#Xiangtangshan Grottoes Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in May)
Grottoes
Address:
Fengfeng, Handan, Hebei, China
Opening times:
Opens at 08:00-17:30(Tickets available until 17:00; admission ends at 17:00)Open
Recommended sightseeing time:
2-4 hours
Phone:
0310-5050222
I thought the Longmen Grottoes were impressive, until I arrived at Xiangtangshan
I took the kids to Handan in Hebei
This city that has not changed its name for 3000 years
Of course, the most impressive to me was the Xiangtangshan Grottoes in Handan, Hebei
The CCTV documentary has also filmed here (highly recommend everyone to watch)
It is a royal grotto that began in the Northern Qi period
Later it suffered destruction during the Northern Zhou and the Republic of China periods
Many Buddha statues have been lost overseas
In the Northern Xiangtangshan Grottoes, the Great Buddha Cave, Sakyamuni Cave, and Scripture Carving Cave are the most interesting, it is said that the coffin material of Gao Yang's father Gao Huan from the Northern Qi Wenxuan Emperor is in the Great Buddha Cave.
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📍Handan Xiangtangshan Grottoes
🎫It is suggested to buy the sightseeing car ticket as well, which is 💰90
⏰8:00-17:30
⚠️1️⃣Xiangtangshan Grottoes are divided into South and North Xiangtangshan Grottoes, if you have time, it is recommended to visit both, the South Xiangtangshan is small but exquisite, mainly for murals, while the North Xiangtangshan is grand and spectacular, the two are 15 kilometers apart
2️⃣It can be visited together with Xinyilu Sculpture and China Ci Kiln
3️⃣The digital museum of North Xiangtangshan Grottoes and the ruins of Changle Temple are also very worth visiting
4️⃣It is recommended to watch the CCTV documentary about Xiangtangshan Grottoes or find a guide at the foot of the mountain before visiting the grottoes
5️⃣After entering the scenic area, you can take the sightseeing car up the mountain, then walk up the stairs for about ten minutes, otherwise it's quite tiring to walk up, there may be a queue for the sightseeing car on weekends, and there is a small shop on the mountain.
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auspicious_brianna
Experience the shock of history in Handan
Never forget, for there will always be an echo.
After a thousand years, I finally saw the face of Xiangtangshan.
This time, I went to the North Xiangtangshan.
Bring your family and friends for a historical tour!
☀ Hired a tour guide for explanations
☀ Took the sightseeing car
Bought tickets for the scenic area and the sightseeing car at the ticket office, 100 yuan per person,
Tour guide explanation costs 300 yuan per time.
The tour guide lady was very enthusiastic and attentive, and the explanation was very detailed. Although I had watched the documentary 'Exploring Xiangtangshan' and did some research, there was still a lot I didn't know and didn't want to just skim through.
If you climb the mountain yourself, it takes about 40 minutes.
☀ Route:
Xiangtangshan Grottoes Digital Exhibition Center - Changle Temple - North Xiangtangshan Grottoes
✔️ The Digital Exhibition Center has restored all the stolen Buddha statues, giving a direct impression and understanding.
✔️ Changle Temple, walking to the few headless Buddha statues remaining behind the temple, after listening to the tour guide's story of the temple being rebuilt several times, burned by a great fire, and finally in modern times, an ignorant teacher took his students to smash the stones and take them home to build houses, it was truly heartbreaking and emotional. For a moment, it felt just like visiting the ruins of the Old Summer Palace, that sense of powerlessness, that anger and heartache...
✔️ North Xiangtangshan Grottoes, the imperial grottoes, which began in the Eastern Wei Dynasty, were mainly built during the Northern Qi Dynasty, and were destroyed after the Northern Zhou Dynasty overthrew the Qi. Additions were made during the Sui, Tang, Song, and Qing dynasties, and during the Republic of China, Yuan Shikai's son Yuan Keding led people to knock off the Buddha heads and sell them overseas. Since then, the grottoes have been in ruins.
The tour guide focused on showing us the three major grottoes:
Great Buddha Cave, Sakyamuni Cave, and Scripture Carving Cave
🙏 The Great Buddha Cave is said to be the mausoleum of Gao Huan, which was later looted by the son of a construction worker, so archaeologists did not find a coffin after the founding of New China, but this event is recorded in Sima Guang's 'Zizhi Tongjian'. The unique treasure flower of the Great Buddha Cave is also worth savoring. All the Buddha statues around it are gilded, and one can imagine the dazzling splendor of the time.
