Shaanxi Linyou Charity Temple Grottoes

The Charity Temple Grottoes were carved during the Ren Shou years of the Sui Dynasty, and were extensively continued in the fourth year of Yonghui (654 AD) of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty. The Charity Temple Grottoes have three caves. The first cave is oval-shaped with a dome top. Inside the cave, three Buddhas are carved, each over 4 meters high. The second cave is a large statue cave, horseshoe-shaped in plan, with a dome top. Inside the cave, a standing Buddha statue up to 4.7 meters high is carved on the main wall, and there is a pointed arch-shaped shallow niche on each of the left and right walls, with a Bodhisattva statue carved inside. The third cave is unfinished. On the south cliff, the 'Sutra of the Tathagata's Bequest in the Golden Coffin for Quiet and Solemn Respect and Blessing' is also engraved. On June 25, 2001, the Charity Temple Grottoes were announced by the State Council of the People's Republic of China as the fifth batch of key national cultural relics protection units.