Shebuqi Rock Carvings

　　Transportation: Situated at the mountaintop of Shebuqi Gully, Shiputan, Nian’naisuoma Village, Quanji Township, Gangcha County, 8 kilometers east of Qinghai Lake, at an altitude of 3600 meters. Accessible by taxi from Gangcha County.

　　The rock carvings feature images that are 2.8 meters high and 3.4 meters wide, comprising 23 individual figures depicting animals, hunting scenes, etc. All images were created using the vertical percussion technique, characterized by bold and vigorous lines, with simple yet vivid depictions. Experts date them to the early Tang Dynasty. Designated as a provincial-level

　　The Shebuqi Rock Carvings are divided into three groups:

　　Group One: 18 figures. Facing east. The figures depict yaks, deer, sheep, horseback riders, horse-drawn chariots, mounted hunting scenes, and Tibetan script. All images were created using the vertical percussion technique. The horseback riders are rendered in a very generalized style, while the mounted hunters and Tibetan script were added later; the other figures are early works. The horse-drawn chariot remains unfinished, and some images have been damaged due to rock surface erosion.

　　Group Two: 6 figures. Facing east. The figures include yaks, hunters, sheep, wolves, and eagles. The upper part of the panel shows a mounted hunting scene, featuring a large-bodied yak being hunted. The yak’s tail ends with a ring-shaped motif (actually an unfinished spherical element), and the animal has a small head and prominent shoulders, giving it a sturdy and powerful appearance. The hunter rides on horseback, with a sling hanging from his waist and a drawn bow ready to shoot. Both figures are finely shaped and executed through vertical full-surface percussion. The middle figure depicts a scene of a beast chasing a horse and a sheep—specifically, a wolf pursuing both animals. This scene was also made using the vertical percussion method and is an early work, though it was later reworked by more recent people. The lowest figure on the panel is an eagle-shaped carving, executed with vertical full-surface percussion.

　　Group Three: 3 figures, facing east. All are yaks. All were created using the vertical percussion technique, and the three figures are finely crafted and carefully made.

　　The mounted hunting scene in the Shebuqi Rock Carvings is a panel of significant chronological importance. The mounted hunter is depicted carrying two types of weapons: one is a bow and arrows, and the other is a long weapon hanging from the rider’s waist, with a spherical object at one end. In the rock art of Qinghai region, this type of sling weapon, aside from the Shebuqi Rock Carvings, can also be found in sites such as the Wild Ox Gully and Lushan.