Dazu Cliff Carvings

We took a 2-hour bus trip northwest of Chongqing to a 

Unesco World Heritage Site 

to see thousands of 

cliff carvings and rock statues 

created

between the 9th and 13th centuries (AD).  

The first site that we visited had these three Buddhas, carved from stone.

The temple on the site had prayer flags similar to those of Tibet.

There were lots of smaller statues (to pray to) within each temple building.


We were led around through a maze of "incense-enhanced" buildings, but declined the opportunity to have our fortunes told by a Buddhist Monk.....(for a price.)

We learned that the swastika was used in Asian art long before the Nazis adopted it.

Some of the art-work was obviously new, replicas of the original.

Some of the carvings were inside caves, and decorated colorfully.

We are thankful that the original Dazu Rock carvings were not destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, because they were fairly un-known at that time.

The big Dragon/Lion guards the door to the cave.

Some sculptures tell stories.

These were certainly my favorite Buddhas, located on Treasured Summit Hill. 

The Rock and Cliff Carvings are influenced by Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism.

Some were enormous!

Very intricate stone-work produced thousands of carvings!

The biggest Buddha on the site is depicted entering Nirvana, with the torso sunk into the cliff face. 

Keep in mind that these carvings are up to 1200 years old!

It was a COLD day, involving a long bus ride, but well worth the trip!

There were some amazing, natural, polished rocks in the gift shop.

There were also ancient tombs on the site.

Chinese people are very much into rating everything!

This pile of newly-made bricks reminded us of those we used to help build a school in Malawi, AFRICA.

A rural house, probably for multiple families

We just walked, but some tourists take a taxi like this one out to the sites. 

(Notice the "garage doors" on the building in the background.  This is extremely common in China:  space is leased for shops and eateries in the lower level of buildings, with residences up above.)

We boarded the mini-bus, and looked forward to our final site on the Rock and Cliff-Carvings Tour.  But, instead, we were taken to a commercial building and escorted into this little room for a knife-and-potato-peeler demonstration, ...... the kind we would see at our state or county fairs!  We were "sold out" by the tour company!  (Disappointing ending for a great day.)