🙏 Sakyamuni Cave
Features architecture from the Northern Qi and later Sui and Tang dynasties, showing the changes over time.
🙏 Scripture Carving Cave
A combination of small seal script and regular script, with a total of 50,000 characters, including complete scriptures such as 'Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra' and 'Maitreya Buddha Sutra'. I think it really takes perseverance and concentration to carve each character on the stone wall. There are mostly iron fences around here, and currently, you can view the statues up close. Perhaps when there is more visitor traffic and higher recognition, there will be some protective measures. Still, I hope we can start to value these cultural treasures left by our ancestors, to respect, cherish, and make the utmost effort to pass them on to future generations.
agleam_brianna
The Fifth Largest Grotto in China: Xiangtangshan Grottoes
Entering the territory of Handan, Hebei from Anyang, the Xiangtangshan Grottoes in the Fengfeng Mining Area are ranked as the fifth largest grottoes in China. The grottoes were built during the Northern Qi dynasty, with additional carving in later dynasties. The Northern Qi dynasty, established by the Xianbei people, lasted only 27 years in the long and vast history of China. During these brief 27 years, the throne changed hands six times. The economy was once prosperous, and Buddhism was highly revered, leaving behind the most unique and splendid legacy in the history of Chinese Buddhist statuary. The Xiangtangshan Grottoes inherited the concept of 'the emperor is the Tathagata' from the Yungang and Longmen grottoes of the Northern Wei dynasty. The main Buddha statues in the Great Buddha Cave are believed to be the images of the founding Gao family of the Northern Qi, characterized by their robust and heroic figures, high noses, long eyes, full faces, and tight clothing. Their style, distinct from the influence of the Southern Dynasties' scholar-officials' preference for slender and refined aesthetics, carries the trend of 'robes flowing like water,' serving as a transition to the Buddhist statuary of the later Tang dynasty. Additionally, the Sutra Carving Cave contains a large number of cliff-carved scriptures, which are said to have pioneered the carving of Buddhist scriptures in Chinese grottoes. The inscriptions play an important role in the transition from clerical script to Tang dynasty regular script in Chinese calligraphy.
TRAVIS GOODMAN
Even if you go nowhere else in Handan, you must visit this place
The experience of touring the Xiangtangshan Grottoes is really great. You can look as long as you want, take photos however you want, with no fences, barriers, or wire mesh, allowing for an immersive experience. You might miss the museum this year, but there will still be chances ten years later; however, if you don't cherish such a travel experience, who knows if it will still be available in the future.
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Because this attraction is quite popular, we went early in the morning and had no trouble enjoying the grottoes by ourselves. It was only when we were leaving that people started to arrive, proving that the early bird does indeed get the worm🤭.
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The entire scenic area (North Xiangtang) is quite large, with three must-see spots: the grottoes, the museum, and the Chang Le Temple ruins, which took me a total of 4 hours. Other attractions such as the Tang Dynasty pagoda on the mountain top, the newly built Xiangtang Temple, the plaza park, and the children's playground are also worth a visit if you want to spend a whole day there.
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This article will only share about the grottoes. The natural lighting is quite dim, and the photos have a lot of noise, which is a concern for quality, but at least it has captured precious visual memories and an indescribable wonderful experience. If you ask me, I highly recommend it; it's so worth it.
Travelicious Tastes
Handan Xiangtangshan Grottoes
I have always wanted to visit the Xiangtangshan Grottoes, and I finally made the trip this week. Despite the uncooperative weather, I went anyway. In fact, I set out on Friday night, which gave me plenty of time. I didn't get to visit the Nuwa Palace or the ancient city of Guangfu.
I personally think Handan is quite nice. The city is clean, with good greenery, and the food is economical. Vegetarian buns cost one yuan each, and the street vendors' steamed dumplings are 10-15 yuan per steamer. The noodles are indeed quite salty, which is due to the addition of broad bean sauce; the local taste tends to be strong. There are many snacks available at Xuebu Bridge, with spicy hot pot being particularly popular, and the sesame sauce is good. We stayed opposite Congtai Park, and it was a very short walk to the park and Xuebu Bridge.
