Cool Cave Cliff Carvings

Cool Cave Cliff Carvings

The Cool Cave Cliff Carvings are a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Xiuyong Cool Cave Cliff Carvings are located in Pingqing Village, Malian Town, distributed in a staggered fashion along the red sandstone cliff face of a natural semi-circular cave that stretches 50 meters in length, 4–5 meters in width, and is 1 meter above ground level. There are a total of 42 niches from east to west, all arched and arranged horizontally. Within the 42 niches are 222 statues, with niches 29–31 being the main ones, featuring three seated Buddha statues. These niches are 2.5 meters high, 1.55 meters wide, and 0.4 meters deep; the Buddha statues are 1.3 meters tall, with shoulders 0.6 meters wide. Niche 17 is the smallest, measuring only 0.1 meter in height and 0.07 meter in width. All are carved in high relief. Below the cave is a mountain gate, facing south with its back to the north. The gate wall is 6 meters high, 9.3 meters long, and 0.7 meters wide. The gate itself is 1.95 meters high and 1.15 meters wide. The cliff carving complex was created in ancient times, featuring a grand scale, exquisite craftsmanship, smooth lines, vivid forms, and is a rare large-scale grotto carving in southern Sichuan, making it an extremely valuable group of cliff carvings.

In May 2013, the Cool Cave Cliff Carvings were listed as part of the seventh batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Protected Area: The boundary is defined by the distribution range of the cliff carvings, extending 100 meters eastward, 110 meters westward, 80 meters southward, and 60 meters northward.

Construction Control Zone: Extends 1,300 meters beyond the protected area.

Pingqing Village: Pingqing Village... Detailed information about Pingqing Village ++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units