Sumeru Grottoes

introduce

Mount Sumeru Grottoes, located about 60 kilometers northwest of Guyuan City, was an important pass in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and an important pass on the Silk Road. The Mount Sumeru Grottoes were excavated in the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-557) and lasted until the end of the Tang Dynasty. Before the Mount Sumeru Grottoes, most of the Buddha statues were made of clay. Since the Mount Sumeru Grottoes, stone carving techniques have been adopted successively. Many grottoes have been excavated on Mount Xumi from the Northern Wei Dynasty to the Sui and Tang dynasties, and these grottoes reflect the styles of different times. The Buddha statues in the grottoes of the Northern Wei Dynasty have high nose bridges and retain the style of Indian Buddhism. Some statues have thin faces and shoulders, and wide robes and sleeves; The shape of Buddha statues tends to be full, and its costumes are luxurious and gorgeous, showing the extraordinary temperament of Tang Dynasty art. The entire scenic spot is divided into two parts, the museum and the grottoes. The two places are relatively far apart. You can also take the sightseeing bus in the scenic spot to go to these two places (10 yuan for each round trip, and an additional fee). When tourists enter the scenic spot, they can visit the museum first. The exhibits in the museum are themed on grottoes and Buddhist art, and they are basically replicas. Here you can learn about the caves, collections and Buddhist-related things on the Silk Road. allusion. After visiting the museum, you can go down the mountain according to the signs and cross the valley to reach Mount Sumi on the opposite bank, and climb the mountain all the way to visit the grottoes. There were originally more than 100 caves in Mount Xumi Grottoes. The exquisiteness of the caves is comparable to that of Mogao Grottoes, but many of them have been destroyed by human beings. Up to now, there are more than 20 caves with relatively complete statues. In the first cave, the color of the Sui Dynasty (581-618) Buddha statue is still well preserved; next to it is the No. 5 cave, which is the symbol of the Sumeru Grottoes - the Great Buddha Building built in the Tang Dynasty, where Wu Zetian enshrined Maitreya Buddha nationwide. This Buddha statue is taller than the Great Sitting Buddha in Yungang Grottoes and the Lushena Buddha in Longmen Grottoes. Caves 45, 46 and 48, where there are many existing statues in the scenic spot, are all located within the Yuanguang Temple in the scenic spot. There are more than 40 statues that are larger than real people. Most of the standing Buddhas in the niches are one Buddha and two Bodhisattvas. . In addition, there are various small Buddhas on the forehead of the niche, musicians holding various musical instruments under the base of the niche, and flying reliefs flying around the tower pillars on the top of the cave. These grottoes were all built during the Northern Zhou Dynasty (557-581). Grotto No. 51 in the Xiangguo Temple area is the largest grotto in Mount Sumeru, but it was seriously damaged. In the 1960s, a reservoir was built near Mount Sumeru. At that time, tens of thousands of workers lived in these grottoes. The transportation of Mount Sumeru Grottoes is not convenient. There is no direct bus. Tourists need to take a minibus in Guyuan City to Sanying Town, and then transfer to a private car in the town to go to the scenic spot.

opening hours

January 1-June 30 09:00-17:00; July 1-October 31 08:00-18:00; November 1-December 31 09:00-17:00 ;The latest admission time in peak season is 19:00, and the last admission time in off-season is 17:00.

Service Facilities

must see tips