When he trudged along the Yellow River in a deep and tortuous canyon, suddenly, there was a faint fragrance of Buddha floating into his nose, and the metal and rocks clanged in front of him. When I got closer, I saw a cliff more than 60 meters high. The sound of Buddha's fire was endless, the corridors were flying in the air, the cornices of the cliff faded, and many craftsmen were digging new caves. The old monk excitedly climbed the cliff along the plank road, prayed devoutly, burned incense and chanted. ...
This grotto hidden in the depths of the canyon is the Bingling Temple Grottoes located in the Jishi Mountain in the southwest of Yongjing County, Gansu Province-the Silk Road Buddha Country hidden in the depths of the Grand Canyon in the upper reaches of the Yellow River.
Faxian westbound, quicksand boundless, majestic snow-capped mountains. After the prosperity and desolation of more than 30 countries, I got the true scriptures after a narrow escape, and when I returned home, I was already alone. Perhaps it is Fa Xian's persistent pursuit of Buddhism that makes local rulers brave. Since the return of Fa Xian, Bingling Temple, which is still in the early stage of excavation, has also ushered in the most prosperous time.
Chi Pan, the monarch of the Western Qin Dynasty, believed in Buddhism and ordered a large-scale Buddha statue to be built here. Today, in the Bingling Temple 169 Grottoes, the calligraphy inscription of the first year of Jian Hong in the Western Qin Dynasty can still be seen, which is the earliest inscription found in the grottoes in China so far. Among them, there are exquisite statues of the Western Qin Dynasty, which are vigorous and lifelike. In the murals, the costumes of the gods are elegant, colorful and simple in composition, showing the magical and beautiful scenery of heaven.
Bingling Temple Grottoes are divided into three parts: Shangsi, Donggou and Si Xia. Karst caves are layered, and the plank road is winding. The temple below is the most spectacular. The grotto statue is carved on the cliff on the right side of Dasigou, which is 2 kilometers long and has four floors. The buildings are strewn at random and set off vertically and horizontally, close to the Yellow River, with solemn momentum.
There are nearly 800 large and small stone statues in Cave 183 of Western Qin, Northern Wei, Northern Zhou, Sui, Tang, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, which are divided into three types: stone carving, stone tire clay sculpture and clay sculpture. The mural covers an area of about 900 square meters. About two-thirds of the works in the Tang Dynasty are exquisite in artistic attainments, full of vitality and vitality. "There are two caves near the cliff of the river gorge. One is called Tangshu Cave, which is 40 feet high and two miles west. It is sometimes bright, 100 feet high, 20 feet wide and 30 feet deep." Among them, the Tang and Shu Grottoes are now Bingling Temple Grottoes.
Walk 5 Li northeast from Binglingxia Temple along the bottom of the ditch to Binglingshang Temple, which is also called Dasigou, surrounded by mountains, with lush trees and a cornucopia of terrain, which is different from the open terrain of Si Xia Temple. Deng Long, a poet in Qing Dynasty, said: "Lingyan Temple is wonderful, surrounded by Jinping and stone arches, and Long Mai meanders." This is the most appropriate way to describe the scenery of Lingyan Temple.
On the basis of inheriting the previous generation of folk art, Bingling Temple Grottoes absorbed and integrated Tibetan Buddhist art, and created vivid sculpture images and painting art with brand-new posture and concise techniques. You can experience the rich atmosphere of Tibetan Buddhism by yourself when you go to Bingling Temple.
The location of Bingling Temple is very special. Traffic arteries such as the Silk Road and the Tang-Fan Ancient Road are intertwined here. Daxia River, Taohe River and other water systems flow into the Yellow River here, and Chinese civilization collides with the surrounding minority civilizations here. ...
Bingling Temple has thus become a very important node on the road of Buddhism spreading from east to west, witnessing the rise and fall of Buddhism in China and enjoying the reputation of "China Grottoes Encyclopedia".
The whole Hexi Corridor is a corridor of grotto art, among which Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes and Tianshui Maijishan Grottoes are one of the four largest grottoes in China. Although Bingling Temple Grottoes are not as famous as the former, their artistic charm is not inferior.
Fan Wenlan, a famous historian, thinks in his book A General History of China that Bingling Temple Grottoes are not only famous for stone carvings and statues, but also for relief pagodas and tantric murals, which are as famous as Mogao Grottoes and Maijishan Grottoes.
Daisy stone peak, beautiful water and blessed land.
Solemn, sitting for a thousand years.
I'll do it-Buddha says it's okay.
I'll go.-I was born with a Buddha's heart
Transfer from: Silk Road Mogao Research Tour