Chongqing historical sites: Dazu Rock Carvings, Diaoyu City, Baiheliang, etc.
◆Dazu Rock Carvings:
Dazu Rock Carvings are a shining pearl in Chinese grotto art. Along with Yungang and Longmen, it is as famous as Dunhuang and is an outstanding representative of late Chinese grotto art.
She brought together the great achievements of our country’s grotto art and pushed our country’s grotto art to a new peak. On December 1, 1999, it was officially reviewed and approved by the 23rd Session of the Conference of States Parties of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. Listed on the World Heritage List.
Dazu Rock Carvings is the general name for more than 50,000 religious stone carvings in 74 locations in Dazu County.
Dazu is located in the southeast of the Sichuan Basin, 271 kilometers from Chengdu to the west and 167 kilometers from Chongqing to the east.
The county covers an area of ??approximately 1,400 square kilometers.
Dazu County was established in the first year of Qianyuan of the Tang Dynasty (AD 758). It has a history of more than 1,230 years. Its county name means "Dafeng Dazu".
Dazu Rock Carvings were first created during the Yonghui period of the early Tang Dynasty, passed through the late Tang and Five Dynasties, flourished in the Song Dynasty, and lasted until the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
Among them, there are two national key cultural relics protection units (Beishan, Baodingshan), four provincial cultural relics protection units (Nanshan, Shimenshan, Shizhuanshan, Beita), Miaogao Mountain, Shuchengyan, Jianzi 68 places including the mountain are municipal cultural relics protection units.
Beishan and Baodingshan are the representatives of the largest, most valuable, most concentrated and artistically exquisite stone carvings among the Dazu Rock Carvings.
1. Stone carvings on the cliffs (grottoes) of Baoding Mountain:
It is 15 kilometers northeast of Dazu County.
In the sixth year of Chunxi in the Southern Song Dynasty (1179), the famous monk Zhao Zhifeng built the cave temple here, which took more than 70 years to complete.
Baoding Mountain is one of the holy places of Buddhism. There is a saying that "go up to Emei and go down to Baoding".
Zhao Zhifeng (1159-1249) was a native of Changzhou (now Dazu County, Chongqing) in the Southern Song Dynasty and the founder of the stone carvings on Baoding Mountain in Dazu.
When he was 5 years old, he became a monk because there was an ancient Buddhist rock near his residence.
When I was 16 years old, I went out to travel for 3 years.
In the sixth year of Chunxi (1179), he returned to his hometown, passed down the decree of Liu Benzun, inherited his teachings, and ordered the first builder to build Shengshou Temple, making great vows and spreading Dharma water.
In accordance with the requirements of the dojo, he carefully designed and arranged cleverly, carved tens of thousands of Buddha statues in Baoding Buddha Bay, and built the last large-scale grotto group in the history of Chinese grotto art.
The stone carvings of Baoding Mountain are centered on Dafo Bay, with Xiaofo Bay, Inverted Pagoda, Longtou Mountain, Shushi Mountain, and Huangjue Slope to the east, Gao Guanyin to the south, Guangguang Mountain, Songlin Slope, and Buddha Rock has 13 scenic spots including Yanwan, Longtan, Buddha opposite, etc. in the north.
Among them, the stone carvings at Dafo Bay are the largest, have the highest artistic value, and are the best preserved.
Dafo Bay is a horseshoe-shaped mountain bay.
On the cliff about 500 meters long and 15-30 meters high, there are more than 10,000 statues of various sizes carved.
There are also 7 inscriptions recording the origin of Baodingshan statues and the historical facts of Buddhist Tantra, 17 inscriptions by Song Taichang Shaoqing Wei Liaoweng and others, and 2 relic pagodas.
The stone statues in Dafowan are carved in the shape of the mountain cliff. The reliefs are tall, with a wide range of themes. The niches and caves are connected, the layout is rigorous, the sense of whole is strong, and the atmosphere is spectacular.
The Buddha statues are novel in conception, skillful in carving, and rich in secular color.
The content is mostly Buddhist stories.
Stone carving treasures are piled shoulder to shoulder.
The main statues include "Dharma Protector Statue", "Six Paths of Reincarnation", "Guangda Pavilion", "Three Holy Statues of Huayan", "Thousand-Hand Avalokitesvara", "Sacred Relics of Sakyamuni", "Parents' Grace" "Transformation of heavy sutras", "Transformation of hell", "Yuanjue ashram", "herding cattle ashram", etc. The images are lifelike and have profound meanings.
The Dafo Bay Stone Carvings also skillfully adopt scientific measures such as drainage, lighting, mechanics, and weather protection, which are enough to impress visitors.
