2025 Anyue Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in May)

•The Xuanmiao Temple cliff statues are hidden in a moss-covered fairyland. They are located at the foot of Baiyang Mountain in Yuanda Town, Anyue County, Sichuan Province. They are living fossils of Tang Dynasty Taoist culture and a famous Taoist statue site in my country. The statues are distributed on two huge red sandstone mounds and around a mushroom-shaped flat-topped boulder. There are niches carved on the four sides of the wall. There are 79 niches of different sizes, 1,293 stone statues, and 4 Tang steles. They are mainly exquisite carvings from the Kaiyuan period (718) to the Tianbao period (748) of the Tang Dynasty. The niches are mainly square and arched, and most of them are outer niches. The themes of the statues are mainly Taoism, followed by Buddhist and Taoist niches. The most distinctive ones include Laojun and Sakyamuni sitting side by side, the Three Pure Ones and the Four Imperial Gods, the Twelve Hour Gods, and the Vajra Warriors. •The cliff carvings at Xuanmiao Temple are mainly Taoist, with Buddhist and Taoist carvings in the same niche. They are large in scale and rich in content. They are unique in the province and rare in the country. The carved Taoist and Buddhist statues are vivid and beautiful, with various postures, staggered and harmonious coexistence. Among the 79 statue niches, 12 are joint Buddhist and Taoist statue niches, such as the seated statues of Sakyamuni and Laozi, with the Buddhist Bodhisattva on the left and the Taoist Golden Immortal on the right. This provides definite evidence for the mutual combination, penetration and reference between Buddhism and Taoism in history, and is a representative object reflecting the phenomenon of mutual penetration, reference and combination between Taoism and Buddhism after the Jin Dynasty in my country. •The largest niche is the Laojun statue niche, which was built in the 18th year of Kaiyuan in the Tang Dynasty. The niche is a double-chamber type. The main statue on the main wall is Laojun sitting on a three-layer lotus platform with upturned lotus petals on an octagonal base. Laojun has a round face and his eyes are looking straight ahead. He wears a lotus crown and a beard, and a Taoist robe with a high wide collar. There is a three-legged table in front of his chest, with his left hand on the table and a treasure fan in his right hand. There is a lotus-shaped halo behind his head. On the left and right are golden boys and jade girls, wearing lotus crowns and Taoist robes with cross collars and wide sleeves. The left statue holds a tablet in both hands, while the right statue has his hands clasped together and stands barefoot on a lotus pedestal. There is a female immortal carved on each of the left and right walls of the niche. The guardian gods are carved symmetrically on the left and right walls and the upper part of the main wall, which together form the twelve hour gods. There are crouching lions and 12 small statues carved on the outer edge of Laojun's feet. Outside the niche is a real person carved, wearing a cross-collared gown over a half-sleeve robe, standing on a lotus platform with a jade seal in his hand. On the left stands a divine general with tied hair, deep eyes and a wide mouth, wearing armor, holding a sword in his right hand, leg guards to the knees, and long boots on his feet. In the lower part of the niche stand twelve divine generals, dressed similarly to the twelve hour gods. •The pavilions, towers, towers, platforms, brackets, ritual instruments, musical instruments, costumes, etc. that fill the walls of each niche are all real objects from the history of the development of Taoism and the history of ancient architecture, especially the numerous Taoist Vajra Warrior statues, which are tall and almost lifelike, squatting and twisting their waists, full of realism, and extremely vivid and majestic in form. The fairy dancers are graceful and lifelike in posture. •The cultural relics include four Tang Dynasty steles, one of which is the "Heart Sutra" written in the Kaiyuan period of the Tang Dynasty (730 AD), and the other is the "Stele of the Mysterious Temple of Jisheng Mountain" engraved in the "Seventh Year of Tianbao in the Tang Dynasty". The first half is engraved with the founding and doctrines of Taoism, and the second half is engraved with the process of cave carving and statue making from the Kaiyuan period to the Tianbao period of the Tang Dynasty. •Xuanmiao Temple is the only statue-making area funded by Taoist believers and presided over by Taoist priests. It breaks the shackles of religious rituals and carves various statues of gods, dragons, lions, blue cows, mythical birds and other animals with different expressions according to the specific environment of the independent boulders. The carvings are staggered, harmonious and beautiful. Although the statues were destroyed by both human and natural weathering and erosion, visiting the architectural remains is an epic in stone, reflecting the ancient Tang Dynasty style and the mysterious power of Taoism.

📍Address: Compared to the famous Anyue Grottoes like Pilu Cave and Huayan Cave, Gaosheng Great Buddha is easily forgotten and rarely mentioned in travel guides. It is located in Tianfo Village and Dengpo Village, Gaosheng Township, 30 kilometers southeast of Anyue County. It's easy to find, but the road is narrow. 👍️Must-see: The Gaosheng Great Buddha is carved on a cliff and dates back to the Northern Song Dynasty. The main Buddha statue is 4 meters high and represents the "Three Sages of Huayan." Behind the Buddha, there are more than 30 small statues of Bodhisattvas listening to the Dharma. On both sides of the Great Buddha are 3.2-meter-tall Vajra standing statues. 🎟️Tickets: Free. The cultural relics caretaker doesn't allow photography, but you can offer a small maintenance fee, and he will even tell you stories about the site.

There is a purely English introduction below the cultural relic protection stele at Anyue Dafo Temple (Gaosheng Giant Buddha), which clearly shows the international reach of this provincial cultural relic site. It is not open to the public, and visiting is a matter of luck. I personally enjoy visiting cultural relic sites that require some negotiation with the preservationists, as those that are not open are usually the best. This time, I was particularly fortunate to be able to "sneak" in with staff from the cultural preservation agency without having to "beg" the preservationists. 🗿About Gaosheng Giant Buddha Gaosheng refers to Gaosheng Township in Anyue County. There is a niche with statues of the Three Sages of Huayan from the Southern Song Dynasty. The Buddha statue is nearly 5 meters high, hence the name Giant Buddha. The preservationist told me that all the statues here are priceless, but I suspect some of the stone carvings are modern replicas. 📸Highlights ✅Statues of the Four Heavenly Kings: With wide, staring eyes, lion noses, and catfish mouths, their expressions are exaggerated. They wear phoenix-winged helmets, much like Southern Song Dynasty generals. ✅Three Sages of Huayan: Vairocana Buddha is in the center, with Manjushri and Samantabhadra on either side. The highlight is the crowns on the Buddha heads. Vairocana Buddha wears a willow crown, Samantabhadra wears a five-Buddha crown, and Manjushri wears a seven-Buddha crown. 🤷🏻‍♂️Some history This was originally a formal temple, but the monks were driven out and it was turned into a school. The hands of the Buddha statues were deliberately damaged. If it hadn't been converted into a school, it might have been destroyed. The last time I heard the word "destroyed" was at Tapo. The Anyue stone carvings have really suffered a lot, and it's a miracle that they have been preserved. 📌Tips: Search for "Dafo Temple" (Yuelin Road East, Gaosheng Township) on Baidu Maps. The road up the mountain is narrow, but keep driving forward. There is a parking lot in front of the temple. The preservationists are an elderly couple, and everyone in the village knows them. Visiting depends entirely on luck.

