Ziwei Grottoes

In Shanxi in spring, you can't help seeing the grottoes. In addition to the famous Yungang Grottoes, there are many magnificent grottoes waiting for you to explore, such as Jindengsi Grottoes, Tianlongshan Grottoes and Yangtoushan Grottoes.

Jindengsi Grottoes

Jindengsi Grottoes, the largest grottoes group in China in Ming Dynasty, is the last chapter of China Grottoes with grand scale and exquisite carving.

The statues of Buddha, Bodhisattva, King Kong, Heavenly King and Lohan in the grottoes are mainly Buddhist figures, with beautiful shapes and rich decorative patterns, which inherit the mellow style of the Tang and Song Dynasties and have the unique characteristics of comeliness and tranquility in the Ming Dynasty.

The land and water hall is the largest single grotto in Jindeng Temple. The land and water paintings in the grottoes are a combination of immortals, buddhas and deities of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, and are unique in creation, which is only seen by China.

There are Indra, Brahma, Devil, Four Heavenly Kings, Sixteen Ming Kings, Guardian Gods, Arctic Han Emperor, Antarctic Han Emperor, Wenchang Han Emperor, Notre Dame de Hou Di, Wuyue Han Emperor, Sanguan Emperor, Four Seas Dragon King, Donghua Han Emperor, King Jin Dan Yuan, Empress Dowager, Wu Wen Chen Xian, nuns, virtuous women and their families, etc.

The cave is divided into an inner array and an outer array, with an octagonal column on the right and left sides of the front; The back of the cave is cut by the large back screen area at the top of the cave, which makes the cave form a layout of three rooms with wide depth. The octagonal column is covered with a lotus-shaped column base, and the imitation wood structure above the column head is carved with two Cimicifuga leaf arches, namely, a horizontal Fang, a frontal Fang and a bucket, which are connected with the ceiling of the cave. The back screen is chiseled from the original rock mass, and the statue of Buddha Heng III sits in front of it. Except for the front wall, most of the outer array are reliefs of the land and water hall, all of which are restored to the ground level and beautifully carved.

Location: Located in the east of Beiquan Village, Xingcheng Town, Pingshun County, Changzhi City.

Transportation: From Taiyuan, take G55 Erguang Expressway, G22 Qinglan Expressway, S220 1 Changzhi Ring Expressway, S76 Pingchang Expressway and 34 1 National Highway.

Yungang Caves

Yungang Grottoes is one of the three largest grottoes in China. Grottoes were dug in the Northern Wei Dynasty (460,525), with 254 caves, 45 main caves and more than 565,438+0,000 statues.

The Buddha statues in Yungang Grottoes, whether in the early Gandhara style, in the middle Liangzhou style or in the late Southern Dynasties, are mostly mysterious and solemn, smiling and giving people warmth.

In addition to the art of Buddha statues, Yungang Grottoes are also carved with many wooden structures in the Northern Wei Dynasty, and even herringbone arches and strange architectural images that are extremely rare all over the world.

Yungang Cave 19 Giant Buddha is the highest cave, and there are often small holes regularly distributed on the outer window of the cave, which is the original wooden structure of the cave facade. In 18 Grottoes, thousands of smaller Buddha statues are densely covered on the cassock of a giant stone carving Buddha, and their little fingers are connected with the body, which avoids the fate of many Buddha statues' fingers missing and broken after thousands of years, but it is not obvious from the front, which is the wisdom of the craftsman alone.

There are many western architectural styles in the grottoes, such as the Ionian stone pillars placed next to Maitreya Buddha in Jiao Jiao, which are also influenced by the Greek style brought by Alexander's crusade. In addition, the mix of China Tower and Corinthian Column is also amazing. There is a mix of China and Persian styles in Cave 12.

Location: Located at the south foot of Wuzhou Mountain, west of Datong City, Shanxi Province 16 km away.

Transportation: Take G55 Erguang Expressway, S550 1 Datong Ring Expressway and 339 Provincial Highway from Taiyuan.

Tianlongshan Grottoes

Tianlong Mountain was the summer palace of Gao Huan, the father of the Northern Qi Emperor Gao Yang. Tianlongshan Grottoes, founded in the Eastern Wei Dynasty (AD 534550), is one of the most outstanding grottoes in China.

There are more than 500 large and small Buddha statues144 in Tianlong Mountain Grottoes, as well as many reliefs, caissons and portraits of 1 144. Due to the different excavation years, the artistic styles of Buddha statues are also different. The largest one is 1 1 meter high, and the smallest one is only a dozen centimeters.

