Anyue Stone Carvings

Overview
Anyue County in Sichuan Province is the county with the largest concentration of ancient Chinese Buddhist statues known in China. 218 grotto statues of the past dynasties have been discovered (the results of the May 2000 census), with more than 100,000 statues, especially those of the Tang Dynasty. The magnificent and exquisite statues of the Song Dynasty are world-renowned. In the history of Chinese stone carving art, it has the status of inheriting Yungang and Longmen, and underpinning the Dazu stone carving. In 2000, he was awarded the title of "Hometown of Chinese Stone Carvings" by the Ministry of Culture.

History
The Anyue Grottoes were excavated in the second year of Emperor Wu of Nanliang (A.D. 521), flourished in the Tang and Song dynasties, and lasted until the Ming and Qing Dynasties until the Republic of China. Almost every township has large-scale grotto statue sites for folk associations. Among them are mainly Buddhist grottoes, but also some Taoist statues. There are also many statues that combine the three religions. Anyue Grottoes has the largest stone carvings on the left side of the Tang Dynasty and 210,000-character stone Buddhist scriptures, the most exquisite in China Guanyin Sutra Transfiguration-Pilu Cave, Zizhu Guanyin of the Northern Song Dynasty, the largest Taoist stone carving group in the Tang Dynasty-Xuanmiao Guan, the most concentrated grotto group in the Five Dynasties-Antang Temple, etc., Anyue grottoes, except for a small number of natural and man-made damage makeup Outside the color, most of them are well-preserved, especially the Song Dynasty modeling which has reached the pinnacle of Chinese grotto art and has high ornamental value.

What to See
Sleeping-Buddha Temple
Construction of the Sleeping-Buddha Temple started in the Tang Dynasty and lasted to the period of the Five Dynasties. It boasts 139 grottos housing 1,600 statues carved along 500 meters of cliffs. The most magnificent site is the "Nirvana of the Left-Reclining Sakyamuni," the world's largest left-reclining Buddha.

Pilu Cave
Perhaps the most exquisite and best-preserved cave is Pilu Cave. Founded in the early Song Dynasty, it is located on Mount Tazi in Shiyang Town, more than 50 kilometers southeast of the Anyue County. A provincial highway between Anyue County and Dazu County passes nearby. About 6.6 meters high, 14 meters wide, and 4.6 meters deep, Pilu Cave has 14 niche-grottos with 465 statues. The most exquisite statue is the "Purple Bamboo Guanyin" in Grotto 19.

Huayan Cave
Originated in the Song Dynasty, Huayan Cave is located on Mount Xianggai in Chiyun Village, which is 6 kilometers east of Pilu Cave. It preserves two large niche-grottos housing 159 statues, including the "Three Huayan Kings," "Ten Stages of Mahayana Bodhisattva Development," and "Fifty-three Visits of Sudhana." Also, there is a grotto reflecting a combination of Buddhism , Daoism, and Confucianism.

Mingshan Temple
Mingshan Temple, located on Mount Hutou in Minyue Village, is 69 kilometers southeast of the Anyue County. Founded in the Song Dynasty, Mingshan Temple has over 20 niche-grottos with 63 statues and 23 stele inscriptions, including "Virocina Buddha," "Guanyin," "Mahasthama," "Manjusri," "Twelve Lokapalas," "Virocina Buddha Accompanying Emperor of East Peak," and so on.