Anyue Rock Carvings Many caves are misnamed. The best part of Pilu Cave isn't the Pilu Buddha, but the Water Moon Guanyin. The best part of Yuanjue Cave isn't the Twelve Yuanjue, but One Buddha and Two Bodhisattvas. Yuanjue Cave is the most easily accessible of all the Anyue rock carvings. It's the kind of place where there are no traffic jams for self-driving, it's in the city center, and even buses can reach it. The "ancient, numerous, exquisite, and beautiful" qualities of Anyue rock carvings are concentrated in Yuanjue Cave. Before leaving Anyue, you must visit Yuanjue Cave. 🗿About Yuanjue Cave The statues are mainly from the Tang Dynasty, Five Dynasties, and Song Dynasty. Because the Yuanjue Cave inside was very famous in those years, it was named after it. But very ironically, in that special era, the heads of the Twelve Yuanjue were artificially destroyed, and now they are all replacements, which is very sad. 📸Highlights ✅Tang Pagoda: A Mi Yan-style pagoda that was very popular in the Tang Dynasty. ✅One Buddha and Two Bodhisattvas: One Buddha (Pinch-Flower Buddha) + Guanyin of the Holy Water Vase + Lotus Hand Guanyin. You can always trust the aesthetics of the Song Dynasty. They are incredibly beautiful. ✅Sudhana: Have you ever seen Sudhana with a beard who is getting on in years? ✅Apsaras: On both sides of the heads of Pinch-Flower Buddha and Guanyin of the Holy Water Vase. ✅Rock caves of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms: Below the cliff with the words "Turtle and Crane", the "Hell Transformation Niche", "Thousand Buddha Niche", and "Western Three Saints" are the most famous. 📌Tips: Go straight ahead from the "Turtle and Crane" cliff to the newly built imitation caves, which copy the famous rock caves in the safety zone. It is recommended not to waste your energy on the poorly made ones. But the good outweighs the bad. The CNY 28 ticket for Yuanjue Cave is really worth it.

| A Millennium Stone Carving Secret, Home to an Unsolved "Celestial Book Couplet." 🚩 Historical Significance Pilu Temple, located in Anyue County, Sichuan, was first built during the Later Shu period of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (Guangzheng 24th year), with a history of over a thousand years! It is not only an important site for Sichuan Esoteric Buddhism but also one of the core representatives of the "Anyue Stone Carvings," boasting 465 exquisite statues, including the famous Liu Benzun's "Ten Refinements" grotto. It tells the story of layman Liu Benzun's arduous cultivation to become a Buddha in the late Tang Dynasty. There are only three such sites in the country, making it extremely precious! 🔍 Mysterious "Celestial Book Couplet" Outside the temple, there are two couplets. Legend has it that one who can match the second line will receive a treasure! The first couplet has been deciphered: "Neither outside nor inside nor in the middle" matches "Not a celestial nor a Buddha nor a thing," full of Zen wisdom. However, the second couplet remains unsolved to this day. The characters resemble "bird and animal script" or "dragon and phoenix script," leaving even experts scratching their heads, making it one of the most difficult couplets in China! 🎨 Pinnacle of Stone Carving Art The Thousand Buddha Cave in Pilu Temple is incredibly stunning! The 316 small Buddha statues in the circular niches are engraved with the names of the donors, each holding different objects, full of secular interest. The main Buddha, the Three Saints of Huayan (or the Three Saints of the West), is solemn and exquisite, with flowing robes and delicate jewelry. The Song Dynasty carving technique reached its peak, earning it the reputation of being "ancient, numerous, exquisite, and beautiful." 💡 Travel Tips - 📍 Address: Youping Village, Shiyang Town, Anyue County, Sichuan - 🎫 Ticket Price: CNY 20 (including three incense sticks) - 🕒 Best Time to Visit: Spring and autumn, avoid the hot summer - 📸 Must-See: Liu Benzun's Ten Refinements Grotto, Purple Bamboo Guanyin, Thousand Buddha Cave ✨ Summary Pilu Temple is not just a temple but a three-dimensional history of Buddhist art! Mysterious couplets, millennium stone carvings, treasure legends… every step is like deciphering history. If you love cultural exploration, this place is definitely worth a special trip!

Girlfriends 👯‍♀️, who understands?!❗️ I discovered a hidden gem of a city in eastern Sichuan, favored by time! My stay at the Yunfuli Hotel completely overturned my perception of traditional hotels. The scent of sandalwood drifting from the lobby instantly cured the fatigue of my journey 🍵 🏨 Yunfuli Hotel (Anyue Ningdu Avenue Branch) 📍 No. 3 Huangjueya Street, Ningdu Avenue, Anyue Day 1️⃣ A night in a landscape painting 🏞️ My room was a concerto of warm light and natural wood tones! The landscape painting at the bedside seemed to breathe, complemented by smart room controls throughout. Classical aesthetics and modern technology can be such a perfect match! Special praise for the double-curtain design! Waking up to the morning light filtering through the bamboo-patterned sheer curtains, and drawing the blackout curtains in the afternoon for an instant immersive nap – I give these details full marks 💯 Housekeeper's surprise gift 🎁 The housekeeper really understands a foodie's heart! Not only did she recommend the local time-honored lemon feast, but she also whispered, "The sad jelly noodles around the corner must be paired with the shaved ice from the shop next door to be authentic" 🍜🍋 (Key point) 🚗 Nearby attractions: 1⃣ Yuanguo Cave (8-minute drive) I recommend arriving at 4pm! When the setting sun gilds the edges of the thousand-year-old Buddha statues, the 12-meter-high Lotus Hand Guanyin is breathtakingly beautiful. Focus on the Northern Song Dynasty "Three Sages of the West" niche; the folds of the garments are more exquisite than a haute couture gown 👗 2⃣ Thousand Buddha Village (15-minute drive) A wild and charming secret spot known only to locals! 797 cliff carvings are hidden among the pine trees. Remember to wear Hanfu to take some forest-themed photos. After the rain, moss covers the Tang Dynasty Bodhisattva statues, and you can almost hear whispers echoing through the millennia 🌿 🍜 Food recommendations: Zhou Li Sad Jelly Noodles (Makes you cry but you can't stop eating 🌶️) Pot-braised Pork (Perfect with lemon wine 🍹) Nameless Tofu Pudding with Rice (The tofu pudding is smoother than first love 🥰) 🏞 Day 2️⃣: Visiting the Oriental Venus Chartered a car to Mingshan Temple (40 minutes). When the 8-meter-high Northern Song Dynasty Guanyin statue came into view, the entire cliff seemed to glow! The statue's hair bun has a delicate bow hidden within, and the folds of the skirt seem to flutter in the mountain breeze. 💕 Tip: Wear flat shoes! Some stone steps are quite steep 👟 📸 Photo guide: • At Mumen Temple, use a wide-angle lens to capture the spectacle of the "Ming Pagoda Enclosing the Song Pavilion." • At Huayan Cave, take center-stage photos of the smiling Bodhisattva. • At Peacock Cave, capture the Peacock King in the sunset. 💡 Trip tips: ① The attractions are far apart, so renting a car/chartering a car is recommended. ② You can arrange for a professional guide specializing in stone carvings (highly recommended!). ③ For souvenirs, choose freeze-dried lemon slices + stone carving-themed cultural and creative products. This trip was like living in an aesthetic museum, with cultural surprises around every corner. The small city of Anyue has carved its thousand-year-old stories into stone, while Yunfuli has captured all the poetry within its eaves.