The largest number of grottoes was in the Tang Dynasty, reaching fifteen caves. The stone carvings in the Eastern Wei Dynasty have a moderate proportion, vivid images, vivid life and rich flavor of life. Statues in the Tang Dynasty became more and more rigorous, exquisite and exquisite. The ninth cave, Manshan Pavilion, is about 8 meters high, with a harmonious proportion and dignified appearance. The lower Guanyin statue is about 1 1 m high, with plump figures and rich wreaths and tulle.

Although Tianlongshan Grottoes are not as huge as Yungang Grottoes and lack momentum in form, they are as clever in shape, appropriate in proportion, soft in lines and fine in carving as Yungang Grottoes, and even better than Yungang Grottoes.

Although Tianlong Mountain only built the eighth cave in the Sui Dynasty, as the peak representative of grottoes and sculpture art in the Sui Dynasty, the statues in the grottoes inherited the dignified and kind style in the Southern and Northern Dynasties, which opened up the beauty of the prosperous Tang Dynasty. It can be said that a grotto is the epitome of an era. The most beautiful smile on the Spring Festival Evening belongs to this cave.

The ninth cave, the most famous cave, was built in the reign of Emperor Gaozong Yonghui and is divided into two floors. The upper floor is a statue of Maitreya Buddha about 8 meters high, which is rich, elegant and dignified. There are eleven Guanyin statues on the lower floor, about 1 1 m high. There are Manjusri riding a lion and Pu Xian riding an elephant on the left and right, with vivid expression, exquisite skills and great appeal.

Location: Located at the mountainside of Tianlong Mountain, 40km southwest of Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province.

Transportation: Taiyuan takes Jinyang Avenue and Tianlong Mountain Highway, and arrives via Tianlong Mountain Tunnel.

Yangtoushan cave

Yangtoushan Grottoes were built in the Taihe period of the Northern Wei Dynasty (AD 477-499). Grottoes and shrines are carved with stone carvings, which are uneven, fantastic and lifelike. The Northern Qi Dynasty, Sui Dynasty and Tang Dynasty were repeatedly built, and the project was huge, which lasted for more than a hundred years.

Yangtou Mountain has more than 40 caves from the mountainside to the top, carved on large sandstone. Caves vary in size, and the plane is mostly square. Generally, there is one hole and one stone, and individual caves have two holes and one stone or three holes. The sixth cave is the largest. The grotto niches are neat, surrounded by carved Buddha statues, or one Buddha and two disciples, or one Buddha and two bodhisattvas. There are many small shrines outside the cave, such as Buddha, Bodhisattva, Heavenly King, Lux, and provider. , different shapes, beautifully carved.

There is no main Buddha in the No.2 grottoes of Yangtoushan, and there are 22 niches on the surface. Different from other places, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are plump, and Bodhisattvas also have the phenomenon of lifting their hips and twisting their hips. The fifth cave is the largest cave group in Yangtoushan Grottoes. It is carved in the way of opening three holes in one stone. Inside, there are two statues of Buddha, Sakyamuni and Duobao, which are the buddhas of the Oriental Baojing World. His figure is a little slim, and their arms are particularly long, exceeding their knees.

The Yangtoushan Grottoes, from the simplest to the most complex, reflect the development and changes of Buddhist statues, as well as the exquisite wisdom and superb craftsmanship of the ancients.

Location: Located at the top of Yangtou Mountain, Shennong Town, Gaoping City, Jincheng City, Shanxi Province.

Transportation: Depart from Taiyuan and arrive via G55 Erguang Expressway and Second Extension Line.

Longshan Grottoe

Longshan Grottoes is the largest and most complete existing Taoist grottoes in Yuan Dynasty in China. * * * Nine caves were excavated in the Tang, Yuan and Ming Dynasties. Yuandong fully demonstrated the concrete image of Quanzhen religion in Yuan Dynasty.

Among them, Santian exorcism niche and Zhen Xuan niche were excavated in the Tang Dynasty; The virtual emperor niche, Sanqing niche, classified niche, Piyunzi niche and Qizhen niche were dug in six to eleven years, and were built under the auspices of Quanzhen Song (Daoming Piyunzi). Huang San and Taoist shrines were excavated in Zhengde period of Ming Dynasty (1506 152 1). There are more than 60 statues. There are Taoist immortals such as the ancestors of Sanqing, and Taoist statues such as Wang Zhongyang, the founder of Quanzhen School.

