Zhangye Minle Tongzi Temple

The Tongzi Temple Grottoes are located about ten kilometers east of Minle County in the middle reaches of the Tongzi Dam River. Features of the grottoes: The grottoes are carved into a gravel cliff that has been eroded by river water, with dozens of large and small grottoes, and there are dark holes connecting between the grottoes. The murals inside the cave are clearly visible, mostly influenced by Lamaism. The most vivid and realistic is the story of 'Journey to the West' painted in the southernmost cave 1. The scenes include the birth of the monkey, Wukong's apprenticeship, Bajie's ordination, drinking horses by the stream, asking for directions at the wooden door, crossing the desert, etc., all are lifelike. And the sharp mouth and thin cheeks of Wukong, and the long mouth and big belly of Bajie, are more like natural monkeys and pigs, which are similar and dissimilar to the images in the TV series 'Journey to the West', giving people a refreshing feeling, and people can't help but exclaim the rich imagination and superb painting skills of ancient Chinese painting masters. The murals in Cave 3 are composed of five layers, with paintings of Tantric Buddhas, Thousand-Handed Guanyin, Happy Buddha, Bodhisattva, etc., which are precious materials for studying murals of all ages. Climbing to the top of the cave, you can see a wide view, the long river setting sun, the distant village with smoke, which makes people feel open-minded. The Tongzi Temple Grottoes were built in the Wei and Jin dynasties, and were destroyed many times afterwards. In recent years, a large number of monks and laymen have raised funds and invested in labor to build a main hall and several side rooms. There is a jade Buddha in the main hall, which is very beautiful and attracts many pilgrims.