The “Five Great Grottoes” in China have been the crystallization of human art and faith since ancient times, among which the Longmen Grottoes are the most well-known and firmly occupy the first place.
However, besides Longmen, what other lesser known treasures are worth exploring in these grottoes? Each grotto carries different historical and cultural imprints, exquisitely carved and majestic, and can be called an unparalleled wonder.
Is it Dunhuang under the thousand year old sandstorm, or Yungang with a profound history? What unknown legends and stories are buried in these ancient grottoes? What other grottoes are beyond Longmen that captivate countless tourists?
Maijishan Grottoes: Artistic Treasures on the Cliff Clouds
The Maijishan Grottoes, located in Tianshui City, Gansu Province, have risen from the ground and stood tall. The mountain wall is steep, like a sharp axe splitting open the sky and earth.
Along the thousand meter long boardwalk, 209 caves are distributed on 80 meter high cliffs, all of which are suspended and carved into the rock mass. Hiking up, the road is steep and steep, which makes one marvel at the fearless spirit and extraordinary wisdom of ancient people.
The clay sculpture art of Maijishan Grottoes is unparalleled in the world. From the Later Qin, Northern Wei, to the Song Dynasty, clay sculptures from various dynasties stood shoulder to shoulder here, with diverse forms yet harmonious unity. The facial depictions of the sculpted figures are delicate and vivid, either gentle and graceful, or majestic and wise, with lively smiles and vivid expressions on their faces.
Although only a small part of the cave murals have survived the vicissitudes of life, their artistic and cultural value remains undiminished, especially the rare and precious Jingbian paintings, which are the treasures of the Maijishan Grottoes.
Building plank roads, creating clay sculptures, and painting murals, ancient people opened up an immortal artistic world in rugged environments. But the incredible craftsmanship of nature can sometimes bring devastating disasters.
According to historical records, the grottoes on Nanya had already collapsed and turned into ruins during the Tang Dynasty. The Maijishan Grottoes, with its existence, tell the world about the greatness of human art and the ruthlessness of nature.
Gongxian Grottoes: low-key masterpieces in the ancient course of the Great River
When it comes to grottoes, you may not first think of the Gongxian Grottoes. It lacks the grandeur and magnificence of Longmen Grottoes, the splendor and color of Mogao Grottoes, and the grandeur of Yungang Grottoes. But it attracts tourists from all over with its low-key, introverted, and exquisite unique charm.
The Gongxian Grottoes are located on both sides of the old Yellow River in the east of Luoyang, Henan Province. Over the years, the river has washed away a huge boulder beneath the thick layer of loess. The grottoes were carved into this natural giant rock.
The total length of the cave is only a hundred meters, but it contains over 7000 Buddha statues of various sizes. Every statue is meticulously crafted, and every stroke of carving is meticulously crafted. Being immersed in it, one cannot help but feel the sense of “mountains are not high, immortals are spiritual”.
The most proud thing here is the national treasure level imperial and empress dowager Buddha worship painting engraved on the stone wall. It is said that Emperor Xuanwu of Northern Wei fulfilled his vow here. Eighteen exquisite reliefs bring a grand royal religious ceremony to life.
Although the area is not large, the composition is rigorous, the character portrayal is delicate and vivid, and the clothing patterns are exquisite and unparalleled, making it a masterpiece. In contrast, a painting of the emperor and empress worshiping Buddha in the Longmen Grottoes was stolen in the last century and has been taken overseas, with two museums in the United States. This artwork from Gongxian Grottoes has become a rare and precious work in China.
The grottoes also contain seven character poems carved on stone during the Eastern Han Dynasty, which is the earliest discovered source of seven character poetry and has important value for studying the origin of seven character poetry.
The Buddhist story portraits inside the cave coincide with various details of Indian Hinayana Buddhism recorded by the Tang Dynasty monk Xuanzang during his journey west, confirming the authenticity of Xuanzang’s “Records of the Western Regions of the Great Tang Dynasty” and making an indelible contribution to the history of Buddhist research.
The Mogao Grottoes of Dunhuang: a bright pearl in the desert
When it comes to the Mogao Grottoes of Dunhuang, it is easy to think of the endless desert sand and the Silk Road with the sound of camel bells. Indeed, it is thanks to its unique geographical location that the Mogao Caves have become a symbol of the intersection and fusion of Chinese and Western cultures.
The excavation of Mogao Caves lasted the longest, from the Former Qin Dynasty in the Sixteen Kingdoms to the Yuan Dynasty, spanning a total of a thousand years. During this period, a total of 735 caves were excavated, with 2415 statues and 45000 square meters of murals.
Especially those colorful murals, with their magnificent colors, smooth lines, and rich content, have amazed future viewers. Feitian is a representative figure in the murals of Mogao Grottoes, with a graceful and enchanting figure, long sleeves fluttering and skirts fluttering, dancing gracefully in an extraordinary and otherworldly manner, becoming an eternal symbol of Mogao Grottoes.
