Maijishan Grottoes

Maijishan Grottoes were established during the Later Qin period of the Sixteen Kingdoms and have undergone continuous excavation and renovation through the Western Qin, Northern Wei, Western Wei, Northern Zhou, Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, spanning over 1,600 years. Due to earthquakes over the centuries, the central cliff collapsed, naturally dividing the cliff into two parts: the East Cliff and the West Cliff. There are currently 194 numbered caves. The name 'Maijishan' comes from the mountain's resemblance to a stack of wheat. The grottoes are carved into a vertical cliff face that is 20-80 meters high and 200 meters wide. There are 194 caves in total, with 54 on the East Cliff and 140 on the West Cliff, containing over 7,800 statues made of clay, stone, and clay-covered stone. The largest statue, the Great Buddha on the East Cliff, stands 15.8 meters tall. There are also over 1,000 square meters of murals. The cave structures include various styles such as square human-shaped roofs, four-slope roofs, flat roofs, gabled roofs, square lintel flat roofs, square four-cornered pointed Buddhist niches, and small round shallow niches. The caves are connected by plank roads. Both the interiors and exteriors of the caves mostly imitate wooden structures. Maijishan Grottoes are one of the four major grottoes in China, known as the 'Oriental Sculpture Gallery.' The other three grottoes are Longmen Grottoes, Yungang Grottoes, and Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes.