Encounter the Buddhist Kingdom on a Cliff, Moved to Tears by the Oriental Smile

Gansu's attractions are full of various Buddha statues and grottoes. The Maijishan Grottoes are undoubtedly a leader in the Chinese grotto world, both in terms of artistic achievement and archaeological value. Moreover, the general caves at Maijishan are no less impressive than the special caves! During the off-season, there were hardly any people, and I even got to see the special caves for free, which was amazing! 💡What is Maijishan? The Maijishan Grottoes are carved into a sheer cliff face, with plank roads suspended in mid-air and caves stacked layer upon layer. The name "Buddhist Kingdom on a Cliff" is well-deserved. The mountain where the grottoes are located resembles a giant haystack, hence the name Maijishan (Wheat Stack Mountain). With 221 caves and thousands of statues, spanning from the Sixteen Kingdoms period of the Eastern Jin Dynasty to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, artisans from each dynasty have left their understanding of beauty here, resulting in a diverse and impressive collection. 📌Pre-trip Preparation Whether or not you hire a guide, it's recommended to do some research beforehand. You can watch the documentary "Maijishan Grottoes," which systematically films 15 special caves and provides multi-angle aerial photography, offering a more comprehensive and detailed view than you can get on-site. 📍Visiting Route During the off-season, the scenic area cancels routes A and B. The route I took was a complete loop, with no backtracking. ♥️Climbing Experience Many people say that visiting here is like climbing a mountain, with narrow paths and significant elevation changes, requiring a lot of physical effort. However, I didn't feel tired at all because I carefully admired and photographed every cave, spending more time at the key caves. I explored for 5 hours non-stop. 🚌Transportation By car: Navigate to "Maijishan Grottoes." I took bus No. 34 from Tianshui Railway Station to the terminal station, which was very convenient. 📷Photography Tips For protection purposes, most of the grottoes have wire mesh installed. Peeking through the mesh to see the grottoes has become a unique sight at Maijishan. By placing your lens against the wire mesh and using a wide aperture, you can "filter" out the mesh and capture clear interior shots. 💰Visiting Special Caves Special caves require separate tickets, which can be purchased at the entrance of the route. If you're on a budget, don't miss Cave 133. 🕙Visiting Time The morning sunlight perfectly illuminates Cave 4, the Scattered Flower Pavilion, on the high eastern cliff, creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene. It's recommended to visit before 9 am or after 4 pm. 🙏Key Grottoes (in visiting order) Cave 13: The Big Buddha of the East Cliff, the largest group of statues in Maijishan Cave 9: The Middle Seven Buddha Pavilion Cave 3: The Thousand Buddha Corridor Cave 4: The Upper Seven Buddha Pavilion (Scattered Flower Pavilion), featuring celestial beings from the "Eight Divisions of Heavenly Dragons" and thin-bodied flying apsaras Cave 5: The Ox Hall, featuring the "Ox-Treading Heavenly King" Cave 147: Touching and expressive smiles Cave 98: The Big Buddha of the West Cliff Cave 87: Mahakasyapa with Long Eyebrows Cave 74: Special Cave, featuring a Bodhisattva from the Western Regions Cave 76: Special Cave, featuring flying apsaras in a rain of flowers Cave 78: Special Cave, featuring inscriptions of patrons from the Qiu Chi state and the earliest existing Buddha statue in Maijishan Cave 191: Vajra with a Floral Heart, a unique statue resembling Zhang Fei. Preview: The next post will provide a detailed introduction to the highlights of the key grottoes.