What to do in Anyue, Sichuan? This hidden gem is home to 100,000 stunning Buddha statues, yet no one knows about them!
Preface
On the border of Sichuan and Chongqing lies a quirky little town. While you might call it understated, it's been featured numerous times in National Geographic China and frequently trended on search engines! Nestled amidst the cliffs and ravines are over 100,000 Buddhist statues, rivaling those of Dunhuang and Luoyang. Its unique charm captivates everyone who has seen it!
Picture @Leilei
It is also the hometown of lemons. As the famous "Lemon Capital of China", it is said that 80% of China's lemons are produced here and exported to more than 10 countries and regions around the world.
But if you say it is famous, it is even jokingly called "the least visible city in Sichuan". Almost 99% of people from other provinces have never heard of it, and it will not appear on the recommended list of popular travel destinations.
It is Anyue, Sichuan, and it only takes 2 hours to get there from Chengdu!
Anyue, named after its "living peacefully among the mountains", was established as a county in the Northern Zhou Dynasty over 1,400 years ago. Its pleasant climate, with neither severe cold in winter nor scorching heat in summer, has made it the largest lemon producing area in China.
This beautiful place has produced many outstanding people. Over the past thousands of years, it has also produced many famous people and sages, such as the hardworking poet Jia Dao, the ancestor of the Korean Kim family, the "Queen Mother Puzhou" Xu Huangyu, and the founding hero of the Tang Dynasty Cheng Yaojin.
Picture @Leilei
"Stone carvings are everywhere, and there are Buddhas in every village"
Although the small town is nestled in the unknown mountains, there are more than 200 cliff carvings, more than 100,000 Buddha statues, 9 national-level cultural relics protection units, and 10 provincial-level cultural relics protection units in the entire county.
Thousand-armed Guanyin from the Tang Dynasty in Qianfozhai▲
Anyue Grottoes, this treasure house of ingenious grotto sculpture art, this piece of Tang and Song Dynasty history forgotten in the mountains and rivers of Sichuan and Chongqing, now shines brightly in the countryside!
"Inheriting Dunhuang and initiating Dazu"
When talking about China's cave statues, most people may only know the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, the Yungang Grottoes in Datong, and the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang, but they don't know that the Bashu area surrounded by mountains is the region with the richest cave relics in China.
Yuanjue Cave Pure Vase Guanyin ▲
The creation of cave statues originated from Gandhara in ancient India, entered China along the Silk Road, and entered the Bashan and Shushui regions from the Northern Wei Dynasty until the Ming and Qing Dynasties, without interruption. The historical context of more than 1,400 years is very clear!
The Bashu Grottoes display a style that is consistent with that of the Northwest and Central Plains, while also possessing unique regional characteristics. Of the nearly 6,000 grotto sculptures in China, 2,850 are from the Bashu Grottoes, the largest number in the country.
Guanyin and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattvas at Mingshan Temple▲
Among them, Anyue Grottoes and Dazu Rock Carvings are a pair of sister flowers blooming on the shallow slopes of the hills in central Sichuan. Today, Dazu Rock Carvings have long been famous at home and abroad and are crowded with tourists, but Anyue Grottoes are still unknown.
Inheriting the Yungang and Longmen Grottoes and the Dazu Rock Carvings, the Anyue Grottoes are dominated by magnificent Tang Dynasty statues and exquisite Song Dynasty stone carvings. They are world-famous for being "ancient, diverse, refined and beautiful". How can we bear you to miss this "Chinese Buddhist Sculpture Capital" with top oriental aesthetics?
Our product manager traveled around the mountains and rivers and recorded some of the most worth-visiting destinations for you!
01 Qianfo Village
"Three Thousand Worlds, Three Thousand Buddhas"
Qianfo Village is a natural rock village that is long and narrow from west to east. There are more than 3,000 statues on the cliffs, and the entire statue area is 705 meters long.
There used to be a temple here, which was named "Qiyan Temple" in the Tang Dynasty. The original grand building complex has been rebuilt and destroyed several times, and now only the Qianfozhai statues are left. It is divided into two areas, north and south, both of which show a strong Tang Dynasty style. At the same time, it retains the legacy of Western Gandhara sculpture art and is known as the "Gallery of Anyue Grottoes Art."
Top and middle images: Tang Dynasty stone carvings at Qianfozhai▲
Below: The Tang Dynasty Medicine Buddha Sutra Transformation Shrine in Qianfozhai▲
The Tang Dynasty strongmen are very representative stone carvings in Qianfo Village. These strongmen have S-shaped bodies, frowning and looking straight ahead with angry eyes, naked upper bodies, bulging veins in their calves due to exertion, and bare feet. Their muscular bodies reveal the majestic spirit of the prosperous Tang Dynasty.
