Understanding the Dazu Rock Carvings (See World Heritage Site)
Dazu is not "big feet".
Located in the western part of Chongqing and bordering Sichuan, Dazu District was established and named during the Tang Dynasty. It has been called that for more than 1,200 years, meaning "favorable weather and abundant harvests, and a prosperous and thriving world".
The Dazu Rock Carvings are a collective term for the cliff carvings in the area. They flourished during the Song Dynasty and represent a large group of rock carvings that emerged in the south of my country when the northern grottoes were declining. In 1999, they were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A Ming Dynasty visitor once inscribed the words "Shocking" upon seeing this place: "Three thousand Buddhas appear in the clouds, a million immortals come from the sea."
A "peak" created by favorable timing, location, and human factors.
There is a weighty comment from the academic community regarding the Dazu Rock Carvings: "The last monument in the history of Chinese grotto art."
Zooming out and looking down from a temporal and spatial perspective, it becomes clear that this statement is true.
The Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, Gansu, were first built in the 4th century AD during the Sixteen Kingdoms period; the Yungang Grottoes in Datong, Shanxi, were carved during the Northern Wei Dynasty and are considered the pinnacle of Chinese stone carving art in the 5th century AD.
The Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang, Henan Province, bear witness to the historical changes from the Northern and Southern Dynasties to the unified Sui and Tang Dynasties, embody the integration of diverse cultures, and mark the highest achievement of grotto art in the middle period.
Extending further to the Yangtze River basin, the Sichuan-Chongqing grotto art group, represented by the Dazu Rock Carvings in Chongqing, originated in the Tang Dynasty and flourished in the Song Dynasty. It innovated and developed while inheriting traditions, and compared with previous generations, it was completely different in terms of subject matter, artistic style, modeling techniques, and aesthetic taste, forming the third peak of sculptural art in the history of Chinese grotto art...
The spread and evolution of Chinese grotto art is inextricably linked to the political, economic, and social development process, and its inherent trajectory is clearly visible.
When I first went to work in Chongqing, I drove across the Qinling-Bashan Mountains, stopping in Bazhong, Sichuan, to visit the Nankan Cliffside Carvings. I immediately noticed that their form and style were quite different from those of the northern grottoes—simply put, they were less about grandeur and more about everyday life. The stone carvings in Dazu, Chongqing, and the neighboring county of Anyue, Sichuan, also share this characteristic. From the Tang to the Song dynasties, the Sichuan-Chongqing region enjoyed relative stability, economic development, and social prosperity. As the northern grottoes declined, the southern transmission of stone carving art absorbed the nourishment of the Bashu regional culture, thus continuing uninterrupted, branching out, and developing into its own unique style.
Therefore, it is said that the right timing and geographical advantages gave birth to the "peak" of Dazu Rock Carvings.
This "peak" is not an isolated mountain.
To date, the Dazu Rock Carvings comprise 75 grottoes, over 50,000 statues, and more than 100,000 characters of inscriptions, all designated as cultural relics protection units at various levels. Scattered across 24 towns and streets in Dazu District, Chongqing, the carvings are most concentrated in the "Five Mountains"—Baodingshan, Beishan, Nanshan, Shimenshan, and Shizhuanshan. As the essence of late-period grotto art in my country, they showcase the significant development and changes in grotto art styles during the Tang and Song dynasties from different perspectives, possessing irreplaceable historical, artistic, and scientific value. They are renowned worldwide for their large number, exquisite carvings, diverse themes, rich connotations, and excellent preservation. On December 1, 1999, the Dazu Rock Carvings, represented by the "Five Mountains," were inscribed on the World Heritage List.
This "peak" has its absolute summit.
The "altitude" of the Dazu Rock Carvings is undoubtedly determined by Baoding Mountain, one of the "Five Mountains," located in Baoding Town, 15 kilometers northeast of Dazu City. The Baoding Mountain cliff carvings were among the first batch of national key cultural relics protection units announced by the State Council in 1961. Among the Baoding Mountain carvings, the Dafowan carvings are the most prominent, shaped like a "U," approximately 500 meters long. The carvings are engraved on the east, south, and north cliffs, from guardian deities to the Liuben Zun Zhengjue statue; 19 large-scale group sculptures are adjacent to each other, none are alike, lifelike and magnificent. The world-renowned Thousand-Hand Guanyin statue is also located here—if Baoding Mountain symbolizes the crown of the Dazu Rock Carvings, then the Thousand-Hand Guanyin is the most dazzling jewel in that crown.