Friends, I can't believe more people don't know about Anyue in Sichuan! I thought it was just a place famous for lemons🍋, but I had no idea it held so many exquisite Buddhist statues. It's a seriously underrated treasure! The Dazu Rock Carvings are renowned, like meticulously crafted pieces from an imperial kiln. Anyue's stone carvings, however, are like hidden gems from a folk kiln. They represent the aesthetics of the Song Dynasty, with an untouched, raw, and "wild" nature, scattered throughout the region, waiting to be discovered. Don't want to deal with crowds during the May Day holiday? Anyue is the perfect choice! There aren't many tourists, the atmosphere is serene, and it's especially suitable for bringing children to experience the rich history and culture. 📍 Pilu Cave Stone Carvings Pilu Cave is actually a collective term for Pilu Cave, Youju Cave, Thousand Buddha Cave, and Guanyin Hall. Currently, there are 465 cliffside stone carvings and 32 inscriptions preserved. Each statue is a masterpiece of Song Dynasty Buddhist art, possessing extremely high value for both historical research and tourism. 🚗 Transportation is super convenient, it only takes about 2 hours to drive from Chengdu to Anyue. ✅ Other must-see stone carvings in Anyue: 1. Mingshan Temple: The cliff carvings boast smooth lines, showing a simple and elegant charm after years of weathering. 2. Anyue Stone Carvings Yuangjue Cave Scenic Area: It integrates stone carving art and natural scenery, creating a breathtaking spectacle. 3. Huayan Cave Stone Carvings: The carvings inside the cave are magnificent, and the story scenes depicted on the cave walls are incredibly lifelike. 4. Peacock Cave: Its unique carving style stands out among the numerous stone carvings. 5. Anyue Tapo Carvings: Niche and exquisite, it offers a unique and tranquil beauty. 6. Thousand Buddha Temple: The sheer number and scale of the Buddha statues are awe-inspiring. 7. Reclining Buddha Monastery: The spectacular reclining Buddha statue showcases a profound Buddhist cultural heritage. 8. Dazu Rock Carvings: About an hour's drive from Anyue, it's also world-famous and worth a visit!

Journey Back in Time—Anyue Stone Carvings 📖Anyue Stone Carvings: The Anyue stone carvings originated in the Northern and Southern Dynasties (around 521 AD), flourished during the Tang, Five Dynasties, and Song Dynasties, and have a history of 1,300 years. Recent cultural relic surveys have revealed 105 cliff stone carving sites in the county, with about 100,000 statues. There are over 100 statues taller than 3 meters, more than 40 over 5 meters, two over 15 meters, and 45 sites with relatively well-preserved stone carvings of a certain scale and cultural relic value. The Anyue stone carvings are uniquely crafted and exquisitely beautiful, fully embodying the crystallization of the wisdom and wealth of the Anyue people, as well as their superb skills and ingenious design capabilities. 🏮Statue Art: The subjects are mostly Buddhist and Taoist statues. Most of them are works from the mature and prosperous periods of Chinese stone carving art and have high artistic value. Except for a few statues with the simple and rough style of the Wei and Jin Dynasties, most of them feature the plump and elegant Tang Dynasty style. Anyue is currently the county with the most concentrated ancient Chinese Buddhist statue sites known in China. To date, 200 sites with over 100,000 statues from various dynasties have been discovered, among which the magnificent Tang Dynasty statues and the exquisite Song Dynasty statues are particularly renowned. 🌟Key Guide: There are nine sites in Anyue County listed as national key cultural relic protection units: Reclining Buddha Temple, Xuanmiao Temple, Thousand Buddha Village, Yuanjue Cave, Huayan Cave, Pilu Cave, Mingshan Temple, Peacock Cave, and Mumen Temple. ⏳Tour Route Arrangement: The Anyue stone carvings are scattered throughout Anyue County. A 2–3 day visit is recommended. Day 1: Reclining Buddha Temple, Mumen Temple (north of the county seat), Yuanjue Cave (within Anyue County seat) Day 2: Shiyang Town, Anyue County: Pilu Cave, Mingshan Temple, Huayan Cave, Peacock Cave 🚉Transportation Guide: Self-driving or chartered car is the best way to visit.