A Tang Dynasty warrior from Qianfozhai▲
In Qianfoyan Village, there are also very rare male flying celestials. The graceful posture of these male flying celestials is like gods descending from heaven, and is not inferior to the female flying celestials at all!
Picture of Buddha preaching in Qianfo Village▲
02 Yuanjue Cave
"A smile that attracts all beings"
Yuanjue Cave is a rare 4A-level scenic spot among the Anyue Grottoes. Although its statues were carved in the Northern Song Dynasty, they have a strong Tang Dynasty style. The Song Dynasty inherited the Tang style, but also formed its own style!
Yuanjue Cave Pure Vase Guanyin and Flying Apsaras▲
The cave, named after the Twelve Yuanjue Caves, contains 103 caves and 1,933 statues. The most exquisite sculptures are from the Song Dynasty. Among them, the three caves, one Buddha and two Bodhisattvas, are the most spectacular. The standing statue of Sakyamuni is the essence of Yuanjue Cave and the most telling story.
Picture of Sakyamuni preaching in Yuanjue Cave▲
The Buddha has long, spiral-shaped hair and stands sideways, with a smile on his face and a kind gaze looking down at Venerable Kasyapa on his lower left. This depicts the story of the Buddha smiling while picking up a flower in the Buddhist scriptures.
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Legend has it that Lord Brahma invited the Buddha to preach on Vulture Peak and presented him with a precious golden lotus flower. The Buddha picked up the petals and smiled at his disciples. Just as everyone was puzzled, the most important disciple Mahakasyapa broke into a smile. Then the Buddha announced, "I have the true Dharma Eye. The true reality has no form, and it cannot be expressed in words. I have passed it on outside the teachings, and now I am passing it on to Mahakasyapa."
Left: Yuanjue Cave Lotus-Handed Guanyin ▲
Right: Yuanjue Cave Pure Vase Guanyin and the flying image on the upper right ▲
03 Pilu Cave
"Oriental Venus"
Pilu Cave is located in Shiyang Town, southeast of Anyue County. Stone carvings were first created in the Later Shu Dynasty of the Five Dynasties. The Purple Bamboo Guanyin statue is the most representative of Anyue stone carvings. Different from the common Guanyin statues, this statue has its left foot hanging outside the platform and the right foot raised. Locals call it "Cross-legged Guanyin".
The front of the Purple Bamboo Guanyin in Pilu Cave▲
The statue of Guanyin is suspended in a protruding cave. Its gorgeous makeup and unique shape have left a strong mark in the history of world sculpture and it is known as the "Oriental Venus".
Side view of Purple Bamboo Guanyin in Pilu Cave▲
Even more remarkable is that, depending on the angle you look at it, the Guanyin statue reveals different ages and features. From a distance, it resembles a dignified lady; from a closer look, it reveals the shy charm of a young girl; from the side, it resembles a dashing and handsome young man, echoing the description of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in Buddhist scriptures: "Without the appearance of self, without the appearance of others, without the appearance of sentient beings, and without the appearance of life."
04 Mingshan Temple
“A miracle created by heaven and man”
Mingshan Temple is the most distinctive stone carving complex in the entire Anyue Grottoes. Located at the top of the mountain, the stone carvings have been severely weathered, and all the Buddha statues show layers of ripples. It has both the beauty of vicissitudes and the atmosphere of modern art.
Above: Weathered Buddha statue at Mingshan Temple▲
Below: Standing statues of Mahasthamaprapta and Avalokitesvara in Cave 8, the largest cave in Mingshan Temple.
The Mingshan Temple's stone carvings, carved in a horseshoe shape around the main body of the temple during the Song Dynasty, now boast over 60 extant statues, considered among the finest examples of Northern Song Dynasty cliff carvings. Among them is a 6-meter-tall Vairocana Buddha statue, the only standing Vairocana Buddha statue in the world and a truly precious treasure!
Mingshan Temple is the only standing statue of Vairocana Buddha in China.
05 Reclining Buddha Temple
"The world's largest left-side reclining Buddha statue"
The Reclining Buddha Temple houses the largest cliff-carved sutra cave in China and the earliest and most complete existing stone carving of Sakyamuni's Nirvana.
One of the statues, a reclining Buddha on the left side, is the only "Nirvana" statue in China to be found reclining on the left side. It is also the earliest and most complete full-body reclining Buddha statue in existence in the country. This statue has a unique composition and novel concept, and its artistic attainments and cultural value are comparable to those of the Leshan Giant Buddha, the world's largest seated Maitreya Buddha.
