Zhao Temple Grottoes

Zhao Temple Grottoes

The Zhao Temple Grottoes is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Zhao Temple Grottoes are located around Lindong Town in Bairin Left Banner. Since ancient times, this area has been rich in Buddhist relics and historical sites. In addition to the ruins of the Upper Capital (Linhuang City), the ancient temples deep in the mountains to the west of the city are also known as a sacred site of “Eastern Mongolian Buddhism.” The Zhao Temple Grottoes are among the older ones and are the only existing Liao Dynasty grottoes in China.

The Zhao Temple is divided into the Front Temple and the Rear Temple. This refers to the Rear Temple, known as the “True Silence Temple.” During the early Qing Dynasty, the Balin King expanded it, and later an imperial plaque inscribed “Shanfu Temple” was bestowed by the Qing emperor. Today, the grotto section and the adjacent seven-bay main hall are relatively well-preserved and are treasured relics of Khitan culture.

The Zhao Temple is about forty li from Lindong Town. The Peach Stone Mountain, when viewed from afar, features a peach-shaped rock perched atop cliffs that look as if cleaved by a knife. In Mongolian, it is called “Golden Mountain.” A section running parallel and opposite to Peach Stone Mountain from north to south is called Alashen Aola, or Sacred Water Mountain. At the foot of the mountain, directly opposite the Rear Temple, there is a spring of water that is incredibly sweet and cool. It is said that during temple fairs in the past, tens of thousands of visitors would use this water every day.

The Zhao Temple Grottoes were carved into the cliffs on the eastern side of Peach Stone Mountain. To the north of the temple lies a stone ravine that can be climbed to reach the mountaintop. On the western side of the mountain, there is an S-shaped stone cave that is just wide enough for one person. The exit is a very narrow stone fissure called the “Red Gate.” After exiting, you face a sheer cliff, and you must leap to reach the flat path ahead—this route can be described as thrilling yet enjoyable.

The Zhao Temple faces east, which aligns with the Khitan people’s custom of “facing the sun.” The seven-bay main hall is twenty-three meters wide and over six meters deep. Among the hundreds of relief carvings of deities on the front wall, three grottoes are embedded. The central one is the largest, and all three grottoes contain statues.

Regarding the construction date of the True Silence Temple, records at the Front Temple mention it was built in the ninth year of the Qianlong reign, but in reality, it existed as early as the late Liao Dynasty.