We set out for Xiangtangshan on Sunday morning. Perhaps due to the weather, there weren't many people, and the environment was very pleasant. I chatted with the staff who said that before, no one came and it was all dusty, but now it's much better. Due to the weather, it was very dark inside the grottoes, so I only took a few direct photos. It's better to see and experience it with your own eyes. The cultural and creative store offers free stamping; just bring your own notebook.
Nan Xiangtang is not far away, so I went there too. The damage inside is very severe, with only a few caves remaining. You can decide for yourself whether to visit.
Handan, Nanxiangtang Mountain Grottoes.
There are not many grottoes, a total of seven holes, most of the Buddha statues have no Buddha heads, some are also made up later.
The Nanxiangtang Mountain Grottoes flourished in the Northern Qi Dynasty, and it has a history of more than 1500 years. Most of the Buddha statues have been touched by later generations to become black and shiny. From the structure, only the seventh cave is a corridor surrounding the central Buddha statue column, and the rest are single rooms.
The grottoes are desolate!
Even if it is as hard as a stubborn stone, it can't withstand the butcher knife of time, let alone the hundred pounds of flesh of you and me?
Let go, let go...
Break away from it
Erich Smith I
The renowned Xiangtangshan Grottoes overseas
The Xiangtangshan Grottoes are the largest existing treasure trove of stone carving art from the Northern Qi Dynasty in China. It belongs to the third phase of the Northern Dynasty stone carving art. In terms of carving art, it inherits the skills of the Northern Wei and Eastern Wei Dynasties, and initiates the new trend of the Sui and Tang Dynasties, thus creating a grotto art with Chinese national style and era characteristics.
At that time, unknown Chinese artisans, based on mastering the traditional skills of their ancestors in painting, sculpture, architecture, etc., absorbed and integrated the techniques of Indian and Gandhara Buddhist sculpture art, and after the development of the first two phases, gradually blended into the traditional sculpture art of China. The form of the grottoes, the image of the statues, the face, the clothing, the patterns, etc., have basically completed the process of nationalization.
CASH COLLINS
The 'Xiangtangshan Grottoes' in Handan, Hebei, represent the artistic peak of the turbulent Northern Qi Dynasty
🗺 Overview of Xiangtangshan
❤️The Xiangtangshan Grottoes are listed as the first batch of cultural relics protection units and are also a must-see attraction in Handan. Due to inconvenient transportation and the need to climb more than 700 steps, there are not many tourists here, but it is suitable for appreciating art treasures in such a quiet environment.
❤️The Xiangtangshan Grottoes are located in the Fengfeng Mining Area of Handan City, and the grottoes were first excavated during the Northern Qi Dynasty. There are 16 existing grottoes, more than 450 cliff statues, more than 5000 large and small statues, and a large number of scriptures and inscriptions. The Xiangtangshan Grottoes are divided into North Xiangtangshan, South Xiangtangshan and Little Xiangtangshan. This article first introduces the North Xiangtangshan Grottoes, which has 9 caves, among which the Big Buddha Cave is the most shocking.
❤️Perhaps it is because you can watch and touch at close range, and there are few tourists. After seeing Mogao Grottoes and Yungang, I feel that Xiangtangshan Grottoes are more shocking and beautiful in comparison! ✨
⭐️Xiangtangshan Grottoes are known as the fifth largest grottoes in China. Although the scale of the grottoes is not very large, the style of the grottoes is very unique, which can represent the art, culture and Buddhist history of the Northern Qi Dynasty. What is regrettable is that many Buddha heads in the grottoes have been stolen, and the damage is quite serious. However, it is precisely because of this that everything that exists now is more worth protecting for future generations, perhaps this is the charm of Xiangtangshan Grottoes.
🚩Tour tips:
🚙Travel mode: It is recommended to rent a car or self-drive. The Xiangtangshan Grottoes are located in the Fengfeng Mining Area, more than an hour's drive from Handan city. There is no direct public transportation. If you choose to take a taxi, it is not easy to call a taxi when returning. The parking lot at the entrance of the scenic spot charges 10 yuan a day for parking at will.
💴Tickets: Full price ticket 60 yuan/person, shuttle bus 40 yuan/person. If you do not take the shuttle bus, you need to climb the mountain for more than 40 minutes. The mountain is not particularly easy to climb, but it is worth it to slowly climb up and see the scenery! (Note that the 40 yuan for the shuttle bus is one-way up the mountain. If you are physically ok, it is not recommended to do it, it is a bit expensive.) You can buy tickets directly at the entrance of the scenic spot.
