If there is such a treasure that integrates architecture, sculpture, murals, calligraphy and other arts, it can reflect the national aesthetic pursuit, values ??and cultural spirit, and it is widely distributed in Hebei and rich in content. Can you think of the Cave Temple?
According to preliminary statistics, there are 128 immovable cultural relics in cave temples (including cliff statues) excavated before 1911 in Hebei. In the list of national key cultural relics protection units announced by the State Council, 19 cave temples and stone carvings in Hebei have been selected.
Hebei has recently launched a special plan to strengthen the rescue and protection of grotto temples. It plans to complete a special survey of grotto temples in the province by the first half of 2021.
Handan Xiangtangshan Grottoes
The Grotto Temple, which has been tempered by thousands of years of wind and frost, is an important place for the blending and dialogue of ancient Eastern and Western civilizations, and is also an important carrier for recording and preserving diverse history and culture.
These grottoes hidden in the mountains echo the ancient temples of different styles and the ancient pagodas rising from the ground, appearing and disappearing, and complement each other. They are not only valuable religious and cultural relics, but also Create a unique landscape.
The "Aerial Grottoes and Taoist Temple Group" hidden in the Sanggan River Grand Canyon in Zhangjiakou
The grottoes in Hebei vary with the times and have various postures: the royal grottoes of the Northern Qi Dynasty are magnificent, the Sui and Tang Dynasties The statues in the grottoes in the Song, Liao and Jin dynasties are secular and intimate...
Have you ever known about these artistic treasures hidden in the land of Hebei?
The Xiangtangshan Grottoes are located in the Fengfeng Mining Area of ??Handan City. In 1961, they were announced by the State Council as one of the first batch of national key cultural relics protection units.
The grottoes were first excavated in the Northern Qi Dynasty, and were continued in the Sui, Tang, Song and Ming dynasties. There are now 16 grottoes, more than 450 niches for cliff statues, more than 5,000 large and small statues, and a large number of engraved scriptures and inscriptions. , the largest grotto group in Hebei.
These grottoes are built against the mountains and are integrated into the mountains. They are a treasure trove of Buddhism, architecture, sculpture and calligraphy, integrating the artistic essence of the entire Northern Qi dynasty.
The Northern Qi Dynasty only existed for 27 years. In these 27 years, very few can be remembered. But when you visit the North and South Xiangtang Mountains, you will be shocked by the grottoes that were excavated over the past 27 years.
Inheriting the bold and unrestrained style of the Northern Wei Dynasty, and inheriting the elegant and romantic atmosphere of the Sui and Tang Dynasties, showing exquisite and vivid characteristics - the Xiangtangshan Grottoes are a typical royal grotto after the Yungang and Longmen Grottoes. It occupies an extremely important position in the history of the development of ancient Chinese grotto art.
Mr. Su Bai, an expert on Chinese grottoes, once said: "The epitome of Chinese grottoes is in Xiangtang."
(Photo/Photo by Li Xiangru)
Located in Wu'an City In the Fahuadong Grottoes in the valley of Fahua Mountain in the northeast of Qingyansi Village, Shidong Township, there is a statue of the "Thousand-Armed Buddha", which is one of the relatively well-preserved cultural relics in the northern region. This statue is 1.2 meters high, wearing a square crown with a Buddha carved in the crown, 44 arms carved on the body, various law enforcement instruments or weapons, wristbands, sitting in lotus position on a lotus seat. The carvings are very detailed and amazing. .
There are also "five hundred Arhats made" in the cave. There are more than 500 relief statues of Arhats subduing dragons, Arhats subduing tigers and Arhats chanting sutras. Each Arhat holds items such as Buddhist beads, scriptures, magical instruments, Musical instruments etc.
Fahua Cave was excavated in the seventh year of Taiping and Xingguo in the Northern Song Dynasty (982). It was rebuilt and continued in the Ming and Qing dynasties.
The grotto is divided into three caves: left, middle and right, facing south and facing south. In addition to the grottoes, the existing remains include four inscriptions from the Ming and Qing Dynasties and two stone pillars from the Ming Dynasty.
(Picture/Propaganda Department of Fengfeng Mining District Committee)
The Shuyusi Grottoes located in the northwest of Sihoupo Village, Dashe Town, Fengfeng Mining District, are commonly known as "Xiao Xiangtang".
The most worth viewing in the cave is the statue of one Buddha and two disciples of Bodhisattva. Although the head is missing, the body part is well preserved. The vermilion Buddha clothes are close to the body, flowing and elegant, setting off the beauty. body posture.
(Photo/Propaganda Department of Fengfeng Mining District Committee)
The Shuiyu Temple Grottoes were excavated during the Northern Qi Dynasty (550-577), and were continued in the Sui, Tang, and Song Dynasties. There are 2 grottoes, 2 cliff statues, 2 scripture buildings from the Song Dynasty, 1 spiritual pagoda from the Yuan Dynasty and 1 inscription from the Ming Dynasty. Outside the temple, there is a cave halfway up the east and west mountains.
The overall design and layout of the grotto is rigorous and the carvings are rich in content. It is the most representative central square column tower temple grotto in the Northern Qi grottoes and has high historical and artistic value.
(Picture/Today’s Pingshan Public Account)
Yoga Mountain is located dozens of kilometers west of Pingshan County. Only the Mingjue Temple on the mountain remains, and the cliff statues of Yoga Mountain It has been included in the national key cultural relics protection units.
Among the cliff statues built on the cliff, the largest Maitreya statue is 9 meters high. There are two other cliff statues, one on the cliff in front of the mountain gate and one on the cliff to the west of the Mingjue Temple ruins. The two statues were severely damaged.
It is said that there is a description of the statue engraved next to a Guanyin statue, which was written in the fifth year of Xining, that is, 1072 AD. It's just that weeds and lush shrubs have grown over time, blurring the originally clear handwriting.
(Photo/Hebei Daily Documentary)
In the west of Tianchang Town, Jingxing County, in the hinterland of the Taihang Mountains at the junction of Shanxi and Hebei, there is a simple and quiet village - Xiaolongwo Village.
The Longwo Temple Grottoes in the west of the village were built in the Northern Song Dynasty, but were later destroyed for some reason, leaving only the grottoes on the cliff.
The grotto is adjacent to National Highway 307, high in the middle of the cliff, several meters above the ground. Currently, there are more than ten stone niches remaining. There are 47 Buddha statues carved in relief inside, large and small, in different postures and lifelike. Standing at the bottom of the cliff and taking a closer look, one of the seated Bodhisattva statues has a peaceful expression and elegant posture. There are several cliff carvings scattered around the grotto, which must have been inscribed by celebrities from past dynasties. Unfortunately, they have been eroded by wind and rain, and many of the handwritings are unclear.
These cave temples and cliff statues are scattered across the land of Hebei, and many of them have become forgotten treasures.
Huailai Tianhuang Mountain Northern Wei Grottoes (Photo/Xinhua News Agency)
Deep in the mountains of Huailai County, the grottoes dug by the Xi people have left records of human activities thousands of years ago. ;
In Zhongzhang Village, Neiqiu County, an ordinary small village, there is a valuable Thousand Buddha Pavilion;
In Xiahuayuan District, Zhangjiakou City, A grotto has stood here since the Northern Wei Dynasty, witnessing the quiet and long changes of the years...
The "unpopular treasure" hidden in Hebei - Grotto Temple
is waiting for you to open one by one
Make arrangements for next year’s travel plans!