The Dazu Rock Carvings, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999, consist of over 50,000 statues depicting Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. The carvings are spread across 70 sites, with the most famous being on Beishan and Baoding Mountains. The oldest carvings date back to the 7th century, with the majority from the 9th century onwards. The carvings in Baoding are considered the most impressive, with over 10,000 carvings created over 70 years by a devoted monk. The site is easily accessible from Dazu Town and has a developed tourist infrastructure.
The Dazu Rock Carvings are a collection of assorted religious carvings and carvings. They are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and have been since 1999. The oldest rock carvings in Dazu date back to the 7th century, while the majority date from the 9th century onwards.
There are more than 50,000 statues that make up the Dazu rock carvings, spread across some 70 sites. The Dazu Rock Carvings are found scattered throughout the Dazu Hills, and the most famous are undoubtedly the carvings on Beishan Mountain and Baoding Mountain. There are generally three main sculpture areas besides Beishan and Baoding: Nanshan, Shimenshan and Shizhuanshan.
Dazu rock carvings also cover different religions. The sculptures portray images and writings from Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. The largest and most iconic sculptures are Buddhist in nature, but a number of impressive Confucian and Taoist carvings can also be found.
The oldest of the major Dazu Rock Carvings are the Beishan Carvings, dating from the late 9th century. These sculptures and statues show a little more wear than most of the others, but are still quite impressive. The overriding theme is that of militarism, with a number of famous historical figures in armed suits. However, there is also a fair amount of religious sculpture in this group, notably representing the Goddess of Mercy, Kwanyin.
The caves found in Baoding are generally considered the most impressive of the Dazu Rock Carvings, due in part to the relatively short time in which they were all carved. The more than 10,000 carvings found here were all created over a period of seventy years and were overseen by a monk, Zhao Zhifeng, who devoted his entire life to their creation. The Cave of Full Enlightenment is a popular spot in Baoding, guarded by guardian lions, with cloud carvings on the roof and the Buddhist trinity. Next is a beautiful rendition of the Wheel of Life. The reclining Buddha in this section is also a perennial favorite with visitors, and is followed by an intricately tortured interpretation of the Eighteen Layers of Hell.
The rock carvings of Dazu are perhaps the most impressive due to their state of preservation and immense thematic range. Unlike some of the more extensive petroglyphs found in Luoyang or Dunhuant, the Dazu petroglyphs are mostly in excellent condition, and most of the carvings are still fully painted.
Getting to the Dazu Rock Carvings isn’t very difficult, with a bus leaving from nearby Dazu Town. The countryside is classically Chinese and many people find the daily lifestyle going on around it adds to the site itself. Despite its rural feel, there is a fairly sophisticated tourist infrastructure around the Dazu Rock Carvings. Food stands, souvenir stalls and guidebooks for hire are everywhere and most of the year the site is quite full of Chinese and foreign tourists.
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