Anyue Grottoes are beyond words! As early as the Eastern Han Dynasty, cliff tombs and wall carvings appeared in the territory. Since the Sui, Tang and Song dynasties, large-scale stone carvings have emerged in Anyue. The Anyue Grottoes inherit the Yungang and Longmen Grottoes and are connected to the Dazu Grottoes. Perhaps because it is located in the inland and the people of Anyue devoutly believe in Amitabha Buddha, many exquisite statues have been preserved after the changes of dynasties and wars. However, the Anyue stone carvings are still little known, which has a lot to do with the fact that it missed the "Architectural Society". In 1940, Liang Sicheng and his colleagues from the Architectural Society, including Liu Dunzhen, conducted diligent investigations in Bashu. In January, they came to Tongnan County, where they heard that there were many cliff carvings in the nearby Dazu County, as well as the Thousand-Armed Guanyin from the Tang Dynasty (later confirmed to be from the Song Dynasty). So Mr. Liang and others happily went there and took a lot of photos at Beishan and Baoding Mountain. From then on, the Dazu Rock Carvings gradually became known to the outside world. Unfortunately, they missed the source of Dazu Rock Carvings - Anyue Rock Carvings; even more unfortunately, Anyue missed Liang Sicheng and also missed the opportunity for future development. To this day, Dazu Rock Carvings have been successfully listed as a World Heritage Site, but Anyue Rock Carvings are still little known! I visited the Dazu Rock Carvings last year. This time I came to Anyue Grottoes. After three days of sightseeing, I can say that it is in no way inferior to the Dazu Rock Carvings. Not only are there more of them, but they are also extremely well preserved! Anyue Grottoes are distributed throughout the county. The highlights include Yuanjue Cave, Thousand Buddha Village, Pilu Cave, Huayan Cave, Mingshan Temple, Reclining Buddha Courtyard, Mumen City, as well as Gaosheng Buddha, Tapo, Peacock Cave, Xuanmiao Temple, etc. However, many places are not open, and you need to contact cultural relics protection officers, and it all depends on luck. Anyue Grottoes are extremely scattered, most of them are located in remote mountains, and you need to drive yourself or charter a car to get there. The mountain roads are narrow and steep, which is a big test for inexperienced drivers! Picture 1 is the most tranquil Purple Bamboo Guanyin outside Pilu Cave, Picture 2 is the most beautiful Guanyin in Huayan Cave, Picture 3 is the Lotus Guanyin in Yuanjue Cave, Picture 4 is the Pure Bottle Guanyin in Yuanjue Cave. Unlike other Pure Bottle Guanyins holding bottles, this one is the Guanyin holding bottles, Picture 5 is the Sakyamuni holding a flower in Yuanjue Cave, looking at his disciples tenderly; Picture 6 is the Ten Refining Diagrams of Liu Benzun, who preached by self-mutilation; Pictures 7, 8, 9, Figure ten is the Huayan Three Saints Vairocana Buddha and Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva in the Huayan Cave, with five Bodhisattvas on each side; Figures 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 are the Guanyin statues in Mingshan Temple. Although they are well preserved, they still cannot escape the years of wind erosion; Figure 16 is the Tapo statue; Figure 17 is the big reclining Buddha in the Reclining Buddha Courtyard, and Figure 18 is one of the countless backgrounds behind the many main statues in the caves, and they are lifelike! Anyue Grottoes can be visited in two to three days. On the first day, we visited Yuanjue Cave, Qianfo Village, Reclining Buddha Courtyard, and Mumen Temple; On the second day, we visited Pilu Cave, Huayan Cave and Mingshan Temple. These two days of itinerary are the highlight. If you have time, you can try your luck at Tapo, Xuanmiao Temple, Peacock Cave, Banbian Temple, Bodhisattva Bay and Lingyouyuan to see if these places are open. Personally, I think these two days of highlights are enough!

A collection of stone carvings in Zizhong, Sichuan, so wild that it can’t be any wilder! From the explosion of popularity in Shanxi to the gradual recognition of Anyue stone carvings by the public, Sichuan's cliff carving art is finally attracting more and more attention. Cliff carvings originated in India and flourished with the introduction of Buddhism into China. China's earliest cliff carvings appeared in the Southern and Northern Dynasties, reached their peak in the Sui and Tang Dynasties, and were carved in the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. These Buddha statues have experienced the baptism of time and have stood in the wind and rain for thousands of years. I spent a day with my friends. Visited the "wild" stone carving art in Zizhong, Sichuan. If there is anything else not mentioned, please feel free to add it. ⭐️: Figure 2-5 📍 Chonglong Mountain The two most outstanding stone carvings of Chonglongshan are Figures 2 and 3. The face of the Thousand-armed Buddha statue has been weathered, but its shape is still shocking. There are also weathered stone carvings of Anyue Mingshan Temple here. Tour route 1. From Zizhong County, take a bus or taxi to Chonglongshan Scenic Area. 2. After entering the ticket collection point, walk up the mountain along the mountain road. You can see the stone carvings about 150 meters away. 3. The Chonglongshan Stone Carvings are under maintenance and protection. It is recommended that you call and ask if they are open before visiting. ⭐️: Figure 6-10 📍Qinjiayan The thousand-year-old art hidden in the countryside is represented by the Buddha statue in the first picture, which is located behind a farmer's house. It has different expressions when viewed from different angles. In addition, the small Buddhist shrine is also very exquisite. Tour route 1. Start from Zizhong County and arrive at Qinjiayan in Qiuxi Town. Because it is very wild, it is recommended to ask more local villagers when you arrive at Qinjiayan. ⭐️: Figure 6-10 📍Yuhegou This is also a group of stone carvings hidden in the countryside, but the difference is that there are villagers guarding them. You can see relatively complete stone carvings of flying statues. Unfortunately, some of the carvings have been damaged by human painting. Tour route: It is located on the mountainside of Yuhegou, Group 2, Shihe Village, Jinlijing Town, Zizhong County, Neijiang City, Sichuan Province. You need to walk to get there and ask the villagers where to see the Buddha statue to get route instructions.

Anyue Yuanjue Cave | The Buddha who smiles at a flower, can be regarded as looking up to Anyue Yuanjue Cave. The cave statues are concentrated in the south and north rocks of Yunju Mountain. The statue area is 186 meters long. There are 103 numbered cultural relics, 1933 statues of various sizes, 25 steles and inscriptions, and 1 stone pagoda. These three well-preserved Buddha statues were all carved in the Song Dynasty and have been repaired twice in different periods. 1. Sakyamuni Smiling Buddha Holding a Flower: Built in the Northern Song Dynasty, it is 6 meters high, with a smiling face, looking down, and a friendly look. He is looking at his disciple Kasyapa on the lower right, so he is called Sakyamuni Smiling Buddha. ② Guanyin with Pure Bottle: Built in the Southern Song Dynasty, 5.75 meters high, with a motherly expression, full of compassion; 3. Lotus-Handed Guanyin: Built in the Northern Song Dynasty, it is 6.51 meters high but retains the style of the Tang Dynasty. Her whole body is graceful and elegant, and her face is round and plump, a true expression of the idea that fat is beautiful. This two-day trip itinerary: Day 1: Depart from Chengdu to the Reclining Buddha Temple and Mumen Temple. Accommodation: Anyue City; Day 2: Depart from Anyue → Yuanjue Cave, Mingshan Temple, Huayan Cave Biludong→Tapo (wait for the sunset at Tapo)→back to Chengdu All attractions in Anyue Grottoes are free of charge

