Anyue Grottoes 2-Day Guide｜Tang and Song Dynasty Stone Carvings Light and Shadow with Lemon Delights

📍Core Route: Roam by zones of “Essence of Song Carvings + Secret Treasures of Tang Caves,” linking key grottoes like Pilu Cave and Reclining Buddha Courtyard, unlocking the “Eastern Venus” Shuiyue Guanyin and the millennium-old Reclining Buddha. October’s cool autumn and sparse crowds make the light and shadow perfect.

🚗 Transportation and Ticket Guide

• Self-driving essentials: 2.5 hours direct from Chengdu/Chongqing, SUV recommended for mountain roads, navigation accurately locates the main entrance (some spots have weak signal), parking at the scenic area costs 10 yuan/day and has charging stations.

• Ticket perks: Yuanjue Cave, Reclining Buddha Courtyard, and others often have limited-time free activities; regular price about 28 yuan/person on weekdays; Mingshan Temple and Qianfozhai are free to enter.

• Guide services: Human guides cost 100 yuan/group or rent an audio guide for 20 yuan/device; hiring a guide at Reclining Buddha Courtyard is recommended to explain Buddhist stories.

✨ 2-Day Core Route

Day 1: Song Carvings Beauty Hunt · Lemon Feast

• Morning: Head straight to Pilu Cave at 8 AM, wait for 10 AM when sunlight slants on the “Shuiyue Guanyin” face, with flowing robes like a fairyland; use leaves as foreground to block distractions; then explore Huayan Cave to shoot the largest single grotto’s coffered ceiling relief.

• Afternoon: At Peacock Cave, capture the “smoky makeup” Peacock King; at Mingshan Temple, snap the dynamic “Northern Song statues welcoming autumn breeze.”

• Dinner: Rush to the county town for a lemon feast, must-order lemon ribs and lemon fish, paired with ice-cold lemon beer to cut the richness, finish with a bowl of hot and sour rice noodles.

Day 2: Tang Caves Exploration · Cultural Finale

• Early morning: Shoot the Song Dynasty Three Buddha Caves at Yuanjue Cave, use rock wall light and shadow to capture statue silhouettes, avoid harsh noon light.

• Morning: At Reclining Buddha Courtyard, see the longest Tang Dynasty reclining Buddha in the country, shoot the 15-meter Buddha from a low angle framed with hills; at Mumen Temple, capture details of ancient buildings in the forest.

• Afternoon: Walk through the “Little Angkor Wat” statue group at Qianfozhai, choose shaded spots for portraits, buy jarred meat and dried lemons as souvenirs before heading back.

📸 Golden Tips for Photos

1. Shuiyue Guanyin: Stand to the statue’s left front, use telephoto to compress the scene, highlight robe curves and backlit outline.

2. Qianfozhai: Avoid harsh noon light, shoot people and statues together near rock walls, use railings to guide the eye.

3. Reclining Buddha panorama: Shoot from the viewing platform at a low angle to balance the Buddha’s extended form with sky negative space.

⚠️ Pitfall Warnings

• No touching the grottoes; some caves require renting a flashlight (5 yuan each) to see details; wear non-slip shoes as some plank paths are steep and slippery.

• For lemon specialties, choose established brands; compare prices at roadside stalls and ask about processing fees in advance.

• Mountain roads have many sharp turns; yield proactively when meeting vehicles; do not park in rockfall zones to take photos.