is seated — resembling sculptures from ancient Indian Buddhist art. The Bazhong Grottoes, like China’s Mogao Caves and Longmen Grottoes, embody the extraordinary wisdom and craftsmanship of ancient Chinese laborers and are truly treasures among China’s grotto art.