Buddha's Ear Rock Grottoes

Buddha'er Rock Yuan Grottoes

The Buddha'er Rock Yuan Grottoes are a Sichuan Provincial Cultural Heritage site.

Buddha'er Rock Yuan Grottoes (Tongjiang County)

The Buddha'er Rock Yuan Grottoes mainly feature Taoist statues from the Tang Dynasty. They are located in Jiacunguan Village, Yangbai Township, Tongjiang County, Bazhong City, Sichuan Province. In July 2012, nestled within the forested hills near the village along a gently flowing stream, four niches are clearly visible on a 25-meter-high white sandstone cliff. “These are the Buddha'er Rock Yuan Grottoes. The four niches contain a total of 14 statues carved during the Tang, Song, and Qing Dynasties,” said Deng Dajin, director of the Tongjiang County Cultural Relics Administration. Although the number is not large, they are relatively well preserved. Due to the granular nature of the white sandstone, over 1,000 years of wind and rain have eroded the carvings, with some parts slightly damaged and the stone surface weathered. However, compared to many other grottoes elsewhere, they are in much better condition.

Landscape

These carvings are ingeniously conceived, blending form and spirit vividly. The most captivating is niche 1, where a Buddha sits solemnly in the center, wearing a precious crown, with a square-round face. Two disciples standing respectfully on either side wear monastic robes and cloud-patterned shoes, standing atop lotus-petal pedestals. Beside them are two muscular guardians with topknots and high hair buns, bare-chested, wearing long skirts, with sashes draped over their shoulders and swirling around their bodies, standing barefoot on the outer rock pedestal like guardians at the entrance. Deng Dajin noted, “This niche features Tang Dynasty styling. The Buddha and disciples are adorned in robes that blur the lines between Taoist and Buddhist attire—an extremely rare sight in other grottoes. It provides important physical evidence for studying the religious and sculpture art of Tongjiang.”

The niches of the Buddha'er Rock Yuan Grottoes are also quite distinctive. Some are square outside and round inside, while others are arched; some have plain, undecorated lintels, while others feature carved couplets. These novel decorative forms add variety and prevent monotony.

However, the greater value of the Buddha'er Rock Yuan Grottoes lies in their Taoist statues. The deity in niche 3 wears a official's hat, sports a beaming smile with prominent forehead wrinkles and visible teeth, and boasts a beard flowing down to the chest. Dressed in a round-collared robe, he is seated in a kneeling position—rich in local character. “Well-preserved Taoist grottoes like this are found only in Sichuan today, all carved during the Tianbao era of the Tang Dynasty,” said Lei Yuhua. The Tang imperial court designated Taoism as the state religion, prompting a surge in Taoist carvings across the country during that period.

History

Tongjiang holds a unique geographic position. Historically, there were three major routes connecting Sichuan with the Central Plains: the Jinniu Path, the Micang Path, and the Litchi Path. During the Tang Dynasty, due to frequent warfare between the Central Plains and Tubo (Tibet), the Jinniu Path from Chengdu to Guangyuan was often obstructed, leading to the rise of the Micang and Litchi Paths. The Micang Path crossed the Micang Mountains from Chang’an (ancient Xi'an) through Hanzhong to Chengdu, while the Litchi Path connected Chang’an with downstream cities along the Yangtze such as Luzhou via the Tongjiang River, Qu River, and Yangtze. “Both paths passed through Tongjiang County.” Additionally, since both Hanzhong and Chengdu were birthplaces of Taoism, with the thriving of these routes, numerous grottoes began to appear and proliferate. Even today, it can be confirmed that many of Tongjiang’s grottoes were commissioned and funded by people from the Central Plains.

What’s more remarkable is that the Buddha'er Rock Yuan Grottoes have never undergone repainting through successive dynasties, so the original statues have largely retained their authentic appearance—a rarity even among grottoes nationwide.

The Buddha'er Rock Yuan Grottoes, created during the Tang and Song Dynasties, are the best-preserved grottoes in Tongjiang County. In 2008, they were listed as a significant new discovery during the Third National Cultural Relics Survey.

Protection zone: Extends 10 meters backward and outward from the mountaintop above niche 1, 15 meters to the right, 20 meters to the front, and 15 meters to the left for niche 4.

Construction control zone: Extends 20 meters outward from the protection zone.

Further reading:

· Eighth Batch of Sichuan Provincial Cultural Heritage Units