Tianlongshan Grottoes

Tianlongshan Grottoes

The Tianlongshan Grottoes are a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Tianlongshan Grottoes are located on the mountainside of Tianlong Mountain, about 40 kilometers southwest of Taiyuan City. Originally named Fangshan, Tianlong Mountain has an elevation of up to 1,700 meters. Historically, this area served as the summer palace of Emperor Xiaowan of the Northern Qi Dynasty. As the Tianlong Temple was built at the foot of the mountain during the Northern Qi period, people later came to commonly refer to the mountain as Tianlong Mountain. The Tianlong Temple was renamed Shengshou Temple in the Song Dynasty. It was destroyed by fire in 1948. In 1981, Nanda Temple from the southern suburbs of Taiyuan was relocated to the mountain and has since been fully restored.

The excavation of the Tianlongshan Grottoes began during the Eastern Wei Dynasty (534–550 AD), and rulers of the Sui and Tang Dynasties continued to carve a large number of grottoes here.

The Tianlongshan Grottoes are situated halfway up the cliffs of the eastern and western peaks. These grottoes include 27 caves carved during the Eastern Wei, Northern Qi, Sui, and Tang Dynasties. There are eight caves on the eastern peak, 13 on the western peak, three on the northern side of the mountain, and three southwest of the temple, all interconnected by mountain paths.

The sculptural techniques of the Tianlongshan Grottoes represent a significant advancement over those of the Northern Wei period. Cave 9 originally had a wooden structure called the "Man Shan Ge" (Mountain-Covering Pavilion). Inside, the Tang Dynasty caves are divided into upper and lower levels. The upper level houses a large Maitreya Buddha seated statue approximately eight meters high. Although partially damaged, it remains the most well-preserved stone sculpture among the Tianlongshan Grottoes. The lower level features an 11-meter-tall standing statue of Guanyin. With vivid form, graceful posture, adorned with necklaces, and translucent gauze revealing the body, the statue’s full figure and the delicate texture of the thin, soft gauze highlight it as the most artistically valuable sculpture in the grottoes.

Address: Mid-slope of Tianlong Mountain, 40 km southwest of Jinyuan District, Taiyuan City

Type: Cave heritage site

Recommended visiting time: 2–3 hours

Phone: 0351-6349668

Opening hours:

8:00-17:00

Ticket information:

Gate price: 50.0 RMB

Jinci Town: A town under the jurisdiction of the southern suburbs of Taiyuan City. Established as the Jinci Commune in 1958 and upgraded to a town in 1984. Located in the southwestern part of the district, 10.8 kilometers from the district government. Covers an area of 74.4 square kilometers with a population of 27,000. Administers 29 village committees including Jinci, Suocun, Dongyuan, Changxiang, Nanda Temple, Beida Temple, Huata, Chiqiao, Xizhen, Yangjia Village, Xiaozhan, Xiaozhan Ying, Wangguo, Nanzhang Village, Xinzhuang, Dongzhuang, Dongzhuang Ying, Wanhuabao, Sanjia Village, Yezhuang, Niujia Kou, Qingyanghe, Yaotou, Xiashi, Wujiayu, Sanquantou, Wupo, Mingma, and Xinjian Village. Crops include wheat, corn... More details about Jinci Town++

Further reading:

· Fifth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units