However, after reading through thousands of sails, the fate of the Mogao Caves has also experienced ups and downs. It was destroyed by both nature and war. The murals were weathered, cut, glued, torn and peeled. A large number of precious cultural relics were lost overseas. The essence of Dunhuang art was scattered in foreign countries.
The murals that can be seen today are mostly fragments of the prosperous scenery of the past. Generation after generation of Dunhuang people have guarded the Mogao Caves with their wisdom and sweat, but the artistic treasures that have traveled through time and space still silently cry in the depths of the desert, waiting for the moment when they will see the light of day again.
Yungang Grottoes: an immortal legend intertwined with diverse cultures
When it comes to grottoes, we have to mention the Yungang Grottoes. It is majestic and tailored to local conditions, excavating 253 caves on the 1-kilometer stretch of Wuzhou Mountain. It is also one of the largest grotto groups, with over 51000 statues, ranging from six story buildings to tiny ones the size of a thumb.
As the earliest grottoes built in the Central Plains region, Yungang Grottoes witnessed the rise and fall of the Northern Wei Dynasty. Its story begins with a high monk named Tanyao.
Tan Yao was born in the Western Regions and had a wide range of knowledge. Even during the difficult period of Emperor Taiwu’s destruction of Buddhism, he was able to hide Buddhist artifacts, secretly wearing a robe and persisting in his faith. After Emperor Wencheng ascended the throne, Tan Yao finally found an opportunity to revitalize Buddhism.
He suggested to the emperor to build grottoes as a place for royal prayer. So, Tan Yao led a group of craftsmen from Liangzhou to excavate the earliest five caves at the southern foot of Wuzhou Mountain, which later became famous as the Tan Yao Five Caves.
The Five Caves of Tanyao gather the essence of diverse cultural arts, from Persian graceful women to Roman style columns, from Greek pleated skirts to Gandhara Buddha statues, all giving people a sense of exotic charm.
However, with the reforms during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei, fifteen new caves were built with royal funding. The artistic style of this period underwent subtle changes, with new themes such as music, dance, and flying, and the influence of Han culture gradually deepened.
In the later period, the royal family gradually neglected the construction of the Yungang Grottoes, and private capital began to take over, building more than 200 small caves with increasingly complex decorations that were closer to the Central Plains.
Standing in the Yungang Grottoes, time seems to flow back, and diverse cultures complement each other here. The Persian atmosphere of the Western Regions, the wild and unrestrained nature of the Xianbei ethnic group, and the ancient and elegant simplicity of the Central Plains are like a symphony that transcends time and space, harmonious and melodious, making people intoxicated.
Longmen Grottoes: Eternal Memories of the Tang Dynasty’s Flourishing Era
What in the world best reflects the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty? The Longmen Grottoes are well deserved. This is the pinnacle of royal grottoes, setting multiple world records in grotto art: 2345 caves are the largest in scale, with over 110000 statues, and the longest construction span from the Northern Wei Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty.
The Longmen Grottoes were initiated by the Empress Dowager of the Northern Wei Dynasty and reached its peak during the prosperous period of the Tang Dynasty. Each cave is breathtaking, the Medicine Formula Cave of Northern Qi, the Ancient Yang Cave of Northern Wei, the Wanfo Cave and Huijian Cave of Sui and Tang dynasties, shining like brilliant pearls.
Entering Huijian Cave, Lu Shena, the great Buddha who came towards us, smiled and gazed at the sentient beings. His compassionate and peaceful smile was like a warm sunshine in winter, dispelling the gloom of the human world.
Longmen is not only a grotto, but also a holy land for heroes and heroines to practice in the martial arts world. It is said that during the Great Yu’s flood control, he once split open the Yique Mountain here, leaving behind a magnificent wordless monument that shook the world. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, the white horse carried sutras to Luoyang, and the seeds of spreading Buddhism first took root and sprouted in the Longmen Grottoes.
During the Warring States period, Bai Qi led his troops to battle and became famous in the Battle of Yique Mountain, rising rapidly thereafter. There is also the beautiful legend of the fish leaping over the dragon gate, which has left many young people with dreams lingering in their hearts. It is the countless legendary stories that have been passed down through the ages that have shrouded the Longmen Grottoes in a mysterious veil.
Here, Buddhism, monks, and laypeople blend seamlessly with Confucianism, and religious holy sites coexist harmoniously with secular life. Royal grandeur resonates with folk power. Longmen Grottoes is not just a grotto, but also a memory of the great Chinese civilization.
From the towering and steep Maiji Mountain, to the low-key and simple Gong County, from the colorful Mogao Grottoes, to the solemn and dignified Yungang, and to the extremely luxurious Longmen, the five major grottoes each have their own strengths and interpret the brilliant brilliance of Chinese art with different styles.
They have a long and profound history, experiencing the changes of the times, witnessing the changes of dynasties, and ultimately condensing into cultural landmarks that will never fade.
