Mount Baoding Buddhist Sculptures, Buddhist archaeological complex in Dazu District, China
Mount Baoding Buddhist Sculptures spread across limestone cliffs with more than 6000 carvings that form continuous stories along the rock surface. The sculptures are organized so that they create linked scenes of religious and philosophical teachings carved directly into the stone.
A Buddhist monk named Zhao Zhifeng spent about seven decades creating these works during the Southern Song Dynasty period. His effort resulted in one of the most significant examples of religious stone carving from medieval China.
The carvings show religious scenes where Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian beliefs come together in stone. Walking along the cliffs, you can see how these different faiths were practiced and understood as parts of the same spiritual world.
The site is open during daylight hours with guided tours available in several languages. It is helpful to wear sturdy shoes since the paths along the cliffs can be uneven and exploring the carvings requires walking a fair distance.
Unlike traditional Buddhist caves in China, these works at Mount Baoding flow continuously along the rock without interruption, creating a natural stone gallery. This unbroken arrangement without separate compartments is a distinctive feature rarely seen at similar locations.
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