🕰Tour time: It is recommended to leave 2-3 hours to slowly appreciate the North Xiangtangshan! It's really worth it!!! Especially when the sun shines from outside the grottoes to the Buddha statues inside, it's super beautiful and shocking!
📌Tour order: North Xiangtangshan Grottoes-Changle Temple-South Xiangtangshan Grottoes
Remember to go to Changle Temple after seeing the grottoes down the mountain, it is very shocking, and the Buddha heads are also stolen.
🤗Do some homework: It is recommended to watch the documentary 'Exploring Xiangtangshan Grottoes' before visiting, to simply understand the history and construction background of the grottoes, so that you can appreciate it more during the visit~
REAGAN OWENS
One Day Tour｜Handan Xiangtang Temple Grottoes｜
✨Touring on the National Day, the tranquility of fewer people, gives the feeling of stepping into a sister chapter of the Longmen Grottoes. The murals of the Xiangtang Temple Grottoes are brightly colored, like elves popping out of the stone, making people can't help but appreciate them carefully.
✨Every Buddha statue on the mural is lifelike, as if telling a thousand-year-old story. It makes people can't help but admire its artistic value.
✨Although the Xiangtang Mountain Grottoes have experienced more than 1400 years of wind and rain, the Buddha statues are still as bright as ever, extremely shocking.
✨But the traces of history cannot cover the light of these statues. They are like precious works of art, allowing every visitor to feel the charm of human art.
💰Ticket Guide:
North Xiangtang Temple: ticket 88 yuan (including sightseeing car, there are shops inside, simple meals can be made)
South Xiangtang Temple: ticket 14 yuan (no shops inside)
🕘Some of the stories about murals and sculptures in Teacher Chen Danqing's 'Partial' will give you a deeper understanding of these works of art. Before going to the Xiangtang Temple Grottoes, you can watch this program first, which will definitely give you a deeper understanding and appreciation of sculpture art.
✨If you are looking for a good place to visit around Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, then the Xiangtang Temple Grottoes are definitely worth exploring. Whether it is North Xiangtang Temple or South Xiangtang Temple, there are works of art worth stopping and appreciating waiting for you to discover.✨
ELSIE SALAZAR
The shock of Hebei Xiangtangshan Grottoes can only be felt in person
⛰️In Handan, Hebei, the Xiangtangshan Grottoes, a royal grotto carved during the Northern Qi Dynasty, is a national project built with one-third of the country's wealth during this 'short-lived' dynasty of only 28 years. It can be said that all of them are classics, each grotto is more shocking than the last.
⛰️The Xiangtangshan Grottoes are divided into the north and south. The North Xiangtang is grand in scale and is the essence of the grottoes. The South Xiangtang is smaller in scale but exquisite in design. Both are worth seeing. It is regrettable that at least 120 Buddha heads in the grottoes have been scattered around the world, and the few remaining heads were not stolen because they are not original Northern Qi artifacts and 'worthless'. Of course, in addition to modern theft, the anti-Buddhist movement of the Northern Zhou Dynasty is also one of the reasons for the destruction of the Buddha statues.
🌈Grotto Highlights
There are 16 grottoes remaining (9 in the north and 7 in the south)
North Xiangtang🎫60, tour for 3 hours+; South Xiangtang🎫15, tour for 1 hour+; Half an hour between the two grottoes🚗;
The most worth seeing grottoes:
📍The Great Buddha Cave and Sakyamuni Cave in North Xiangtang;
👉The Great Buddha Cave is the largest cave, with a central square column. The top of the column has the 'Gao Huan Tomb' recorded in the literature (Gao Huan: Emperor Shenwu of Northern Qi). When archaeologists opened the stone tomb at the top, it was already empty. The stone coffin bed components now housed in the Freer Gallery of Art in the United States are believed to possibly come from the Great Buddha Cave;
👉The highlights of the Sakyamuni Cave are the two Bodhisattvas at the entrance corridor, the style of the cave door and the door pillars;
📍The Thousand Buddha Cave and Scripture Carving Cave in South Xiangtang;
👉The lotus relief on the top of the Thousand Buddha Cave and the 8 flying apsaras;
👉The scriptures and details of the small Buddha statues in the Scripture Carving Cave;
Many exquisite details are not in the Great Buddha, perhaps on the base, perhaps on the door lintel, perhaps in the corner of the cave wall; reserve a little more time to discover surprises