Anyue is known as the Buddhist Capital of China. Ancient Buddha statues are scattered throughout the county. It is the county with the highest concentration of ancient Chinese Buddhist statue sites and is also one of the filming locations for the recently popular Black Wukong game. ▫️ Unfortunately, Shanxi's ancient monuments became popular because of the Black Wukong game, but Anyue stone carvings have remained unknown. Anyue stone carvings have rich themes, including flying apsaras, celestial musicians, Buddha statues, etc., showing the ancient high artistic level and religious and cultural charm. Anyue ancient Buddha statues are scattered throughout the county, and it takes at least two days to visit them. ▫️ Route planning: Day 1: Reclining Buddha Temple - Thousand Buddha Temple - Yuanjue Cave - Stay in Anyue County Day 2: Pilu Cave - Huayan Cave - Mingshan Temple - Peacock Cave ▫️ Recommended attractions: [RedHeart] Reclining Buddha Temple: China's largest full-body stone reclining Buddha statue from the Tang Dynasty. It is the earliest and most complete full-body reclining Buddha statue in the country. [RedHeart] Yuanjue Cave: The closest attraction to the county seat, with the three most spectacular Buddha statues of Guanyin in the Pure Bottle, Guanyin in the Lotus Hand, and Sakyamuni. [RedHeart] Pilu Cave: Water Moon Guanyin (also known as Purple Bamboo Guanyin), known as the "Venus of the East". [RedHeart] Mingshan Temple: An ancient temple hidden deep in the mountains. The Buddha statues on the cliffs are particularly stunning and have become one of the filming locations for Black Wukong. Among them, the weathered Buddha statues have a more natural and artistic feel. [RedHeart] Peacock Cave: A small cave with a very exquisite statue of Peacock King Buddha. Because it has survived to this day as a kitchen for later generations, the existing Buddha statue looks dark. Behind the Peacock Cave there is an abandoned temple from the Qing Dynasty that is worth a visit. Inside the abandoned temple is a stone pagoda from the late Tang Dynasty. ▫️ [Airplane]Play suggestions: [One] Currently, all Anyue Stone Carvings attractions are free to visit. Among them, the Reclining Buddha Temple, Yuanjue Cave, Pilu Cave, and Huayan Cave are free of charge until March 31, 2025, and the admission fee is also cheap, about 10 yuan per person. [Two] Anyue stone carvings are scattered throughout the county. If you have enough time, it is recommended to travel slowly by car. If you follow this route to visit Anyue Rock Carvings, you can go directly to the more famous Dazu Rock Carvings, which is very close. [Three] Peacock Cave is on the side of the road and it is difficult to park. You need to find a parking space in advance. The door is usually locked for protection. If you want to visit, you need to ask the uncle who lives next door to help open the door for free. ▫️ 🚗Transportation strategy: [Car] Self-driving: Self-driving is the quickest way to travel. It is recommended to start from the north to the south of Anyue County. [Bus] You can take the bus. You can buy bus tickets on the Princess "Anyue Travel" to go to various attractions. Anyue-Wofo Town bus (visit the Reclining Buddha Temple), fare is 9 yuan. Anyue-Shiyang Town bus (visit Pilu Cave, Huayan Cave, Mingshan Temple, Peacock Cave), fare 12. To visit the Thousand Buddha Temple and Yuanjue Cave in Anyue County, you can take Anyue Bus No. 6 and Bus No. 5 respectively, and the fare is 1 yuan. Note: Except for the Thousand Buddha Temple and Yuanjue Cave, you need to take a taxi to the other attractions instead of taking the bus to the town. ▫️ [IceCream] Food recommendation: ✅Anyue lemon: As the hometown of lemons in China, how can we miss this? Not only is the quality good, but it is also very cheap. There are many street vendors selling goods at 2 yuan per pound. ✅Anyue Rice Rolls: The rice rolls are crystal clear, lightly wrapped in red oil, and have a bright and attractive color.

The song "Stone Carvings of Anyue" gives a comprehensive introduction to the Anyue Stone Carvings, describing them as "winding through the brushstrokes of the Tang and Song Dynasties, flowing for thousands of years, and falling into the caves of Yuanjue, the Zen temple of the Reclining Buddha, and the flying necklaces..." Let's follow the song and explore the charm of the stone carvings! 🚗🚗 A 2-day self-driving itinerary to Anyue Stone Carvings: Day 1: Depart from downtown Chengdu and take the Chengdu-Ziyang-Chongqing Expressway to Huayan Cave Stone Carvings, a total distance of 216 km, about 2 hours and 40 minutes by car. Stop for lunch at Shiyang Town, Anyue County, and then visit Huayan Cave and Pilu Cave. Stay overnight in Anyue County. Day 2: Wake up naturally and take a stroll around Anyue County. Have brunch in the county and then set off. Drive for about 15 minutes to reach Yuanjue Cave Scenic Area. Then return to Chengdu, about 2 hours and 10 minutes by car. 🌟🌟 Highlights: ✅ Huayan Cave, built in the Song Dynasty, is a mountain-type tourist area where stone carvings and nature are integrated. The highlight is the "Three Saints of Huayan in the Song Dynasty", which is tall and majestic. 📍Address: Xianggai Mountain, Shiyang Town, Anyue County, Ziyang ✅ Pilu Cave, the graceful Purple Bamboo Guanyin statue is the "star" here, known as the "Oriental Venus", and it really lives up to its name. 📍Address: Tazi Mountain, Youping Village, Shiyang Town, Anyue County, Ziyang ✅ Yuanjue Cave, the Guanyin with a clean bottle, the Guanyin with a lotus hand, Shakyamuni, and the Twelve Yuanjue Bodhisattvas are all worth seeing. In addition to stone carving art, you can also visit the Qin Jiushao Memorial Hall. 📍Address: Yunju Mountain, southeast of Anyue County, Ziyang 📝📝 Travel tips: ✅ Admission to the above attractions is free until March 31, 2025. ✅ Anyue has many delicious foods, such as sad cold noodles and Anyue rice rolls. ✅ Be civilized when visiting the stone carvings, and do not touch or carve the cultural relics. 📣Thank you for your likes❤️, favorites, and follows. You can find more notes on my homepage🔍 Anyue 2-day tour｜Self-driving tour｜Itinerary

These places are the Thousand Buddha Cliff, Pilu Cave Scenic Area and Mingshan Temple, which are one of the locations of Black Myth Goku. Among them, the Buddha statue of Mingshan Temple is particularly beautiful and extremely characteristic. The water moon Guanyin inside the Pilu cave is a very characteristic place. Thousand Buddha Temple is one of the Black Myth Goku filming location, the location is more remote, you can go to the park after the decision to go to the Thousand Buddha Temple more like an unknown, very secret a temple in the monks practice, the environment is particularly quiet, very deep are a gathering place of the Black Myth Goku spider spirit.

Pilu Cave is located on Jue Mountain in Youping Village, Shiyang Town, 50 kilometers southeast of Anyue County. There are 465 Mowu statues, 14 steles, 18 inscriptions and 1 ancient building. The statues in Pilu Cave were first carved in the Song Dynasty and continued into the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The main statues are distributed in Pilu Cave, Youju Cave, Guanyin Hall and Qianfo Runzhong. The main themes of the statues are Tantric Buddhism. The most exquisite ones include the statues of Liu Benzun, Water-Moon Avalokitesvara, the Three Saints of Huayan, the three bodies, and the statues of the donors. Among them, the "Statue of Liu Benzun" is famous for its unique composition, rich pictures and texts, and strong local characteristics. It is a model close to the real life of the Northern Song Dynasty and pioneered the Tantric Buddhism statues in Sichuan. The statue of Water Moon Guanyin (commonly known as Purple Bamboo Guanyin) is a stone carving treasure created by carving masters who have learned from many schools of thought and used realistic techniques, making her the pinnacle of art forever. The "Biography of Liu Benzun" and "Illustrated Text of Liu Benzun's Practice and Transformation" in the Pilu Cave are valuable documents for studying the life, deeds, practice, inheritance, and teachings of Sichuan Esoteric Buddhism and the Five Generations Patriarch Liu Benzun. In 2001, it was announced by the State Council as a national key cultural relic protection site. The area of ​​key cultural relics protection is 2.08 hectares, and the area of ​​general cultural relics protection is 9.31 hectares.

