Tang and Song Dynasties Masterpieces: The Solitary Beauty of Millennium-Old Anyue Stone Carvings

Journey Back in Time—Anyue Stone Carvings 📖Anyue Stone Carvings: The Anyue stone carvings originated in the Northern and Southern Dynasties (around 521 AD), flourished during the Tang, Five Dynasties, and Song Dynasties, and have a history of 1,300 years. Recent cultural relic surveys have revealed 105 cliff stone carving sites in the county, with about 100,000 statues. There are over 100 statues taller than 3 meters, more than 40 over 5 meters, two over 15 meters, and 45 sites with relatively well-preserved stone carvings of a certain scale and cultural relic value. The Anyue stone carvings are uniquely crafted and exquisitely beautiful, fully embodying the crystallization of the wisdom and wealth of the Anyue people, as well as their superb skills and ingenious design capabilities. 🏮Statue Art: The subjects are mostly Buddhist and Taoist statues. Most of them are works from the mature and prosperous periods of Chinese stone carving art and have high artistic value. Except for a few statues with the simple and rough style of the Wei and Jin Dynasties, most of them feature the plump and elegant Tang Dynasty style. Anyue is currently the county with the most concentrated ancient Chinese Buddhist statue sites known in China. To date, 200 sites with over 100,000 statues from various dynasties have been discovered, among which the magnificent Tang Dynasty statues and the exquisite Song Dynasty statues are particularly renowned. 🌟Key Guide: There are nine sites in Anyue County listed as national key cultural relic protection units: Reclining Buddha Temple, Xuanmiao Temple, Thousand Buddha Village, Yuanjue Cave, Huayan Cave, Pilu Cave, Mingshan Temple, Peacock Cave, and Mumen Temple. ⏳Tour Route Arrangement: The Anyue stone carvings are scattered throughout Anyue County. A 2–3 day visit is recommended. Day 1: Reclining Buddha Temple, Mumen Temple (north of the county seat), Yuanjue Cave (within Anyue County seat) Day 2: Shiyang Town, Anyue County: Pilu Cave, Mingshan Temple, Huayan Cave, Peacock Cave 🚉Transportation Guide: Self-driving or chartered car is the best way to visit.