This prestigious title, bestowed upon Dazu, is inextricably linked to the grand aspiration of a local eminent monk: Zhao Zhifeng, a native of Dazu during the Southern Song Dynasty, shaved his head and became a monk at the age of five. At sixteen, he traveled extensively before returning to Baoding Mountain. During the Chunxi and Chunyou periods of the Southern Song Dynasty, he dedicated his life to the purpose of educating all sentient beings, enduring hardship for over 70 years to oversee the construction of the Baoding Mountain stone carvings, with Dafowan as its main feature. Today, the "Record of the Reconstruction of Shousheng Temple on Baoding Mountain," carved during the Ming Dynasty, reconstructs Zhao Zhifeng's life and the historical facts of the construction of the Baoding Mountain stone carvings.
"Even if a red-hot iron wheel were to spin above my head, I would not let this suffering cause me to lose my Bodhi mind." This verse, inscribed in many places on Baoding Mountain, is considered to be Zhao Zhifeng's expression of his aspirations. This arduous project, whether in terms of its unprecedented technical skill or its artistic genius, owes its success to the remarkable "human" element; the right time, the right place, and the right people combined to create the immortal Dazu Rock Carvings.
While Baodingshan is indeed dazzling, it does not overshadow the brilliance of the other mountains in the "Five Mountains". The Beishan Stone Carvings, which took more than 250 years to build and have nearly 10,000 statues, showcase the development and changes in Chinese folk Buddhist beliefs and grotto art styles from the late Tang to the Song Dynasty; the Shizhuanshan Stone Carvings, which were carved in the Northern Song Dynasty, include statues of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism... The Dazu Rock Carvings are a thick book, and reading only "summaries" or even "three-minute explanations" will only lead to the blind men and the elephant.
Even the thickest book must eventually come to an end. And this end came abruptly: at the westernmost end of the Great Buddha Bay on Baoding Mountain, the Ten Great Kings statues at the lower part of Liu Benzun's pilgrimage site are mostly unfinished rough drafts, with clearly visible large blocks and traces of initial chiseling. The frequent warfare during the Song and Yuan dynasties is likely the reason for the sudden halt to the entire project.
From the Song Dynasty onwards, there were no more large-scale statue-making activities by the government or the public, and the techniques and artistic level of grotto construction also stagnated.
The Dazu Rock Carvings are the last monument in the history of Chinese grotto art.
The harmonious unity of detachment from the world and engagement with the world, art and science
During my several visits to the Dazu Rock Carvings, there was one particular statue that always brought tears to my eyes:
A young man, carrying a satchel and an umbrella, is about to embark on a long journey. His brows are etched with confidence and ambition.
Behind him were his elderly parents. The mother stepped forward, seemingly wanting to give her son a few more words of advice, while the father, behind her, reached out and quietly nudged his wife, reminding her to stop "nagging." The wife turned around angrily and elbowed her husband...
The moment of farewell was thus captured and immortalized by the meticulous and skilled craftsmen. Wasn't this exactly the scene when my parents bid me farewell to me as I left for university? How could one not shed tears at such a sight?
This is the "Transformation of the Sutra of the Profound Kindness of Parents" among the 19 sculptures in Baodingshan. Primarily based on the "Sutra on the Profound Kindness of Parents" written by a Tang Dynasty author, it vividly depicts ten scenes: a couple protecting their unborn child, the suffering of childbirth, the joy of childbirth, the endless nurturing of their child, the preparations for their wedding, and the longing for their child after a long journey. These scenes are rendered with highly refined artistry, bringing the characters to life on the stone wall. Although it is a sutra sermon, it is imbued with a strong sense of everyday life and relatable to daily experiences. Which family, which individual, hasn't experienced these moments? There's bound to be a scene that resonates with you, making it deeply moving and thought-provoking.
This is precisely the unparalleled charm of the Dazu Rock Carvings: the solemn, otherworldly themes are deeply integrated with the mundane, everyday scenes. Religious themes become more approachable here; the statues of "Flute-Playing Woman" and "Chicken-Raising Woman," though originally intended to be derogatory, are admired for their beautiful images. Not to mention the "Charming Guanyin" and other statues in the Beishan Rock Carvings, who resemble young girls, with slender figures and graceful charm, completely lacking the majesty of a Bodhisattva, but instead brimming with vitality.
By doing so, the artisans shortened the distance between humanity and divinity. Art is the study of humanity. A masterpiece of art cannot detach itself from the human realm to depict heaven; otherwise, the creator would be at a loss for words, and the viewer would find it difficult to resonate.
Secularization does not equate to vulgarity. The approximately 30-meter-long cattle-herding scene in the Baodingshan stone carvings, based on Yang Cigong's "Ode to Herding Cattle for Enlightenment" from the Northern Song Dynasty, is a rare long scroll-style sculpture in my country, vividly and profoundly illustrating the process of Buddhist meditation and enlightenment. Among the 12 groups of images—Unherded, Initial Taming, Subdued, Looking Back, Tamed, Unobstructed, Spontaneous, Forgetting Each Other, Solitary Illumination, Double Forgetting, Meditation, and the Mind-Moon Diagram—the herdsman represents the practitioner, the ox represents the practitioner's mind, and the process of taming the ox is the stage where the practitioner subdues their mind and enters the gate of Zen enlightenment.
