Cliff Cave Murals at Shanzuigou

Cliff Cave Murals at Shanzuigou

The Cliff Cave Murals at Shanzuigou are a cultural relic protection unit of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

Located on the eastern foothills of the Helan Mountains, about 30 kilometers west of Yinchuan City, follow the Shanzuigou valley for about 8 kilometers to reach Huluyu, then proceed about 300 meters north to a steep mountain peak. On the cliffs of this peak are six caves. These caves were formed from natural rock cavities and modified, arranged in two rows. The lower row of three caves has completely peeled-off murals, while the upper row of three caves—the middle and left caves—are relatively well-preserved. The middle cave mainly features small-sized murals depicting Buddhas, bodhisattvas, monks, deities, donors, and animals. The left cave primarily contains large-sized murals, including illustrations of Guanyin and Buddhist sermons. The murals were painted using pigments such as mineral green, ochre, and ink, with bold and vivid imagery. The exact period of their creation remains undetermined. Inscriptions left by visitors from the 13th year of the Jiajing era and the 2nd year of the Longqing era of the Ming Dynasty can be found on the murals.

The Cliff Cave Murals at Shanzuigou are currently the only cave murals in the Yinchuan area and hold significant importance for the study of early Buddhist activities and Buddhist art in the region. On April 24, 1993, they were designated as part of the second batch of municipal-level cultural relic protection units by the Yinchuan Municipal People's Government.

Source: Yinchuan Municipal Government Portal Website