The cliffside statues are located around a mushroom-shaped flat-topped boulder, which is about 10 meters long in the front and back, about 6 meters long on the left and right, and about 5 meters high, with a flat top. There are 79 niches and caves carved on the four sides, with 1,293 stone statues, all of which are exquisite carvings from the Tang Dynasty. The main statues include Laozi and Shakyamuni sitting together, Zhenren, Twelve Time Gods, Vajra Warriors, Nine-headed Bird, Guanyin, and Shizhi.

In the Pilu Cave in Anyue, I saw the most beautiful Guanyin I have ever seen. The British Chinese writer Han Suyin called her the "Oriental Venus." But I don't like this name. Zizhu Guanyin, Shuiyue Guanyin, Free Guanyin, Qiaojiao Guanyin, and Fengliu Guanyin are all her names. I like these. - In the Pilu Cave, there is an enthusiastic and kind old man who is the guardian of the cave. I think he is the sweeper monk here. He told us that the Guanyin took seven years and eight months to carve. He showed us the dragon carved in the middle of the crown on Guanyin's head, with the Buddha sitting in the dragon. He explained the history and culture in detail, allowing us to see five expressions of the Bodhisattva on the face of Guanyin: calm, thinking, smiling, meditating, and serious. - 📍Pilu Cave, Anyue, Sichuan 🚗Self-driving is recommended

The Great Buddha is a seated Maitreya statue carved into a high rock wall. The statue is 16 meters tall, with a head height of 4.2 meters, a topknot diameter of 20 centimeters, and is seated cross-legged on a 5-meter-high lotus pedestal. The face is round and full, with a dignified and kind expression, wearing a shoulder-length kasaya with a thin inner robe. The statue is simple and elegant, with strong and smooth lines, inspiring awe. To protect it from wind and rain erosion, the ancients built a rock pavilion around it, with the Great Buddha sitting in the pavilion, which is well preserved.

Carved on three large stones in the shape of the Chinese character "品", there are 19 statues, 12 of which are on the first stone. The first statue was modified in modern times, but the canopy above the statue should be from the Tang or Song dynasty. The second statue is a Tang or Song dynasty dry Buddha statue, with a small statue in the middle. The fourth statue depicts the Western Pure Land, with a central Buddha and two Bodhisattvas, two disciples between the Buddha and Bodhisattvas, and scripture pillars and stone pagodas on both sides. Above the canopy are pavilions. The fifth statue has three Buddhas in the middle and 50 Buddhas around the outside. The sixth statue is a thousand-armed Guanyin. The seventh, eighth, and ninth statues are damaged. The tenth statue is a Buddha and two Bodhisattvas. The eleventh statue is a female deity and two female attendants. The twelfth statue is a ten-direction Buddha in the late Tang style.

🏞️A beautiful temple hidden in the mountains of western Sichuan - Mumen Temple in Ziyang🔸Visit the mysterious ancient temple and feel the Zen atmosphere😌 😍I went to a hidden gem with my friends over the weekend - Mumen Temple in Yanjiang District, Ziyang City, Sichuan Province🏯✨🕊️ 📍Location: Bayu Village, Lianhua Street, Yanjiang District (search for "Mumen Temple" for specific navigation) It's very convenient to drive or take a bus~ 💫Appearance: Walking into this thousand-year-old temple, it feels like traveling back in time to the ancient civilization hall thousands of years ago. The architecture is simple and elegant, and every brick and stone has a sense of history. The flying eaves and corners on the roof are even more beautiful😍The whole environment is very quiet and peaceful, suitable for meditation and self-cultivation🌿 💕Story and legend: It is said that this was one of the places where Zhuge Liang captured Meng Huo seven times, and there are many ancient and mysterious legends. Outside the wooden door, there is a couplet that reads, "Time urges people to leave ancient relics in the rise and fall of the temple; the world is still the same, the green mountains are not old, and the heroes are nurtured." It bears witness to the changes and immortal spirit here.❣️ 👍Shooting suggestions: If you want to take a blockbuster effect, you can stand on the hillside and overlook the panoramic view, so you can see the golden Buddha light shining on the temple, which is very impressive! (It is best to bring a drone, but pay attention to safety regulations) 🍁The light and shadow at sunset are also very beautiful and not to be missed~☀️☁️🎨

🌸Explore the Ancient Temple🌼 A Tranquil Journey to Ming Mountain Temple in Ziyang, Sichuan✨ Introduction: In the fast-paced modern life, we often overlook the peace and tranquility deep in our hearts. Today, let's go to the mysterious Ming Mountain Temple and find the home of our hearts~😊 📍Location and Transportation: Ming Mountain Temple is located in Baishu Village, Linjiang Town, Yanjiang District, Ziyang City, Sichuan Province. It is about 50 km from the city center and can be reached by car or bus.🚗🚌 🌳Scenery: Entering the scenic area is like being in a paradise. Surrounded by mountains, a pool of green spring water flows quietly, surrounded by green trees and birds chirping. Here, you can breathe fresh air and feel the gift of nature.🐲🍃 Architecture and Culture: Ming Mountain Temple was built in the Tang Dynasty and has a long history and culture. The buildings in the temple are simple and elegant, with exquisite carvings, showing the superb skills of ancient craftsmen. Each hall carries a legendary story, which is fascinating and unforgettable.🌹📖 Special Activities and Challenges: When you come to Ming Mountain Temple, you can't miss the special blessing ceremony here. On major festivals such as the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month, believers gather here to pray for peace and good fortune. In addition, you can also challenge yourself by climbing the steep mountain road, overlooking the beautiful scenery at the foot of the mountain, and experiencing a different kind of adventure!🔥👍 Summary and Suggestions: This visit made me deeply feel the profound Buddhist culture and the mysterious charm of Ming Mountain Temple. If you also want to find peace and harmony in this noisy world, then don't miss this great place!😘 Tips: It is recommended to book accommodation in advance to avoid the peak season; wear comfortable shoes and clothes for walking in the mountains.💕

