Dazu Chongqing: Rock Carvings and Adventure

#100waysoftravel The complex of ancient rock reliefs in Dazu is located in the southeastern part of the Sichuan basin, 271 kilometers west of Chengdu and 167 kilometers from Chongqing. This general name refers to all the stone images and sculptures scattered in various places of Dazu County. There are 76 of these places in total. The total number of stone statues reaches 60 thousand. The most convenient way to get to Dazu is by bus from Chongqing. The journey takes 2 hours. Dozens of buses depart from Chongqing West Bus Station to Dazu. Attractions The complex of ancient rock reliefs in Dazu is the greatest example of the Chinese art of inscribing and creating statues in caves. There are a lot of statues, they are diverse in shape. All of them are executed masterfully using amazing techniques. Here you can see how ancient artists applied their own methods, which in our time could be called the scientific principles of mechanics and optics. The complex of ancient rock reliefs in Dazu is sometimes called the art gallery of the Tang and Song dynasties (960-1279). For the first time, the complex of ancient rock reliefs in Dazu was discovered at the beginning of the Yonghui period during the reign of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Cave sculptures were very popular during the reign of the southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). During the reign of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing dynasties, several thousand more statues were found. Eventually, a large group of stone statues was discovered, which became the basis of the complex of ancient rock reliefs in Dazu. This complex is also famous as the Yungang, Longmen and Duhuang caves. Abroad and in China, the complex of ancient rock reliefs in Dazu is sometimes called the pearl of oriental art. Initially, there were many rock reliefs and statues in Dazu. Among all the most famous places are Baodingshan and Beishan. In Beishan, the number of statues reaches almost 10 thousand. They are mainly concentrated in the Fowan place. This is a U-shaped section with a length of about 500 meters. The statues in the Fowan area were discovered during the Jingfu period of the Song Dynasty (960-1279) during the Song Dynasty (892). The statues were created over the course of two and a half centuries.