Yangtou Mountain Grottoes

　　Era: Northern and Southern Dynasties to Tang Dynasty

　　Location: Southern foothills of Yangtou Mountain, 17 km northeast of Gaoping City

　　Yangtou Mountain, also known as Shouyang Mountain, is described as “a ridge dividing two prefectures, its foothills spanning three counties, towering over a thousand zhang, and stretching magnificently for dozens of li.” It lies at the junction of the Lu and Ze prefectures, and the counties/cities of Zhangzi, Changzhi, and Gaoping. Legend has it that this is where the Divine Farmer (Shennong) obtained the auspicious grain. Yangtou Mountain was a major site for Buddhist activities, with temples and grottoes clustered across the mountain. At the foot of the mountain lies the Zhongqinghua Temple, also known as Lotus Pond or Liuming Temple. Midway up the mountain is the Shangqinghua Temple, which no longer exists, though its ruins can still be seen, including Tang Dynasty foundations and three stone Buddha statues, indicating its once grand architectural scale.

　　From the mountainside to the summit, there are more than 40 caves carved into large sandstone formations. The caves vary in size, mostly square in plan, typically one cave per rock, though some rocks host two or three caves. Among them, Cave No. 6 is the largest. The cave interiors feature neat niches, with Buddha statues covering all four sides—either a single Buddha flanked by two disciples, or a Buddha with two bodhisattvas. Outside the caves are numerous smaller niches housing statues of Buddhas, bodhisattvas, heavenly kings, guardian warriors, and donors, all in diverse forms and exquisitely carved. Additionally, from the mountainside to the summit stands a Thousand Buddha stele and six Tang-style stone pagodas, ranging from about 4 to 6 meters in height. The unique stupa structures on the mountaintop, built in the Northern Wei Dynasty, feature pedestals shaped like crouching sheep. The Yangtou Mountain Grottoes were carved between the Northern Wei and Tang Dynasties. The “Sunset Glow over Yangtou” is one of the Eight Scenic Spots of Gaoping.