🌸 Springtime photo spot | Yuanjue Cave in Ziyang, Sichuan💕 Explore the mysterious charm of the thousand-year-old grotto🔥 ✨ Introduction: When the spring breeze blows, are you looking for a destination full of nature and history? Today, I want to share with you a hidden gem - Yuanjue Cave in Ziyang, Sichuan, which is the perfect spring travel destination in my mind! 😌 📷 [A glimpse of beauty] Standing in front of the cave entrance, the first thing that catches your eye is the exquisite patterns carved on the huge lintel of the grotto, each stroke seems to tell a thousand-year-old story. The sunlight shines through the leaves and falls on the rock wall, adding a mysterious veil to these ancient statues. 😍 🔍 [In-depth experience] Walking into the cave, you will be attracted by the lifelike Buddha statues. Some of them have kind eyes and give people warmth; some of them have angry eyes and show majesty and power. What is even more amazing is that behind each Buddha statue, there are extremely delicate relief murals, telling Buddhist teachings or historical events. 👍🏻 🕵️‍♀️ [Cultural journey] Here, you can not only appreciate exquisite stone carvings, but also listen to professional guides introduce the history and cultural background of Ziyang. Following in their footsteps, you can gain an in-depth understanding of the local customs and historical changes. 🗺️ 💖 [Personal feelings] As a travel enthusiast, I feel that it is a great happiness to experience this ancient and modern art form in person. Every trip is a baptism of the soul, and this baptism often comes from close contact with nature and human history. I believe that everyone who comes here will be as impressed and reluctant to leave as I am. ❤️ 📝 [Practical tips]: * Transportation guide: It takes about two hours to drive from Chengdu to Hongbei Village, Kanjia Town, Yanjiang District, Ziyang City. You can easily find the destination by navigating to "Yuanjue Cave". * Visiting time: It is recommended to start visiting at 9 am to avoid crowds. The best time is between 10 am and 3 pm. During this time, there are fewer people and the light is sufficient for viewing cultural relics and taking photos. In addition, it should be noted that in order to protect cultural heritage, flash photography is not allowed in the scenic area to reduce the impact on precious artworks. Therefore, please make relevant preparations and plan your itinerary in advance to avoid unnecessary troubles and safety issues, so as to ensure that your rights and safety interests are effectively protected and guaranteed, and to ensure that your trip is pleasant, smooth, and safe.

| See the Northern Song Dynasty sunset at Tapo. Among the Tapo cliff carvings on the southern route of Anyue Stone Carvings, the most exquisite is the Huayan Three Saints of the Northern Song Dynasty in the main hall on the steps. It is not open now, but you can use a bench to lie on the windowsill and take a peek inside. Through the window lattice, you can see the three statues with plump faces, drooping eyes, peaceful and compassionate expressions, and exquisitely carved clothes. The Vairocana Buddha in the middle has a spiral bun and a crown, with the left hand wrapped around the right hand, forming a wisdom fist seal, commonly known as "blessing." The Manjushri Bodhisattva on the left is also a masterpiece, with the right hand resting on the knee, the left hand holding a Sanskrit book, and the curvature of the mouth is particularly intriguing. The Samantabhadra Bodhisattva on the right was added in the Qing Dynasty, and the difference is still obvious. Even more amazing is that the main hall faces west, and when the weather is clear and the sun sets, the sunlight gradually enters the main hall, from the feet of the statue, to the body, to the lips, to the nose, to the forehead, and finally returns to darkness, giving the statue divinity. There are some other statues in the backyard, which are not so worth seeing. 📍: Linfeng Township, Anyue, about 1 hour drive from Anyue County

📍 Address: Xianggaishan, Shiyang Town, Anyue County, Ziyang City, Sichuan Province, 6 km from Shiyang Town, 50 km east of Anyue County, and more than 30 km from Dazu County, Chongqing City. 📍 🕒 Opening Hours: All year: Monday to Sunday 9:00 am–6:00 pm. ⏰ 🚥 Transportation: • You can buy a direct bus ticket to Anyue Huayan Cave on Tuanzi Travel if you depart from Chengdu. Remember to buy tickets in advance during the peak tourist season. 🚌 • Huayan Cave Scenic Area is very convenient for dining, accommodation, transportation, and communication, and is a must-see place for Anyue tourism. 🚶‍♂️ 👍 Must-try: 1. Huayan Cave Statues: Huayan Cave is named after the "Three Saints of Huayan" carved inside. The cave is 6.2 meters high, 11.1 meters wide, and 11.3 meters deep, with a rectangular front. The statues in Huayan Cave are mainly of Tantric Buddhism, and are statues of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism in the same cave, with 39 themes. 🙏 2. Great Prajna Cave: 4.7 meters high, about 5 meters wide and deep, with the name of the cave carved on the cave forehead. In the middle of the cave, there is a Buddha and two Bodhisattvas, and the two corridors are divided into three layers, with eighteen Arhats in the lower layer, twenty-four gods in the middle, and ten children in the upper layer. Behind the Buddha statue in the middle, there are two niches with relief statues of Laozi and Confucius, which are typical statues of the three religions in the same cave. 🏞️ 3. Explore the Ancient Mystery: There is a "Renya" character with a diameter of 2.2 meters carved on the top of the cave, which has no convincing pronunciation and meaning, and has become an ancient mystery. 🤔 📋 Tips: • Ticket Information: CNY 12 per person. 🎫 • Student Discount: Student ID can be discounted, remember to bring it. 👨‍🎓 • Sun Protection: Remember to protect yourself from the sun when traveling. 🌞 • Protect Cultural Relics: Please pay attention to protecting cultural relics during the tour, and do not touch or damage the statues. 🛡️ • Respect Culture: Huayan Cave is an important embodiment of Buddhist culture, please be respectful and quiet when visiting. 🙏 Huayan Cave is famous for its unique stone carving art and historical and cultural background, and is an excellent place to experience traditional Chinese culture and Buddhist art. 🌈

📍 Address: Tazi Mountain, Shiyang Town, Anyue County, Ziyang City, Sichuan Province (50 km southeast of Anyue County).📍 🕒 Opening hours: 8:00–17:00.⏰ 🚥 Transportation: • From Chengdu, take a bus to Shiyang Town, then walk for about 10 minutes to Pilu Cave.🚶‍♂️🚶‍♀️ • Driving is recommended as the attractions are scattered and public transportation is inconvenient.🚗 • If you don't drive, you can charter a car from Anyue County as the attractions are far apart.🚕 👍 Must-try experiences: 1. Admire the "Ten Refinements and Practices": The "Ten Refinements and Practices" of Liu Benzun in Pilu Cave is a masterpiece with a rigorous composition and vivid, easy-to-understand statues.🖼️ 2. Purple Bamboo Guanyin Statue: Known as the "Oriental Venus", the Purple Bamboo Guanyin is a unique statue with a hollowed-out body, showcasing high artistic value.🌟 3. Explore Yuhuang Cave: Yuhuang Cave has only one seated statue of the Jade Emperor, with painted clothes, worth seeing.👑 4. Feel the history: The stone carvings in Pilu Cave are the crystallization of Song Dynasty Buddhist art, with high historical research and tourism value.📜 📋 Tips: • Ticket price: CNY 20 per person. Check for changes in advance.💰 • Driving: County Road 137 to Pilu Cave is narrow and difficult to pass. Drive safely.🚧 • Environmental protection: Keep the scenic area clean and don't litter.🌱 • Respect culture: Keep quiet and respect local religious culture and historical heritage.🙏 • Sun and rain protection: Prepare for sun or rain according to the season.☀️🌧️