In addition, there are exquisite stone carvings such as the Three Bodies of Buddha, Maitreya Buddha, Thousand-Armed Guanyin, etc. in the Reclining Buddha Courtyard, which are magnificent and lifelike.
06 Huayan Cave
"Wu belts are like the wind, and the Song rhyme is long-lasting"
Huayan Cave, excavated during the Northern Song Dynasty, is the largest single cave in the Anyue Grottoes. All the statues, including the altar before the Buddha, were carved from a single monolith, working from the outside inward. The entire cave boasts a rigorous layout and a balanced balance of solid and void, representing the pinnacle of Anyue stone carving.
The main wall of Huayan Cave is carved with statues of the Three Holy Ones of Huayan (Vairocana Buddha in the center, Manjushri and Samantabhadra Bodhisattvas on both sides), and on both sides are ten Perfect Enlightenment Bodhisattvas. They are magnificent and have different postures, with delicate facial features and clothing folds, and are well preserved.
From the moment you step into Huayan Cave, you enter the aesthetic world of the Song Dynasty that combines reality and romance.
Left: Vairocana Buddha in Huayan Cave▲
Right: Bodhisattva of Sound in Huayan Cave▲
07 Peacock Cave
“The surrogate Kitchen God in the farmer’s kitchen”
There is also an interesting story about Peacock Cave.
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In the 1950s, the father of Mr. Zhou, a cultural keeper, built a kitchen in the cave. The once majestic Great Peacock King transformed into the Kitchen God, enjoying the daily necessities of life in Mr. Zhou's home. In the 1970s, amidst a campaign to eliminate the "Four Olds," a group of young men arrived at Mr. Zhou's home carrying homemade explosives, intending to blow up the stone statue.
Peacock Cave: Great Peacock King▲
But thanks to the strenuous efforts of Mr. Zhou and his family, the Peacock Cave was preserved intact and became a national key cultural relic protection site in 2007. The only price paid was that after serving as the "acting Kitchen God" for 60 years, the Buddha statue turned black all over!
Peacock Cave: Battle between the Celestial Beings and Asuras▲
Today, the shrine dedicated to the Peacock King, a sutra-transformation statue, is the most striking feature of the Peacock Cave. This exquisite carving, with the peacock's eyes, beak, and feathers rendered with smooth, detailed lines, brings the figure to life. The King, with his eyes slightly closed, wears a crown and a necklace across his chest, and sits cross-legged on a lotus pedestal supported by a peacock. Behind him, on the cave wall, relief carvings depict offerings to celestial beings and Indra battling the Asuras.
Peacock Cave: Battle between the Celestial Beings and Asuras▲
There is a kind of delicacy called Anyue cuisine!
The small town of Anyue is full of surprises! From exquisite ancient stone carvings to fragrant lemons, after a day of exploring the past and the present, it's inevitable to try the delicious food on the streets...
Take a look at the private food menu of Anyue gourmets, and these delicacies must be on it!
01 Hand-shredded Roasted Rabbit
Anyue's hand-torn roasted rabbit generally comes in two flavors: five-spice and spicy. It is roasted and mixed immediately, and is very tender. Roasted over charcoal fire, the rabbit meat is sizzling and oily.
After roasting, tear the rabbit meat into strips, then add chili oil, sesame seeds, peanuts, etc. and mix well. It is crispy, spicy and you will become more addicted the more you eat it!
02 Sad Jelly
Anyue has the most authentic sad jelly, which is made of hand-cut coarse jelly with plenty of seasoning. It is spicy and numb after one bite, and it makes you runny nose and cry. It is very satisfying!
03 Anyue Rice Roll
Anyue rice rolls are a specialty snack in Anyue. Cut the rice rolls into small pieces about an inch long, spread them out, add onions, ginger, garlic, red chili peppers and other spices, mix well and you can eat it. It is sour, spicy, fresh, refreshing and delicious. You must try it!
04 Panlong eel
This dish may look scary, but it tastes spicy and fresh. You can’t stop eating it once you take a bite. Pair it with a cup of white wine and you will feel as happy as a god!
In addition to Anyue cuisine and Anyue stone carvings,
In Anyue, there is also a Buddhist holy place called Mumen Temple;
There is a mysterious attic with a history of more than 200 years, called Kui Pavilion;
There is a fairy-like park called Nanshan Park;
Of course, there is also a group of energetic and enterprising people, they are called Anyue people.
Conclusion
The long history has left behind a shining cultural treasure, and the hardworking and intelligent people of Anyue have written a new chapter of prosperity and economic take-off.
Welcome to this "wonderful" small city in Sichuan and experience the Tang and Song dynasties that have been forgotten among the mountains and rivers of Sichuan and Chongqing.
