Jinzhou Wanfo Temple Grottoes| The earliest and largest grotto group in Northeast China

|The earliest and largest grotto group in Northeast China. Wanfo Temple Grottoes, located on the north bank of the Daling River 9 kilometers northwest of Yixian County, Liaoning Province, is the earliest and largest grotto group in Northeast China as of 2015. It is also the northernmost and easternmost grotto group in the Northern Dynasties of China. The Wanfo Temple Grottoes were built during the Northern Wei Dynasty. Due to years of natural weathering and disrepair, most of the grottoes have been damaged and collapsed and no longer exist. It is hailed as a treasure trove of northern Chinese grotto sculpture art, and the Wanfo Temple Grottoes are also a scenic spot that integrates cultural and natural landscapes. It was designated as a national key cultural relics protection unit in 1988. The Wanfo Temple Grottoes are divided into east and west areas. The west area was excavated in the 23rd year of Taihe in the Northern Wei Dynasty (499 AD) by Yuan Jing, the General of Pingdong and the Governor of Yingzhou, to pray for blessings for Emperor Xiaowen. The east area was excavated in the third year of Jingming of the Northern Wei Dynasty (502 AD) by Han Zhen, the envoy to comfort the Khitan, and his officers and soldiers to pray for blessings for the people. The west area is the essence of the entire Wanfo Temple Grottoes. ✅West area ▪️The central square tower-type grotto left over from the Northern Wei Dynasty is the largest and most exciting grotto in the Wanfo Temple Grottoes. Its three sides of the cliff have Buddha statues, and the upper part has many painted Buddha statues. Although it has gone through more than 1,500 years and has been greatly damaged, it can still see its once magnificent and magnificent, with a typical Northern Wei grotto sculpture style. ▪️The second, third and fourth grottoes: connected together, the south wall is carved with small Buddhas in the style of a thousand Buddhas and flying apsaras reliefs, as well as small Maitreya statues in conversation, which are a miniature of the sixth grotto Maitreya with crossed legs. ▪️The symbol of the Wanfo Temple Grottoes, "Maitreya with crossed legs". It is 3.2 meters high, with drooping eyebrows and eyes, smiling but not smiling, thin and clear, and is the largest and earliest Maitreya Buddha statue in the Northeast Grottoes. But because of its age, weathering and destruction are very serious. ▪️The statue stele of Yuan Jing, the General of Pingdong and the Governor of Yingzhou. This stele was built during the excavation period of the Wanfo Temple (499 AD). Its preciousness lies not only in the calligraphy art of "opening the sky and shining brightly", but also in its historical significance. It refutes the nonsense of foreign forces that "the territory north of the Great Wall has never been China's territory since ancient times". ▪️The cliff inside the cave. There are rows of painted relief small Buddhas carved on it, and there is also a small Bodhisattva with crossed legs, with kneeling attendants on both sides. ✅East area ▪️Thousand-hand and thousand-eye Guanyin. There are fewer stone carvings in the east area, and the thousand-hand and thousand-eye Guanyin is the essence of the east grottoes. Guanyin sits on the throne, with 46 hands stretching out from around her body, each hand has an eye, looking down at all beings. ▪️A very small "Laughing Buddha" carved on the cliff. If you bump into it inadvertently, you will really laugh with this Buddha statue, which is very vivid and highly infectious. ▪️Round small pagoda. Built in the tenth year of Chenghua in the Ming Dynasty (1474). ✅Small tips 📍Grotto location: Wanfo Temple Village, Toutai Township, Yixian County, Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province 🚘Transportation: After arriving in Yixian County, you can charter a car to and from the Wanfo Temple in the city. The driver can wait for more than 1h for tourists to watch. After the visit, return to the county seat. The round-trip charter is generally 80 yuan. 🕐Day scene: 08:30-15:30 Stop admission at 15:00 Night scene: 17:30-21:30 Stop admission at 21:00