Yuanjue Cave is named after the Twelve Bodhisattvas of Perfect Enlightenment carved during the Northern Song Dynasty. The cliff carvings are exquisite, spanning the Tang Dynasty, Five Dynasties, and Song Dynasty, and took over 400 years to complete the 1,933 Buddha statues on the mountain. Yuanjue Cave has three 7-meter-high stone statues of the Three Saints of the West. In other places, the Three Saints of the West are carved in one niche, but here they are carved in separate niches, which is unique to the Anyue Grottoes. MigoooTravel©️📷Ruili Travel Black Myth: Wukong filming location ❤Recommended reason: The Anyue Grottoes hold an important position in China's grotto art, being regarded as a great treasure of ancient Chinese stone carvings, following the Mogao Grottoes, Yungang Grottoes, and Longmen Grottoes, and preceding the Dazu Rock Carvings. Among them, the "Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva" of the Five Dynasties in Yuanjue Cave is the earliest appearance in southern China; the "Hell Transformation" niche of the Five Dynasties is the earliest in China. Yuanjue Cave's stone carvings are dignified, full, and thick, with thin clothes clinging to the body and flying skirts, exuding the charm of "Cao's clothes out of the water" and "Wu's belt in the wind." The stone carvings of flying deities on the left and right walls of the three major niches create a sense of "lightness and grace, heavenly clothes flying, and the whole wall moving with the wind" with their colorful ribbons dancing in the wind. 🕙Opening hours: 08:30-18:00 🎫Attraction ticket: Free 📍Detailed address: West section of Chentuan Road, Yueyang Town, Anyue County, Ziyang City

Here it is! A 2-day tour of Ziyang! Explore Ziyang with this super practical guide and discover the secrets of Ziyang with ease. Come and get new ways to play! . Must-visit attractions: ✨ Yuanjue Cave Cliffside Statues Scenic Area 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Address: West Section of Chentuan Road, Yueyang Town, Anyue County, Ziyang City Opening hours: 08:30–18:00 Recommended visit time: 1–2 hours The colorful stone statues reveal exquisite carving skills, which are breathtaking. ✨ Wofoyuan Temple 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Address: Xiaojia Valley, Anyue County, Ziyang City, Sichuan Province Opening hours: 09:00–18:00 Recommended visit time: 1–2 hours The temple has 1,613 cliffside statues from the Tang Dynasty and 15 caves with stone inscriptions. Experience ancient Buddhist art. ✨ Qianfozhai Forest Park 🌟🌟 Address: Qianfo Temple Road, Anyue County, Ziyang City, Sichuan Province Opening hours: 08:00–18:00 Recommended visit time: 1–2 hours The park is famous for its cliffside statues from the Song Dynasty. There are 105 large and small niches, and the traces of history are clearly visible here. ✨ Huayan Cave 🌟🌟 Address: Xianggai Mountain, Shiyang Town, Anyue County, Ziyang City Opening hours: 08:30–17:30 Recommended visit time: 1–2 hours The stone carving culture and natural landscape here complement each other, bringing you a different visual and spiritual experience. . **Notes**: * Food: You must try Ziyang Anyue salted pork and Wubao red lotus root, which have unique flavors. Don't forget Zhouli Sad Cold Noodles! 🍜 * Photo spots: Huangjue Giant Buddha and Ziku Mountain have magnificent scenery, and the wax plums in Zizhu Park are fragrant. Take beautiful photos! 📸 * Airport transportation: The Tianfu Airport bus line is convenient, and there are buses at night, so you can travel worry-free. 🚌 * Travel arrangements: If you have enough time, you can visit all the attractions. If not, you can select a few attractions and enjoy the highlights in just a few hours. ⏰ * Safety tips: Follow the rules of the scenic area, pay attention to fire safety, and check your vehicle if you are driving. 🔐 * Civilized travel: Take care of public facilities, don't scribble, practice the Clean Plate Campaign, and be civilized. 🌸 . Ziyang is a treasure city waiting for you to explore! Don't forget to like and save this post. 👀 Bring your friends and start your Ziyang trip! ✨

Here is a travel guide to Yuanjue Cave in Ziyang Stone Carving Garden: Overview Yuanjue Cave is located on Yunju Mountain, 1.5 km southeast of Anyue County, Ziyang City, Sichuan Province. It is a national 4A-level tourist attraction and a national key cultural relic protection unit. There are 103 caves and niches and 1,933 statues, most of which were created during the Tang, Five Dynasties, and Song periods. Opening Hours 08:30–18:00, last entry at 17:30. Free entry for all visitors from November 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025. Transportation The attraction is located in Anyue County, with convenient transportation. You can take a taxi or bus to get there. Tour Route After entering the attraction, you can first visit the main hall of Jiaozhong Temple to learn about the history and culture of Anyue stone carvings. Then, visit the statues on the north cliff, focusing on the exquisite statues of Yuanjue Cave and the Three Saints of the West. Finally, admire the statues on the south cliff and feel the unique charm of the statues from the Five Dynasties. Main Attractions - Yuanjue Cave: Carved in the Northern Song Dynasty, it is 4.5 meters high, 4.75 meters wide, and 10 meters deep. There are altars on three sides. The "Three Buddhas" sit cross-legged on the altar on the main wall, and the "Twelve Yuanjue Bodhisattvas" sit cross-legged on the left and right walls. - Three Saints of the West: Composed of Amitabha, Guanyin Bodhisattva, and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva, the three statues are about 7 meters high, with different expressions, achieving an artistic effect of both form and spirit. They are representative works of the stone carvings on the north cliff. - Statues on the South Cliff: The statues from the Five Dynasties have rich themes, with as many as 27 types, including the "Sixteen Arhats," "Vaisravana," and "Hell Transformation Niche." Although they are severely weathered, they are still one of the most concentrated Five Dynasties statues in China. Visiting Tips - You can rent an audio guide at the entrance or hire a tour guide to learn more about the stone carving culture and historical background. - Be careful to protect the cultural relics during your visit. Do not touch or climb the stone carvings. - It is best to visit on a sunny day to better appreciate the details and artistic charm of the stone carvings.