Lheba Gully Rock Carvings

Lheba Gully Rock Carvings

Introduction The Lheba Gully Rock Carvings are located on the banks of the Tongtian River in Yushu Prefecture. Approaching them via a mountain path along the Tongtian River brings you face to face with two contrasting emotional experiences: the bustling grandeur of the Tongtian River and the tranquil sacredness of the Lheba Gully Rock Carvings. The rock carvings are carved facing the river at the mouth of Lheba Gully. Though the gully is lush with vegetation, it can hardly obscure the mysterious atmosphere emanating from the rock carvings and the countless mani stone carvings scattered throughout the area. From the late Tang Dynasty statue of Sakyamuni at the mouth of the gully to the newly carved mani stones, you can witness the entire history of Tibetan religious stone carving.

The Lheba Gully Rock Carvings are divided into three sites, numbered 1, 2, and 3. The carvings at Site 1 feature Buddhas, bodhisattvas, worshippers, and auspicious beasts. The technique used is incised line engraving. The Buddhas are depicted as standing figures with low ushnishas, wearing round-necked, open-shoulder robes with right shoulders exposed, closely fitting their bodies. The bodhisattvas are all seated in the lotus position. The donor figures are made two-thirds smaller than the Buddhas. This group of rock carvings bears a strong resemblance to the style of late Tang Dynasty Han Chinese Buddhist statues. For instance, the hairdo of Worshipper No. 3 resembles the popular “hair tossed over the face” style worn by Tang Dynasty maidservants. Their clothing reflects the short, turned-down collar and front-buttoned Hu-style attire fashionable during the Kaiyuan and Tianbao eras of the Tang Dynasty. The discovery of these rock carvings is extremely valuable for research on historical cultural exchanges between the Han and Tibetan peoples, as well as studies on the ancient Tang-Tibetan Road. The Site 3 rock carvings of Lheba Gully were created using Tibetan techniques and are clearly much later than Site 1. On the eastern and western stone walls, there are respectively one bodhisattva seated in the lotus position. They wear jeweled crowns and are adorned with beaded necklaces. Above the bodhisattva on the western wall, an apsara is carved using incised lines, wearing scarves and beaded ornaments. The scarves flutter in the wind, graceful as a startled swan, evoking the poetic lines: “Skillful hands gently lift long sleeves, as songs echo across the vastness, playing clear melodies.” Transportation Lheba Gully can be reached by continuing on from Princess Temple. Following Tibetan customs, it is best to enter clockwise along the Tongtian River.

Qinghai Yushu Prefecture