Qinxian Thousand Buddha Temple Grottoes

　　According to surviving inscriptions and Qing dynasty steles, the Thousand Buddha Temple was built during the glorious Tang Dynasty. It gets its name from the Thousand Buddha Cave within the temple. The cave houses over a thousand Buddha statues, hence the name "Thousand Buddha Cave." It enshrines the Buddhas of the Three Ages, seated on a lotus-shaped Sumeru pedestal with inverted and upright petals. The cave walls bear inscriptions from the reigns of Emperor Gaozong of Tang and Empress Wu Zetian, and at the cave entrance are the two characters “佛国” (Buddha’s Realm) inscribed by the calligrapher Cheng ?E. In front of the cave is a prayer hall with a rolled shed roof, built during the Qing dynasty.

　　In the front courtyard of the Thousand Buddha Temple, there is a solitary hill with a stone peak, about 4 meters high and covering an area of 150 square meters. Stone steps have been carved into both the southern and northern ends, allowing visitors to climb up. To the southwest of the peak stands a stone memorial archway, with the horizontal plaque inscribed with the three characters “即武当” (Literally “Just Like Wudang”). At the top of the stone peak is an old temple, housing the deity Zhenwu.

　　The Thousand Buddha Temple Grottoes have a long history and are considered a gem of China’s grotto art. In 1963, they were listed as a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit. In the same year, Comrade Guo Moruo personally instructed that the Thousand Buddha Temple Grottoes be well preserved. In 2001, together with the Great Stone Buddha, they were designated as a national key cultural relic protection unit by the State Council.

　　Source: Qinxian County Government Portal Website