Damu Ancient Cave | The Little Mogao Grottoes of Nanjing

Damu Ancient Cave is located to the east of Wumadu Square in the Muyan Riverside Scenic Area of Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. It is a natural cave, located on a steep cliff between the mountains, with a deep and secluded path. The cave faces the river and overlooks the beautiful scenery of the Yangtze River. Legend has it that more than 1600 years ago, the founder of the Dharma, Damo, and Emperor Wu of the Liang Dynasty debated Buddhist affairs. Due to different perspectives, the two did not get along and traveled from Nanjing across the river to the north, passing through Mufu Mountain. They saw a stone cave and entered it for a rest, hence it was later called Damo Ancient Cave. The Damo Ancient Cave has 101 statues of Damo with different expressions, becoming a little-known niche attraction, known as the 'Little Mogao Grottoes'. This line is actually quite fun, with the Jialuo Peak climbing, a line of sky, Damo Ancient Cave, plus the light and shadow show, it is worth the ticket price. To the right of the ancient cave is the 'Yiwei Du Damo Stone Cave Light and Shadow Art Museum' which is highly recommended, where you can immerse yourself in the art of light and shadow, with a strong visual impact. On weekends, you can take the subway to Shangyuanmen, along the Straw Shoe Gorge Monument, Wumadu, Damo Ancient Cave, Shishi Crossing, Santai Cave, Toutai Cave, Yanzi Cliff, Guanyin Gate, to Yanzi Cliff Subway Station, 8 kilometers, can be cycled or walked, to see the river view. -Travel Guide- ✅Variety of Damo Stone Cave 🈶More than a hundred Damo bronze statues carved by artists, Standing under the huge statue, it feels very shocking, The photos are very good, especially suitable for ancient style Hanfu📷 ✅Light and Shadow Art Museum in the Stone Cave Be sure to go inside the stone cave, there is a different world❗ See picture 4 at the entrance The light and shadow design is very artistic, not tacky, A layer of film is played in a loop, you can sit quietly and watch, The second floor has light and shadow interaction, and you can also go outside the cave to overlook the Yangtze River🌊 ✅Hiking From the Light and Shadow Art Museum, you can continue to hike, The main peak is about 110 meters above sea level, the mountain road is mainly steps and a bit steep, you need to wear sports shoes. ⏰The play time is 1-2 hours, if you add hiking, it is recommended to arrange at least half a day. 📷About photography: I arrived around 15:30 in the afternoon, the light was just right, and it was not overexposed. I recommend girls to wear light-colored new Chinese style, super out of the picture. The scenic area is not big, but it is very shocking and worth a visit. Take advantage of the fact that there are not many people now, hurry up❗After taking the pictures, you can go straight to Yanzi Cliff to watch the sunset. 🗺Surrounding play: 1⃣The area around Damo Ancient Cave is also a good place to enjoy the river view and walk and ride. I recommend a city walk route, which is about 8 kilometers long Subway to Shangyuanmen Station→Straw Shoe Gorge Monument→Wumadu→Damo Ancient Cave→Shishi Crossing→Santai Cave→Toutai Cave→Yanzi Cliff→Guanyin Gate→ Yanzi Cliff Subway Station . 📍Self-driving: Damo Ancient Cave Scenic Area 🚇Subway: Line 3 Shangyuanmen Station➡Transfer to Bus 307 to Wumadu 🎫Scenic area ticket: 30/person (including visit to the Light and Shadow Art Museum)🉑Use Nanjing Garden Card