Lhaba Valley Petroglyphs

　　Introduction      The Lhaba Valley Petroglyphs are situated by the Tongtian River within Yushu Prefecture. Approaching the site along a mountain path by the Tongtian River brings about two contrasting emotional experiences: the roaring grandeur of the Tongtian River and the serene, sacred aura of the Lhaba Valley Petroglyphs. Carved facing the river at the valley’s mouth, the petroglyphs are surrounded by lush vegetation in Lhaba Valley, yet this greenery cannot conceal the mysterious atmosphere emanating from the carvings and the countless mani stone engravings scattered throughout the valley. From the late Tang Dynasty Buddha statue at the valley entrance to the mani stones carved in recent times, one can witness the entire history of Tibetan religious stone carvings.

　　    There are three sites of Lhaba Valley Petroglyphs, numbered 1, 2, and 3. The first site features images of Buddhas, bodhisattvas, worshippers, and auspicious animals. The technique used is single-line carving with a percussion tool. The Buddhas are depicted standing, with low ushnishas, wearing round-necked, open-shoulder robes with right shoulders exposed, closely fitted to the body. The bodhisattvas are all seated in lotus position. The worshippers are sculpted two-thirds the size of the Buddhas. This petroglyph bears a strong resemblance to the style of late Tang Dynasty Han Chinese Buddhist statues. For example, worshipper No. 3 has a hairstyle known as the “throw-off-the-home topknot,” popular among Tang Dynasty maidservants—two loops of hair framing the face. The clothing resembles the short-turned-collar, front-buttoned Hu-style attire fashionable during the Kaiyuan and Tianbao eras of the Tang Dynasty. The discovery of these petroglyphs is invaluable for research on historical cultural exchanges between Han and Tibetan peoples and on the ancient Tang-Tibetan Road. The third site’s petroglyphs were made using Tibetan methods and are clearly much later than those of the first site. On the eastern and western cliffs are bodhisattvas seated in lotus position, each wearing jeweled crowns and adorned with beaded necklaces. Above the western cliff bodhisattva, a flying apsara is carved in single-line relief, wearing scarves and beaded ornaments. The scarves flutter in the wind, graceful as startled swans, evoking the poetic lines: “A skilled hand sweeps back long sleeves lightly; a soaring song rings clear above the vast land.” 　    Transportation      The Lhaba Valley can be reached by continuing from Princess Temple. Following Tibetan customs, it is best to approach from the Tongtian River in a clockwise direction.

　　 Yushu Prefecture, Qinghai