How Do Thousands of Buddha Statues on a Cliff Tell the Story of a Thousand Years?

Hidden among the mountains and rivers of China lies a mysterious place. It is said that on the cliffs there, thousands of Buddha statues stand silently, having weathered countless storms, as if holding a secret that can transcend time. What kind of sight is this that attracts countless people to travel thousands of miles to explore? With this curiosity, let us step into the Thousand Buddha Cliff and uncover its mysterious veil. The Thousand Buddha Cliff is located on the east bank of the Jialing River in Lizhou District, Guangyuan City, Sichuan Province. It is the most magnificent group of grottoes in Sichuan. On the cliff face, which is about 420m long and 40m high, the niches are stacked on top of each other, up to 13 layers, as dense as honeycombs. The statues here began in the Northern Wei Dynasty and went through the Western Wei, Northern Zhou, Sui, Tang, Five Dynasties, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, spanning nearly 1,500 years. According to the stone tablet erected in the fourth year of Xianfeng in the Qing Dynasty (1854), there were more than 17,000 statues in the entire cliff. However, when the Sichuan-Shaanxi Highway was built in 1935, more than half of the statues were destroyed. There are now more than 400 large and small niches and more than 7,000 statues, which are still magnificent. Walking along the Thousand Buddha Cliff is like stepping into a palace of stone carving art. The Dayun Cave is the core here, the largest in scale, with a total of 234 statues. The left and right walls are carved with 148 lotus Avalokiteśvara statues, with graceful figures and peaceful expressions. The Maitreya Buddha statue in the center of the cave is said to be the incarnation of Wu Zetian, solemn and majestic. The Lotus Cave is named after the double-layered lotus flower relief on the dome. It was built during the Wu Zhou period. Each of the three walls in the cave has a large niche. The combination of the Three Life Buddha statues is unique. The Maitreya Buddha, representing the incarnation of Wu Zetian, sits in the center, showing the political atmosphere of the time. The Avalokiteśvara statue in the Lotus-Holding Avalokiteśvara Cave is of extremely high artistic level and is praised as the "Oriental Venus." Her figure is light, holding a lotus flower, and the compassion between her eyebrows and eyes seems to dispel the suffering of the world. The Thousand Buddha Cliff is not only a treasure house of art, but also carries a profound history and culture. The ancient plank road, the dangerous pavilion, and the Stone Cabinet Pavilion are located at the southern end of the cliff, facing the Huangze Temple across the river, witnessing the prosperity and vicissitudes of the Jinniu Road. Although the construction of the Sichuan-Shaanxi Highway in 1935 damaged some of the statues, it also brought a wonderful collision between the Thousand Buddha Cliff and modern civilization. The traffic flows on the road under the cliff, and the Buddha statues on the cliff stare at the millennium, with the ancient and modern in the same frame, which is full of emotion. Travel Route from Beijing to Thousand Buddha Cliff - By plane: Fly directly from Beijing Capital International Airport or Daxing International Airport to Guangyuan Panlong Airport, the flight time is about 3 hours. After arriving, take the airport bus to the city center at the airport, and then transfer to bus routes 2 and 15 to reach the Thousand Buddha Cliff Scenic Area directly; you can also take a taxi directly, the journey is about 30 minutes, and the cost is about CNY 80–120. - High-speed train: First take the high-speed train from Beijing West Railway Station to Chengdu East Railway Station, and then transfer from Chengdu East Railway Station to the high-speed train to Guangyuan Station. After arriving at Guangyuan Station, you can take bus route 2 to Thousand Buddha Cliff. The entire high-speed train journey takes about 10–12 hours. - Self-driving: The whole journey is about 1,600 km, driving along the Beijing-Kunming Expressway, passing through Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi and other places, which takes about 20 hours. Self-driving allows you to freely enjoy the scenery along the way, but long-distance driving requires reasonable rest arrangements. Recommended Hotels Nearby - Guangyuan Huangze Hotel: Located in the city center, about 6 km from Thousand Buddha Cliff, it is convenient for travel and has many surrounding restaurants. The hotel has complete facilities and thoughtful service. The reference price is CNY 300–500/night. - Guangyuan Tiancheng Hotel: Close to the Jialing River, you can enjoy the river view, about 7 km from the scenic spot. The hotel rooms are spacious and comfortable, with supporting gyms, restaurants, etc. The reference price is CNY 400–600/night. - Homestays near Thousand Buddha Cliff: Affordable prices, you can experience local life, and some homestays can also provide special catering, the reference price is CNY 150–300/night. The Thousand Buddha Cliff is well worth a visit. Here, you can admire the exquisite stone carving art up close and feel the superb skills of ancient craftsmen; you can travel through thousands of years, dialogue with history; and you can also experience the charm of the integration of nature and humanities on the banks of the Jialing River. It is a cultural feast not to be missed.