Travel Notes of the Westward Journey VIII - Bingling Temple Grottoes

As a grotto enthusiast, I have long been fascinated by the Bingling Temple Grottoes, which are among the earlier grottoes carved in China and are famous in Gansu Province. The difficulty of access had always been a concern, as online guides suggested that one must take a boat trip via the Liujiaxia Reservoir, with infrequent boat schedules that limit the actual visiting time of the grottoes, potentially missing out on special caves. If one were to travel by land, the mountain roads are said to be very inconvenient, so I had never made the trip. Finally, I saw a one-day land route itinerary on a platform, allowing for a round trip from Lanzhou within a day. Thinking it would be worth the effort, I immediately signed up to fulfill my wish. In the morning, we boarded the bus near the Gansu Museum, and in just over two hours, we arrived at the Bingling Temple Grottoes. The journey was very smooth, and upon asking the driver, I learned that the roads had been well-built for four or five years. It seems that the information on several travel platforms is not comprehensive enough, and it would be better to search on that particular platform for more accurate details. The Bingling Temple Grottoes are located on the west cliff of Dasigou in Jishi Mountain, Yongjing County, Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province. Before the Western Han Dynasty, this area was inhabited by the Qiang people, and before the Northern Wei Dynasty, it was known as 'Tangshu Cave,' with 'Tangshu' being a transliteration of the Qiang language for 'ghost cave.' After the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty, it was named Bingling Temple, with 'Bingling' being a simplification of the Tibetan 'Xianba Bingling,' meaning 'thousand Buddhas' and 'Maitreya Buddha continent of ten thousand Buddhas.' According to historical records, the excavation of the Bingling Temple Grottoes dates back to the Tai Shi era of the Jin Dynasty (265 AD). Since then, the grottoes have been continuously carved, constructed, repaired, and expanded, especially during the Tibetan Empire period and the long-term operation of Tibetan Buddhism, gradually increasing in scale and forming a famous grotto temple with both Tibetan and Han styles, second only to the Mogao Caves. The Western Qin, Northern Wei, Tang Dynasty, and Ming Dynasty were the four most prosperous periods of Buddhism in the history of Bingling Temple. The grottoes from the Western Qin period mainly include caves 169, 192, and 195, with the Buddhist art style of the Western Regions clearly reflected in the statues of this period. The Northern Wei period's grottoes are mainly represented by caves 126, 128, 132, etc., fully reflecting the Central Plains Buddhist art style of slender necks and clear bones, and wide clothing with broad belts. The statues from the Northern Zhou to the Sui Dynasty evolved from the Northern Wei style of slender necks and clear bones to a style of full-bodied and upright beauty. Most statues from this period are proportionate, plump, and graceful in movement, with a solid sense of form. During the Tang Dynasty and the Tibetan Empire, due to the prosperity of Buddhism, a new wave of statue creation arose, and the Bingling Temple Grottoes entered their second major period of excavation. The statues from this period focus on the rhythm of the figures' movements, with body shapes and postures tending towards natural beauty. The famous Maitreya Buddha statue in niche 171, carved into the mountain, is 27 meters tall and was originally made of clay on a stone base. Although the clay part has long been destroyed, it still retains the Tang Dynasty features of a full and kind face with proportionate features. Around the Yuan and Ming dynasties, Tibetan Buddhism was introduced to Bingling Temple, and a large amount of renovation and repainting was done on the existing caves, leaving a situation where the Buddhist art of Han Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism coexist in the same cave. The Bingling Temple Grottoes have four levels, with 183 niches, 694 stone statues, 82 clay sculptures, and about 900 square meters of murals, distributed along a 200-meter-long and 60-meter-high cliff on the west bank of Dasigou. Although the number is not large, the content is rich. Walking along the west bank, the individual scale of the cliffside grottoes is small, and one cannot enter to visit but can only appreciate from the outside. With the guidance and explanations of the tour guide, the overall viewing experience is good. Moving forward, there are many small cliff carvings on the cliff walls, which are also exquisite. At the end of the west bank are the famous Tang Dynasty Great Buddha of cave 171 and the two special caves above it, caves 169 and 172. Cave 169 is the largest, earliest, and richest in content of the Bingling Temple Grottoes, and is the essence of the grottoes. It is more than 50 meters above the ground, originally a natural cave, 26.75 meters wide, 15 meters high, and 19 meters deep. The cave is very spacious, with 24 existing niches, with niches 6 and 7 being the most representative. Niche 6 is located on the north wall of the cave, with a Buddha and two Bodhisattvas sculpted inside, with inscriptions of Amitabha Buddha, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva. The Buddha's image is lively, with rich expressions and natural, flowing lines of the robes, full of dynamism. The circular halo behind the Buddha is painted with flame patterns, and the interior of the halo is painted with musicians, five on each side. Above Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva, Buddhas from all directions are painted, in two rows. The cave also contains the earliest existing inscription from the Western Qin period, 'Jian Hong Yuan Year,' which has high historical value. Crossing the bridge to the east bank, the Nirvana statue in Northern Wei cave 16 is also wonderful. The Buddha statue has been relocated, removing the original Tang and Ming dynasty re-sculpted layers, and restored to its original Northern Wei appearance, which is quite an achievement. Gansu's famous grottoes are mostly managed by the Dunhuang Academy, and personally, I feel that the Bingling Temple Grottoes offer one of the best visiting experiences. A fifty yuan ticket allows you to visit all the ordinary caves, and the tour guide is patient and meticulous. The special caves 169+172 cost 300 yuan, which is great value for money. Although it requires climbing a steep wooden ladder 50 meters high, it is still worth the effort. However, when we visited during the off-season, there were hardly any people, and we could go up and down at will. If it were the peak season, there might be restrictions, as the wooden ladder can only accommodate one person at a time, and the number of people allowed in the caves is also limited, which would affect the visiting experience. Another special cave is Northern Wei cave 3, with prices ranging from 60 to 90 yuan, which is also very exciting. Bingling Temple is located in Jishi Mountain, Yongjing County, and is home to the famous Bingling Danxia. The cliffs on both sides are spectacular, with the Yellow River winding through, reflecting each other beautifully. While visiting the grottoes and enjoying the scenery, one can also take a boat to Linxia Geological Park to see the magnificent Danxia landforms and the vast blue waves of the Liujiaxia Reservoir.