Buddhist statues in Ciyunling, Buddhist rock carvings in Hangzhou, China

The Buddhist statues in Ciyunling are rock carvings cut into the southern foot of Yuhuang Mountain in 942, when the Ziyan Temple was built during the Wuyue Kingdom. The main arched niche holds seven full-round figures: Amitabha, Guanyin and Dashizhi seated in lotus position on lotus pedestals, flanked by two standing bodhisattvas and two heavenly kings, with flying apsaras and kalavinkas above. A separate northern niche contains a seated Ksitigarbha with attendants.

The Ciyunling statues were carved in 942, the seventh year of the Tianfu era of the Later Jin, when the Wuyue state built the Ziyan Temple here and cut the images into the southern foot of Yuhuang Mountain. In 1961 they were listed as a Zhejiang provincial protected site; in 2006 they joined the Yanxia Cave and Tianlong Temple carvings as West Lake Nanshan statues within the Feilaifeng group of national protected sites.

The sculptures show how Buddhist artists portrayed their religious figures across centuries and shaped the devotion of local people through their work. The carvings reflect the artistic preferences and techniques that were common in this region during their time.

The site is accessible via established pathways, with information panels explaining the significance of each work. It is wise to allow enough time to view all the figures at a relaxed pace and appreciate their details.

The niche of Ksitigarbha, north of the main shrine, shows the bodhisattva as a bald monk with large ears, seated half-crossed with the left foot hanging down onto a lotus pedestal. From the left side of the niche a carved cloud scroll curls up and out, and the "Six Paths of Rebirth" are cut in relief among the clouds.