This stone carving in Sichuan actually dates back to the prosperous Tang Dynasty a thousand years ago

Honestly❗️As someone who has visited many attractions in Sichuan, this grotto is definitely a seriously underrated treasure!😭
No crowds like those at popular tourist spots, and no commercialization with souvenir shops
Here lies a millennium-old stone carving that can rival the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang and the Yungang Grottoes in Datong🆒
Even during holidays and the Golden Week, there aren’t many tourists🍃
Every photo you take looks like a historical masterpiece, whether you love history, culture, or art, you’ll be thrilled🔥
This is Nan Kan Stone Carving Scenic Area in Bazhong, Sichuan➡️➡️
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📍Address: Nan Kan Stone Carving, Bazhong City, Sichuan Province
🎫Ticket: 30 RMB (Student ticket 15 RMB! Great value)
🚗Transportation:
Bazhong has a high-speed rail station, only 2.5 hours from Chengdu, you can take a taxi directly from the station to Nan Kan
For self-driving, navigate to “Nan Kan Grotto Tourist Center,” parking is 10 RMB/day
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🌈🌈🌈Recommended highlights: An artistic miracle carved by time
✅️ One of the first nationally protected cultural heritage sites
Nan Kan is a group of stone carvings that began in the Northern and Southern Dynasties and flourished in the Tang Dynasty, with 176 niches and over 2,700 statues preserved. Along with Mogao Caves, Yungang Grottoes, and Longmen Grottoes, it is listed as one of the first key national cultural relic protection units!👏
The most amazing are the Tang Dynasty statues, full-bodied with flowing robes, especially the “Shakyamuni preaching statue” in niche 116, which is 7.5 meters tall, with a round and kind face, exquisitely detailed carvings, and lifelike folds in the clothing. Standing beneath it is instantly breathtaking and leaves you speechless!
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✅️ Inscribed steles: A “social media” spanning a thousand years
The grotto also contains over 100 inscriptions from various dynasties, from Tang to Ming and Qing, equivalent to ancient “travel check-in messages”📜 Among them, the inscription by Tang calligrapher Yan Wu is especially precious.
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✅️ Nan Kan Park: Take a break and breathe fresh air
The stone carving scenic area is connected to Nan Kan Park. After visiting the grotto, you can stroll in the park, shaded by green trees with fresh air, and also visit the Red Army stone carving slogans.
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🌟Recommended to combine with other stone carving sites in Bazhong
✅Bei Kan Grotto: More damaged than Nan Kan and quieter, mainly Tang Dynasty reliefs and flying apsaras remain
✅Xi Kan Grotto: Features Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian statues from Longri Temple, plus exquisite Tang Dynasty pavilion statues at Liubei Pool
✅Shuining Temple Grotto: Known as “the best Tang Dynasty polychrome carvings in Shuining Temple,” with small and delicate statues, especially the “Guanyin statue,” with a gentle and delicate facial expression, called the “Eastern Venus”
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🥙Food recommendations
Qiu Feichang: A longtime favorite local eatery
Cui’s Egg Pancake: Classic recipe with rich aroma
🏢Accommodation
Bazhong Fairton Hotel: A highly cost-effective five-star hotel
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💡Travel Tips:
1. Recommended to visit in the morning for good lighting for photos
2. Guided tours are available on site
3. Do not use flash when taking photos!
4. Bei Kan and Shuining Temple require prior approval from Bazhou District Cultural Relics Office by phone to enter
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If you want to avoid crowds during National Day and Golden Week and experience profound history and culture, this place is definitely worth a visit! Few people, beautiful scenery, and rich in meaning!