Exploring the Mystical Fujian | Discovering the Legend of the Ten Thousand Buddha Caves in the Deep Mountains

| Discovering the Legend of the Ten Thousand Buddha Caves in the Deep Mountains. 🌄 Exploring the Mystical Fujian | Discovering the Legend of the Ten Thousand Buddha Caves 🙏🏻 🏞️ We drove to Shunchang to explore the mysterious Hezhangyan, whose exquisite craftsmanship is awe-inspiring. 📌 Shunchang · Hezhangyan 🎉 Free Admission 🆓 🚗 Only a 20-minute drive from Shunchang County 📜 Although Hezhangyan is not as famous as Longmen or Yungang, its construction has taken nearly twenty years and is still ongoing. Upon completion, the number of Buddha statues is expected to reach 10,000. 👀 Stepping into the cave entrance, we were struck by the central Buddha pillar in the hall, surrounded by thousands of unique Buddhas. Passing through the hall, in the still-under-construction corridor on the right, we could hear pilgrims sharing stories from the 'Fifty-Three Visits of the Avatamsaka Sutra'. The separate caves housing the Thousand-Hand Guanyin and the Great Sage Buddha statues were even more breathtaking. 👁️‍🗨️ We were fortunate to meet a master who was explaining the mysteries of the caves to visitors. It turns out that the smallest Buddha statue in the cave is only 2 centimeters, half the size of the Buddhas in the Longmen Grottoes. These caves were built through countless hardships with donations collected by the abbot. Hezhangyan, as a shared spiritual home, is naturally open to everyone for free. ✅ Besides the caves, there is a mountain trail near the parking lot. 🔍 On the trail, you can see the word 'heart ❤️' engraved on the ground, echoing the word 'Buddha 🙏🏻' on the mountain wall. 🔔 Reaching the bell tower, the sound of the bell resonates, bringing peace to the mind. 🏞️ At the top, the beautiful scenery of Shunchang County unfolds, with the Futun River meandering through it. 🛤️ There are two routes to the top: 🔄 One is a winding mountain road with 180-degree turns, which can be a bit dizzying. 🛤️ The other is a gentle and wide path, just a few hundred meters longer. 🅿️ There is a free parking lot at the top, recommended for self-driving tourists for convenience when descending. 🍳 After visiting Hezhangyan, you might want to stop by Shunchang County to taste local intangible cultural heritage snacks such as stuffed eggs, Guangbing, and coarse noodles. You can also connect to Huayang Mountain, Baoshan, and Yuankeng Ancient Town for a unique one-day tour.