2. Beishan Cliff (Groto) Stone Carvings:
Located two kilometers north of Dazu County.
Beishan was named Longgang Mountain in ancient times.
In the first year of Jingfu (892) of Emperor Zhaozong of the Tang Dynasty, Wei Junjing, the governor of Changzhou (now Dazu County), built Yongchang Village in Beishan to store grain and station troops, and at the same time began to carve out Buddha statues.
Through the Five Dynasties and the Two Song Dynasties, nearly ten thousand statues were successively erected in Fowan, Yingpan Slope, Guanyin Slope, Beita Temple, Fo'er Rock and other places.
Among the Beishan stone carvings, Fowan statues are the most concentrated, with No. 290 niche in the ***.
On the cliff, which is more than 300 meters long and 7 meters high, there are 6 tablets, 55 inscriptions and statues, 8 sutras, a picture of "Manjushri's treatment of illnesses" inscribed in the background, and stone carvings. There are 264 statues and niches in the cave.
The Buddha statues in Fowan are exquisitely carved, handsome in posture and unique in style.
The "Samantabhadra" statue in the "Xin Shen Che Cave" is exquisite and is known as the "Oriental Venus"; the "Bead-Counting Guanyin" and "Sun and Moon Guanyin" all show the considerable skill of ancient craftsmen. The "Ksitigarbha Transfiguration" is a bold and unique performance; the "Zhuanlunzang Sutra Cave" is called the "Stone Sculpture Palace".
The "Wei Junjing Stele", "Cai Jing Stele" and "Ancient Wen Xiao Jing Stele" are unique in the world. They are not only calligraphy treasures, but also can fill the gaps in historical materials, and are of extremely high value.
The Fowan Stone Carvings are divided into two areas: north and south. Most of the southern areas are works from the late Tang and Five Dynasties, and most of the northern areas are works from the two Song Dynasties.
The works of the late Tang Dynasty feature dignified and plump characters, rich temperaments, simple clothes and smooth lines.
The works of the Five Dynasties period are exquisite, exquisite and colorful, and the costumes have changed from simple to complex. They have gradually got rid of the influence of foreign culture and have the characteristics of the transitional period of stone sculptures.
The works of the Song and Song Dynasties have become increasingly prominent in their national characteristics.
◆Hechuan Diaoyu City:
It is located on Diaoyu Mountain on the south bank of Jialing River, Heyang Town, Hechuan City, covering an area of ??2.5 square kilometers.
There is a flat boulder on the mountain. Legend has it that a giant god fished fish from the Jialing River here to relieve the hunger of the people in the area, and the mountain got its name from this.
Diaoyu City has steep cliffs, majestic and solid ancient city gates and city walls, and is surrounded by the Jialing River, Fujiang River and Qujiang River on three sides, making it look like a military strategist.
In the second year of Chun in the Southern Song Dynasty (1242), Yu, the governor of Sichuan and the prefect of Chongqing, began to build Diaoyu City.
In 1258, Meng Ge Khan took advantage of the power of his western expedition to more than 40 countries in Europe, Asia and Africa, and divided his troops into three groups to attack the Song Dynasty.
Meng Ge personally led a group of troops to invade Sichuan, and in February of the following year, they arrived at the Diaoyu City in Hechuan.
Meng Ge's cavalry marched east and west and were invincible. However, under the tenacious resistance of Diaoyu City's general Wang Jian and his deputy Zhang Jue, they could not get past the thunder pool.
In July, Meng Ge was injured by artillery in the city and died in Hot Spring Temple.
The defense of Diaoyu City lasted for more than 36 years, setting a rare example in the history of Chinese and foreign wars in which the weak defeated the strong. Therefore, Diaoyu City was praised by Europeans as the "Mecca City of the East" and "God Breaks the Whip". place".
The ancient battlefield ruins of Diaoyu City are still well preserved.
The main sights include city gates, city walls, palaces, martial arts yamen, infantry camps, naval piers and other ruins, including Diaoyutai, Huguo Temple, Xuanfo Temple, Thousand Buddha Grottoes, Imperial Cave, Tianquan Cave, Feiyan Cave and other scenic spots, as well as a large number of poems, poems, reliefs and inscriptions left over from the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties.
In 1982, Diaoyu City was listed as a national scenic spot.
◆Wushan Longgupo Hominin Site:
It is located at Longgupo, Longping Village, Miaoyu Town, Wushan County, covering an area of ??about 700 square meters.
Excavated in 1986.