Four or five caves were built in the Tang Dynasty, one, two, three, six and seven caves were built in the Yuan Dynasty, and eight or nine caves were built in the Ming Dynasty. 65 statues were chiseled and divided into three carving forms: round carving, high relief and shallow relief. There are two forms of algae wells: relief and painting. The patterns include two dragons playing with pearls, five dragons, two phoenixes, two cranes and flying pictures, which are rich in themes and imagination. Comparatively speaking, the sculptures of Longshan Grottoes in Tang and Yuan Dynasties are quite different in theme style, grotto construction and carving techniques.

There are many subtle changes in Longshan Grottoes when the generalized knife method is used according to the different carving themes.

The first cave shows the ethereal beauty; In the second cave, the gods are auspicious and extremely gorgeous; The third cave is solemn and empty, concise and concise; The sixth hole is unique, cool and interesting; The seventh cave was solemnly seated, and the simple and deep air blew on my face.

Location: Located in Longshan Mountain range, 20km southwest of Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province.

Transportation: Taiyuan takes Jinyang Avenue and arrives at Longshan via Sanqing Road.

Gaomiaoshan Grottoes

Gaomiaoshan Grottoes were dug from the Northern Qi Dynasty to the Sui Dynasty, and the grottoes were dug on the stone wall at the foot of Gaomiaoshan.

Gaomiao Mountain Grottoes in Gaoping are typical northern Wei grottoes. Outside the grottoes, there is a resplendent Lux, holding a diamond pestle. There is a double petal lotus algae well in the cave. There is a high relief honeysuckle pattern on the pointed arch lintel.

Gaomiaoshan Grottoes are small, with only 1 grottoes and several small niches on the cliff. The main grottoes should have been excavated in the late Northern Dynasty, with statues of Buddha, disciples, geisha musicians and diners carved on both sides of the grottoes.

The lotus algae well at the top of the cave is especially precious, and geisha are flying around. Some statues in the cave still exist. The niche outside the cave is basically the style of Sui Dynasty and early Tang Dynasty. Therefore, it is a limestone body with delicate texture, so the donors and inscriptions carved on the inner wall of the cave can still be recognized.

Location: It is located near Hanghu South Village, about15km southwest of Gaoping, Jincheng, Shanxi.

Transportation: Take G55 Erguang Expressway from Taiyuan, and take S80 Hou Ling Expressway to Gaopinghang Hunan Village.

Shimasi Grottoes

Shimasi Grottoes do not have the royal style of Yungang and Longmen Grottoes, and some small niches are mainly pointed arches and round arches. A considerable part of the statues in the niches are weathered and broken, but the grottoes are beautifully shaped, carved and polished, and the style is simple and lifelike.

White Horse Temple grottoes have been unearthed in the Northern Wei, Eastern Wei, Northern Qi, Sui, Tang and Song Dynasties. Statues of Wei and Qi account for about 70%, and the rest are works of Sui and Tang Dynasties. It brings together the essence of Buddhist sculpture art in the past 600 years. According to the inscription "Statue of Shima Temple", each statue has two sizes: 1300 and 20. Statues are mainly distributed on seven cliffs of three huge stones. The highest point of the cliff is 7 meters, with a total length of more than 70 meters. * * There are 3 grottoes and 3 13 statue niches.

The grottoes are 5 meters high and 5 centimeters small, all carved around an independent boulder, with a height of 17 meters, a length of 16 meters from east to west and a width of 15 meters from north to south, belonging to Cliff Grottoes.

Among them, the statues of the Northern Wei Dynasty are mainly distributed in Xiya, Nanya, Children's Temple and Nansi, accounting for about 70% of the total number of statues. The shape is sitting Buddha, three buddhas, a thousand buddhas, one Buddha, two bodhisattvas, two bodhisattvas, one Buddha and two threats. It is characterized by narrow scapula, drooping chin and rich folk art style. Double straps are pulled out from the inside of the garment to make the knot droop.

Location: located in Shima Village, Dazhai Town, southwest of Xiyang County, Jinzhong, Shanxi 15km.

Transportation: There is a village bus to Shima Village in Xiyang County. You can drive through Taiyuan, from Shitai Expressway to Pingding Expressway, and drive 35 kilometers to Xiyang.

The cave temples in Shanxi are beautiful treasures integrating statues, murals and buildings. These exciting places are the most unforgettable places to travel in Shanxi.