Eastern Thousand Buddha Caves, Buddhist cave complex in Guazhou County, China.
The Eastern Thousand Buddha Caves are a cave monastery with two tiers of 23 chambers carved into cliffs along a dried river gorge in northwest China. The chambers are spread across both banks of the gorge at different elevations.
The caves developed mainly between the Western Xia and Yuan dynasties, with later modifications during the Qing period. Eight chambers preserve original murals and sculptures from these eras.
The caves display Buddhist artwork reflecting different schools and periods, and visitors can observe how iconography and painting styles evolved across centuries. The decoration in each chamber tells of the religious beliefs of the people who created it.
The site is managed by the Dunhuang Academy and consists of cave groups on both sides of the gorge with varying access routes. Visitors should wear sturdy footwear and be aware that paths can be steep and sometimes unpaved.
The northernmost chamber of the lower tier on the west side dates to the Yuan period and holds rare original artifacts not preserved in most other parts of the complex. This cave offers an unusually direct view of the craftsmanship from that medieval era.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