The cattle in the herding scene have long, curved horns with a distinct arc, proving they are water buffalo, a common sight in rural Sichuan and Chongqing. The herdsman, with his chest exposed and relaxed, embodies the carefree spirit of the Ba people. After viewing these 12 sets of lifelike images, the profound meanings become clear and subtle, subtly influencing the viewer and leaving them with a sense of enlightenment and wonder—truly a masterpiece that handles weighty matters with ease.
The Song and Tang dynasties differed. Chang'an, the capital of the Tang dynasty, had 108 wards, which were well-ordered, but there was still a curfew. Kaifeng, the capital of the Northern Song dynasty, was not so orderly, but it was a true "city that never sleeps." As for Sichuan and Chongqing, with their green mountains and clear waters, abundant resources, and large population, it was no accident that the world's earliest paper money, "Jiaozi," "emerged" there at that time.
Thus, it's not surprising that stone carvings, after being localized in Sichuan and Chongqing, are overflowing with human interest. In fact, isn't religious art just a reflection of human life?
In this interplay between heaven and earth, I also discerned another pair of correspondences: art and science.
In recent years, TV dramas such as "The Story of Minglan" have been popular, making audiences fascinated by the "high-class" feel of "Song Dynasty aesthetics" in calligraphy, painting, clothing, architecture, etc. Stone carvings of the same period are no exception. During the Northern Song Dynasty, coal was already being used for iron smelting on a large scale. "If you want to do your work well, you must first have the right tools." Advances in science and technology made fine carving possible. The improvement in artistic expression nurtured the public's aesthetic level, which in turn spurred craftsmen to reach new heights.
On Baoding Mountain, the 7-meter-tall Huayan Three Saints statues were intentionally sculpted by artisans with their bodies leaning forward at a 25-degree angle and their lower bodies elongated to avoid the visual illusion of disproportionate heads and bodies when viewed from below. Among them, Manjushri holds a 1.85-meter-tall seven-tiered pagoda, with his arm extending approximately 2 meters out of the air. The pagoda and his hand together weigh nearly a thousand kilograms. To prevent the arm from breaking off, the artisans cleverly carved wide-sleeved robes that draped over his shoulders and elbows, connecting them to his body and shifting the center of gravity to the main statue. This has allowed the pagoda held by Manjushri to remain standing for over a thousand years, utilizing principles of mechanics while adhering to sculptural regulations, achieving a unity of science and art.
Yuanjue Cave, 12 meters deep, suffers from poor lighting. The craftsmen boldly devised a design: a Bodhisattva kneeling before a Buddha statue is carved in the center of the cave, and a skylight is created above the entrance, shining like a spotlight onto the Bodhisattva. This reinforces the theme of "seeking the Dharma," supplements the light source, and enhances the mysterious atmosphere of this secluded cave. Given the abundant rainfall in Sichuan and Chongqing, a reclining dragon is carved on the right wall inside the cave, below which is an old monk holding a high alms bowl. Both are openwork, forming a meticulously designed drainage system. The "dragon spouting water" is subtle and seamless, with only a gentle tinkling sound.
And then there's the most breathtaking Thousand-Hand Guanyin statue. As the largest cliff carving in my country that integrates sculpture, gilding, and painting, it was carved three-dimensionally on an 88-square-meter hard cliff face. The 1,007 hands are not only unique in their gestures, but the instruments they hold are mostly daily necessities and tools from the Southern Song Dynasty, making it a veritable "living dictionary" of the social customs of that time. In particular, not a single hand was damaged during the carving process. Its magnificent artistic creativity and exquisite carving expression are truly awe-inspiring!
Today, Longshui Town in Dazu District is the largest hardware market in Southwest China, especially known for its "Longshui Knife," a traditional intangible cultural heritage that has been famous in Sichuan and Chongqing for centuries. I visited some related businesses along the way. The "Longshui Knife" is now mostly used as a kitchen utensil. I tried it out: it felt substantial and easy to cut with.
As I gently stroked the sharp edge of the blade, I seemed to hear the ancient sound of chisels.
More than seventy years of protection and restoration have brought cultural relics back to their former glory.
Despite the erosion of thousands of years, these cultural treasures have survived to this day and are now shining brightly again, thanks to over 70 years of dedicated protection and restoration since the founding of the People's Republic of China.
