Foer Rock Cliff Grottoes

Foer Rock Cliff Grottoes

The Foer Rock Cliff Grottoes are a cultural relic protection unit of Sichuan Province.

Foer Rock Cliff Grottoes (Tongjiang County)

The Foer Rock Cliff 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, in Jiacunguan Village, Yangbai Township, Tongjiang County, amidst the wooded hills near the village, a small river meandered gently. On the nearby white sandstone cliff about 25 meters high above the river, four grotto niches were clearly visible. “These are the Foer Rock Cliff Grottoes. The four grotto 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 Management Office. Although the number is not large, they are relatively well preserved. Due to the granular texture of the white sandstone, over 1,000 years of wind and rain have eroded the statues, with minor damage to some parts and weathering of the stone. But compared to many other grottoes in different regions, they are much better preserved.

Scenery

These statues are ingeniously conceived, with form and spirit seamlessly integrated, and are remarkably lifelike. The most captivating is niche 1, where the Buddha sits solemnly in the center of the niche, wearing a precious crown, with a square-round face, exuding dignity and solemnity. The two disciples standing on either side have reverent expressions, both dressed in monastic robes and cloud-patterned shoes, standing on lotus-petaled pedestals. Beside them, two celestial generals have bundled hair and high topknots, bare upper bodies, wearing long skirts, with silk ribbons draped over their backs and fluttering from their shoulders to the sides of their bodies. Barefoot, they stand guard on the outer rock pedestals of the inner niche. Deng Dajin noted: “The statues in this niche have the style of the Tang Dynasty, and the attire of the Buddha and disciples, which is neither purely Buddhist nor Taoist, is extremely rare among other grotto sites. It provides important physical evidence for the study of religion and carving art within Tongjiang.”

The niches of the Foer Rock Cliff Grottoes are also quite distinctive. Some are square outside and round inside, others are arched; some niches have plain lintels, unadorned, while others are inscribed with couplets. These new decorative forms prevent the niches from appearing monotonous at all.

However, the greater value of the Foer Rock Cliff Grottoes lies in its Taoist statues. The divine figure carved in niche 3 wears a headscarf, has a smiling face, prominent forehead wrinkles, visible teeth, and a beard hanging down to the chest. Dressed in a round-collared robe, seated in the “lotus position,” the statue carries distinct local characteristics. “Well-preserved Taoist grottoes like this are now found only in Sichuan, and all were carved during the Tianbao era of the Tang Dynasty,” said Lei Yuhua. The Tang royal family designated Taoism as the state religion, and by the Tianbao era, Taoist statues began to appear widely across the country.

History

The location of Tongjiang itself is special. There have historically been three major routes connecting Sichuan with the Central Plains: the Jinniu Trail, the Micang Trail, and the Litchi Trail. During the Tang Dynasty, due to frequent warfare between the Central Plains and Tubo, the Jinniu Trail from Chengdu to Guangyuan was often obstructed, leading to the rise of the Micang and Litchi Trails. The Micang Trail runs from Chang’an through Hanzhong to Chengdu, crossing the Micang Mountains; the Litchi Trail connects Chang’an with lower Yangtze cities such as Luzhou by following the Tongjiang River, the Qu River, and the Yangtze. “Both these trails pass through Tongjiang County.” Moreover, both Hanzhong and Chengdu are birthplaces of Taoism. Thus, with the prosperity of these routes, a large number of grottoes began to emerge and multiply. Even today, it can be confirmed that many grottoes in Tongjiang were funded by people from the Central Plains.

What’s even more remarkable is that the Foer Rock Cliff Grottoes have never undergone embellishment in any dynasty, so the original form of the statues has been largely retained — a rarity among grottoes nationwide.

Created during the Tang and Song Dynasties, the Foer Rock Cliff Grottoes are the best-preserved grotto site in Tongjiang County, and were listed as one of the major new discoveries from the Third National Cultural Relics Survey in 2008.

Protected Area: 10 meters backward and outward from the top of the mountain above niche 1, extending 15 meters to the right, 20 meters forward; niche 4 extends 15 meters to the left.

Construction Control Zone: 20 meters beyond the edge of the protected area.

Further Reading:

· Eighth Batch of Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units