Continued from Dazu Grottoes – Beishan and Nanshan
Baodingshan
Arguably the best grotto in the Dazu area, this one has some of the most spectacular grotto art I’ve seen. It also has a rich collection of story-telling panels as opposed to just effigies. Since it is the best part of the collection, this is the most built-up for tourists with a fully developed entrance plaza, shop and restaurant streets, and state-of-the-art visitor center and museum. The actual site of art though is intimate as it is tucked away in the back corner of a lush canyon.
We arrived just before they opened. The main gates were just open, and we almost went on our merry way. However, we’re glad we didn’t and waited to get the tickets so we wouldn’t have to walk a fair distance back when we got to the actual ticket-checking entrance closer to the grottoes.
But arriving this early was great because for most of our visit, we had the place practically to ourselves and didn’t have to deal with any tour groups. As soon as we came upon the art, we were amazed at the graceful carvings. The heroic statues came off the cliff side as if they were frozen while materializing from the stone surface. The site has been preserved very well. Some of the paint is original, but a lot is most likely from multiple refurbishings. However, all of the preservation work has been done with great attention. The thousand-hand Buddha is an excellent example of this, which actually has 1,007 hands.
Right at the back of the grottoes is the biggest of this set, a 31-meter lying Sakyamuni Buddha. Looking on to this behemoth are several figures closer to life-size to give true perspective. Not only that, it has a lovely fountain near the head and running stream in front that helps add to the overall effect instead of just a giant statue carved into the cliff face.
Other highlights for me include the panel depicting Buddhist hell with eighteen levels represented including ‘knife-mountain’ and ‘knee-chopping hill.’ It is one of those times that religious are seems to crossover the line like when you go to an old gothic cathedral and have the tortures of purgatory detailed over the entranceways. It was honestly a little disturbing.
I also enjoyed the story of the taming of the water buffalo. It is an old Buddhist parable where the buffalo represents us in our natural state of heart when we are wild. However, as we are tamed by the buffalo keepers who represent those living the precepts of Buddhism, we also become peaceful and lovely animals. In a sense it is the broken heart and contrite spirit that comes from submitting ourselves to the will of something greater than ourselves.
Museum at Baodingshan
The museum is modernly sophisticated with the appearance of historicity and establishment from the architecture. The exhibits interpret for visitors an idea that starts with Buddhist grottoes around the globe and their import and purpose and narrows to the specific treasures of the Dazu sites.
In addition to photographs of several Buddhist sites in India and China, there is a wonderful opportunity to see some carvings from the Dazu region that were removed either by looters or because of structural issues or damage at the grottoes. They are now displayed in a very modern facility that contrasts perfectly with the ancient rock (and wood) art.
One part of the museum we hoped to experience was a panorama (360 degree) theater presentation. Unfortunately, the show is only a few times a day, and the only posting of show times we found was at the entrance to the theater. We weren’t going to wait around for a couple of hours to watch a short museum presentation no matter how cool it looked to be. If we had waited, we wouldn’t have made it to either of the other amazing sites in Dazu.
Tips for visiting Dazu Grottoes
There isn’t much to say that hasn’t been said. We went with a private driver. It is much more expensive than the long-distance buses, but it got us there much earlier and allowed us to get to more than just one site in a day. This also let us take our own time exploring. We were held to a bus schedule or tour group. I’m sure Chongqing hostels arrange excursions to the grottoes, so that is an option, too.
Now, I have just one more set of Buddhist grottoes in China to check off another bucket list item. It is much closer to Beijing, but still takes time to get to. However, Maijishan isn’t listed as a World Heritage site yet, but is on China’s tentative list, and the pictures I’ve seen show an amazing collection. So, I might have to make it back to Gansu someday to add that to my list.