In June 1952, special funds were allocated to build a new protective corridor for the stone carvings in Beishan Fowan, Dazu, and to repair some of the stone carvings.
In April 1953, funds were allocated to reinforce the bedrock, build stone retaining walls, rebuild roads, construct new railings, and renovate buildings at the Dafowan site on Baodingshan Mountain in Dazu.
...
In August 2023, the “International Forum on the Protection of Grottoes”, hosted by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage and the Chongqing Municipal People’s Government, was held in Dazu District. Experts and scholars in the field of grottoes from China, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Nepal, Norway, the United Kingdom and other countries gathered together to discuss the path of stone carving protection.
Log in to the "Dazu Rock Carvings Digital Museum" online, and the preservation process unfolds like a long scroll.
"The systematic and scientific conservation of the Dazu Rock Carvings began in the 1950s and has lasted for more than 70 years. It has explored a way to combine traditional engineering methods with modern science and technology, adhered to the principle of minimal intervention, and carried out more than 180 conservation projects, including emergency reinforcement of the rock formations, water damage control, weathering prevention, daily maintenance, monitoring and scientific research, digitization, and environmental remediation," said Jiang Siwei, director of the Dazu Rock Carvings Research Institute.
Protecting cultural heritage with craftsmanship. Having withstood over 800 years of wind and rain, the Thousand-Hand Guanyin statue at Baodingshan was once plagued by 34 types of damage. In May 2008, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage designated the restoration of the Thousand-Hand Guanyin statue at Dazu Rock Carvings as the "Number One Project" for the protection of stone cultural relics nationwide. A multidisciplinary, cross-disciplinary conservation and restoration team, composed of the Dazu Rock Carvings Research Institute, the Chinese Academy of Cultural Heritage, and other institutions, worked tirelessly for eight years. They were the first to introduce X-ray flaw detection technology into the inspection of large, immovable stone cultural relics, creating 297 hand-drawn damage diagrams, 335 vector diagrams of the damage, and compiling 1066 restoration implementation plans. Ultimately, they successfully filled a technological gap in the restoration of large, immovable cultural relics in China.
In response to the flooding at Baodingshan Dafowan, an innovative three-dimensional governance system combining dredging and blocking was constructed, breaking through the bottleneck problem of flood control in humid environments in my country; a dynamic, information-based, and visualized monitoring and early warning platform for the Dazu Rock Carvings was built, providing crucial data support for preventative protection; and in international cooperation, restoration projects were carried out in collaboration with countries such as Italy, promoting Chinese cultural relic restoration technology to the world…
Despite significant conservation efforts, local authorities still face some challenges:
This world-class treasure is already well-known in the industry, but it seems lukewarm and somewhat "Buddhist" amidst the current cultural tourism boom.
There are still many tourists, but compared to its status as a "World Heritage Site," locals always feel it's not "popular" enough.
The current promotion of cultural tourism follows certain patterns; it's certainly good if it becomes popular, as it can further boost local development and support the protection of cultural relics. However, I'm afraid that by then, let alone quietly appreciating it, it will be difficult to even squeeze to the front.
Time is silent, but stones can speak.
Would you be willing to open this thick book?
(Jiang Feng, reporter for People's Daily Overseas Edition)
Link
The Dazu Rock Carvings are called "stone carvings" rather than "grottoes," a distinction that reflects a multitude of historical, cultural, and contextual factors. In academic circles, there is a clear distinction between "stone carvings" and "grottoes." "Stone carvings" refer to texts and images engraved on steles or rock walls, emphasizing two-dimensional depictions; "grottoes" refer to caves or spaces carved into cliff faces, possessing a more complex three-dimensional spatial structure. Although the Dazu Rock Carvings are mostly carved into cliff faces and include numerous three-dimensional sculptures, broadly falling under the category of grotto art, the traditional naming convention has retained the term "stone carvings." This may be partly related to the classification standards of early researchers or discoverers. As a conventional name, Dazu Rock Carvings has become deeply ingrained in popular culture and has become a brand identifier.
Source: Dazu Rock Carvings Research Institute
Further Reading
Currently, China has 10 grottoes (stone carvings) listed in the World Heritage List: Mogao Grottoes (1987), Dazu Rock Carvings (1999), Longmen Grottoes (2000), Yungang Grottoes (2001), Leshan Giant Buddha (in 1996 as part of the World Heritage Site "Mount Emei-Leshan Giant Buddha"), Feilai Peak Statue (in 2011 as part of the West Lake Cultural Landscape Heritage Site in Hangzhou), Maijishan Grottoes (in 2014 as part of the "Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor"), and Bingling Temple Grottoes, Dafosi Grottoes, and Kizil Grottoes (in 2014 as religious sites in the World Heritage Site "Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor").
Source: Dazu Rock Carvings Research Institute
