Tianlongshan Grottoes
About Tianlongshan Grottoes
Tianlongshan Grottoes is a series of 25 caves carved into the mountainside of Tianlong Mountain and well known among Chinese art experts for the fine Buddhist statues and decorations which were sculpted within. The grottoes are located high on a mountain covered with a lush forest and overlooking a secluded valley and neighboring tree-covered mountains, adding to the quiet, contemplative nature of this Buddhist monastery.
The earliest of these caves was built during the Eastern Wei Dynasty (534 – 550), and additional caves were added in the Northern Qi , Sui, and Tang Dynasties. Grottoes 2 and 3 are the oldest in the complex, dating back nearly 1500 years. The caves are divided into two main sections, with 13 grottoes in the western section and eight grottoes in the older eastern section. Another three grottoes are in a small northern section. The caves are numbered consecutively, from east to west.
The largest and most impressive grotto is the ninth one, a multi-storied cave with several large Buddha statues and covered by an intricate three-storey wooden pavilion, the Manshan Pavilion. This colorful structure was built in the Ming Dynasty to protect the previously built statues (which date from the Tang Dynasty) from the elements. Regrettably the pavilion was burnt down by Japanese raiders in the 1920s and the ninth grotto went unprotected from the elements for the following 60 years; the current Manshan Pavilion was rebuilt in 1987.
Within this impressive multi-storied structure are four large Buddhas, dominated by a two-storey tall seated Maitreya Buddha, the best preserved statue in these grottoes. This dignified, elegant Buddha is the original except for the eyes, which were originally jewels and which were stolen. Below this majestic sculpture are a trio of stone Buddhas, with a seated 11-headed all-seeing Avalokiteshvara on the left, an 11-meter tall standing Wenshu Buddha in the center, and a seated Puxian on the right.
Grotto 8 is also an interesting one, with two stone lions guarding the door, the original calligraphy inscriptions still legible on the outside, and the original red and yellow colors of the walls showing vividly. Near the grottos on the mountainside is a pleasant rest pavilion with pleasant views over the wooded valley below and the White Dragon Cave . This structure consists of a three-room building built of large stones before a cave, which is entered via the door in the center hall. The structure is over 1400 years old and is still inhabited by Buddhist monks. Inside the cave is the Dragon Pond, a deep pool of water where prayers were once offered. At the bottom of the hill is also a large pine tree hundreds of years old. Its ancient branches are propped up by a series of poles, with the result that it looks like a giant 200 square-meter umbrella.
Unfortunately, Tianlongshan was heavily pillaged during the 1920s, mainly by Japanese relic collectors. These missing Buddha heads and other carvings—many of them exquisitely carved—have ended up in museums and private collections in Japan, the US, and Europe. As a result, a number of the Buddha heads in Grotto 9 are reproductions, added onto the once headless bodies.
This cave complex is located on the outskirts of Taiyuan and can be reached in under an hour by car, making it possible to visit as a half-day outing from Shanxi’s main city. Many visitors combine a visit to Tianlongshan with a trip to nearby Jinci, the ancient Buddhist temple complex, making a good full-day tour for those staying in Taiyuan .
The earliest of these caves was built during the Eastern Wei Dynasty (534 – 550), and additional caves were added in the Northern Qi , Sui, and Tang Dynasties. Grottoes 2 and 3 are the oldest in the complex, dating back nearly 1500 years. The caves are divided into two main sections, with 13 grottoes in the western section and eight grottoes in the older eastern section. Another three grottoes are in a small northern section. The caves are numbered consecutively, from east to west.
The largest and most impressive grotto is the ninth one, a multi-storied cave with several large Buddha statues and covered by an intricate three-storey wooden pavilion, the Manshan Pavilion. This colorful structure was built in the Ming Dynasty to protect the previously built statues (which date from the Tang Dynasty) from the elements. Regrettably the pavilion was burnt down by Japanese raiders in the 1920s and the ninth grotto went unprotected from the elements for the following 60 years; the current Manshan Pavilion was rebuilt in 1987.
Within this impressive multi-storied structure are four large Buddhas, dominated by a two-storey tall seated Maitreya Buddha, the best preserved statue in these grottoes. This dignified, elegant Buddha is the original except for the eyes, which were originally jewels and which were stolen. Below this majestic sculpture are a trio of stone Buddhas, with a seated 11-headed all-seeing Avalokiteshvara on the left, an 11-meter tall standing Wenshu Buddha in the center, and a seated Puxian on the right.
Grotto 8 is also an interesting one, with two stone lions guarding the door, the original calligraphy inscriptions still legible on the outside, and the original red and yellow colors of the walls showing vividly. Near the grottos on the mountainside is a pleasant rest pavilion with pleasant views over the wooded valley below and the White Dragon Cave . This structure consists of a three-room building built of large stones before a cave, which is entered via the door in the center hall. The structure is over 1400 years old and is still inhabited by Buddhist monks. Inside the cave is the Dragon Pond, a deep pool of water where prayers were once offered. At the bottom of the hill is also a large pine tree hundreds of years old. Its ancient branches are propped up by a series of poles, with the result that it looks like a giant 200 square-meter umbrella.
Unfortunately, Tianlongshan was heavily pillaged during the 1920s, mainly by Japanese relic collectors. These missing Buddha heads and other carvings—many of them exquisitely carved—have ended up in museums and private collections in Japan, the US, and Europe. As a result, a number of the Buddha heads in Grotto 9 are reproductions, added onto the once headless bodies.
This cave complex is located on the outskirts of Taiyuan and can be reached in under an hour by car, making it possible to visit as a half-day outing from Shanxi’s main city. Many visitors combine a visit to Tianlongshan with a trip to nearby Jinci, the ancient Buddhist temple complex, making a good full-day tour for those staying in Taiyuan .
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Getting there:
The Tianlongshan Grottoes are located 40 km southwest of Taiyuan and can be reached in less than an hour by car. A public bus also runs from Wuyi Square in Taiyuan to Qingxu, which is the nearest major town to the grottoes.
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First To Review:
Nov 2, 2009
While not as impressive as the Yungang Grottoes in northern Shanxi, the Tianlongshan Grottoes consist of a series of 25 caves containing Buddha and other Buddhist carvings and scultptures. The oldest are 1500 years old. The most impressive of these grottoes has four large Buddha, the tallest two-floors tall. The views from the grottoes over the large wooden valley before it are also very pleasant. Tianlongshan can be reached fairly easily by car or taxi from Taiyuan.
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