Tiandu Mountain Grottoes

　　    Tiandu Mountain, also known as West Huashan, is located 15 li west of the ancient city of Xi’anzhou in Haiyuan County. About 2.5 kilometers into the valley from the mountain pass, you can see an ancient temple — this is the Tiandu Mountain Grottoes. Due to local legend that a golden ox was once discovered in the mountain, the grottoes are also called Golden Ox Temple. Locals also refer to it as Lord Temple because of the statues inside the caves. In ancient times, it was also known as “Rongguang Temple.”

　　    On the south-facing slope north of the valley, temples were built along the mountain terrain, and caves were carved into the cliffs. From the bottom of the valley, zigzagging paths lead up the mountain. Following the switchback road uphill, you’ll find the Earth God Hall and the Dragon King Hall. Below the Dragon King Hall lies a spring known in ancient times as “Guanyin Pool” and now called Dragon King Pool. Water gushes from the mouth of a dragon sculpture, cool and refreshing, and pilgrims always stop here to drink.

　　    The Tiandu Mountain Grottoes were carved during the Song and Western Xia dynasties. There are six caves and 13 temples of various sizes on the mountain. At that time, Buddhism was flourishing across the country, and temples were built on famous mountains everywhere. According to historical records, in 1046, Western Xia Emperor Yuanhao built a summer palace here. In the past, Tiandu Mountain was home to clusters of temples with upturned eaves and carved beams and painted rafters, presenting a magnificent sight. The mountain features rugged rocks, surrounded by peaks, dense forests, steep cliffs with lush greenery, clear springs flowing, and scattered temples set amid deep ancient caves.

　　    Over the millennia, the Tiandu Mountain Grottoes have endured many hardships. They were destroyed several times by wars and earthquakes and were later rebuilt multiple times. The original bronze Buddha statues were almost completely ruined, with the most severe damage occurring in 1958 when trees around the temple and caves were all cut down during a copper-smelting campaign, leaving the temples in ruins. In recent years, new statues have been installed in the grottoes. These caves integrate elements of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. To commemorate the birthday of the Infinite Patriarch, a grand temple fair is held annually on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month, lasting three days, attracting many worshippers. In 1989, it was designated by the county religious affairs bureau as “Tiandu Mountain Taoist Temple,” and is now a county-level cultural heritage site under protection.