Here, fossils of ancient human incisors and jaws with canine teeth were discovered, as well as dozens of fossils of giant monkeys, saber-toothed tigers, and bihorned rhinoceros at the same level as human fossils.
After research, these fossils belong to the Early Pleistocene, dating back 2.04 million years.
This major discovery has filled the gap in early human fossils in my country and is of extremely important scientific value for the study of human origins and the development history of the Three Valleys.
◆Baiheliang Underwater Stone Inscription:
Located in the center of the Yangtze River in the north of Fuling District, it is a natural giant stone beam about 1,600 meters long and 16 meters wide.
Shiliang is only exposed to the water during the dry season in winter and spring.
According to legend, Erzhen Zhenren practiced here in the Tang Dynasty, and later achieved Taoism and rode on a crane to go there, hence the name.
The stone beam is engraved with 164 stone inscriptions from the first year of Guangde in Tang Dynasty (763) to the present day, including 108 hydrological inscriptions; 14 stone fish pictures, 3 of which are hydrological symbols.
The inscriptions and images intermittently record the historical low water levels in 72 years over more than 1,200 years. They are of great historical value for the study of low water patterns, shipping and production in the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River.
At the International Hydrological Working Conference held in Paris in 1974, the Chinese delegation submitted a report to the conference titled "Fuling Stonefish Inscriptions", and the scientific value of Baiheliang was recognized by the world.
There are also many poems and inscriptions on Baiheliang by Huang Tingjian, Zhu Xi, Pang Gongsun, Zhu Ang, Wang Shizhen and other poets of the past dynasties. They are all available in seal script, Li script, Xing script and Cao script, and include Yan, Liu, Huang and Su. It is presented together and has high artistic value, so it has the reputation of "underwater stone inscription".
Baiheliang has been designated as a national key cultural relic protection unit.
After the completion of the Three Gorges Project, Baiheliang will be submerged. The country has established a project in 1993 to build it into a large underwater museum.
The stone fish carvings on Baiheliang have important scientific research and historical value, as well as unique artistic value, and have always been valued by the world.
It is not only a historical record of the low water level of the Yangtze River, but also means "stone fish coming out of the water means a good year" and "there will be more fish (fish) every year".
Therefore, the ancients carved a stone inscription on Baiheliang: "In the dry season, if the stone fish emerges from the water, it will bring good fortune for thousands of years."
◆Ciqikou Ancient Town:
The ancient town of Ciqikou is located on the outskirts of the city, bordering the Jialing River to the east, Shapingba to the south, Tongjiaqiao to the west, and Shijingpo to the north, covering an area of ??1.18 square kilometers. It was named after the abundance and transshipment of porcelain during the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
People hold hands, and there are thousands of bright lights at night.
It is known as "Little Chongqing".
Baolun Temple, a famous temple in eastern Sichuan on Ma'anshan, began in the Tang Dynasty. The temple is magnificent and well-preserved. It is said that Emperor Jianwen of Ming Dynasty once took refuge here, so it is also called Longyin Temple. When it was prosperous, there were as many as 300 monks living there. The remaining people.
The buildings in the town have the characteristics of eastern Sichuan folk houses. The stone roads and the houses along the street are harmoniously dependent on each other. The structures of the houses are mostly bamboo and wood structures, with buckets and walls or half-plank walls.
Most of the shops along the street have one-to-three rooms, long and deep. The back rooms are usually courtyards, which are the residences of large merchants.
The carved beams and painted roofs, the window grilles and lattice patterns are exquisite and the workmanship is exquisite.
Free, compact structure, combination of reality and reality, ethereal and natural.
After visiting Ciqikou, Canadian Mr. Arthur Ericson, known as one of the top ten architects in the world, commented: “The things here come naturally, not by designers, but from design. From the perspective of a trader, every one is the best and most honest."
The ancient town is the birthplace of Shaci culture. During the Anti-Japanese War, Guo Moruo, Xu Beihong, Feng Zikai and Fu gathered together. Bouldering, Ba Jin, Bing Xin and other cultural celebrities.
The famous Chinese-American scientist Mr. Ding Zhaozhong once studied in the town.
The prototype of Hua Ziliang in the novel "Red Rock" narrowly escaped from the clutches of the clutches of the ancient town wharf...
The ancient town has mountains and rivers, fresh air, and green trees. The people live peacefully and comfortably, retaining the life style of China's local ethnic groups.
In 1998, it was designated as a key protected historical district in Chongqing by the State Council. The Shapingba District People’s Government has planned to build Ciqikou into a new tourist area with Bayu cultural characteristics. The ancient town has opened its doors to welcome Chinese and foreign guests. .