Chongqing Baodingshan Cliffside Carvings

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Situated 15 kilometres away from northeast of Dazu, Baodingshan is famous for its comprise of more than 10,000 magnificent sculptures, which were created under the direction of a distinguished local, Buddhist monk ZhaoZhifeng in the period 1174 t0 1252 in the Song Dynasty (960-1279).They have a history of over 800 years. Those located in Dafowan are best preserved and most numerous. Besides, there are 7 inscriptions describing the origin of the carvings at Baodingshan and the historical records of Buddhism, 17 descriptive notes and 2 Sarira pagodas. The carvings in Dafowan depict almost every story recorded in Buddhist scriptures. The skilled carving workmanship and beautiful artistic style create life-like human images with various expressions. The carvings are patterned in accordance with the terrain of the hills, resulting in natural, magnificent structure. The well-designed groups of 19 grand reliefs cover a wide scope of artistic themes, and mast of them are coloured with secular tints.

The major reliefs in Dafowan include: "Temple Guardians，”“Picture of Transmigration in Six Ways，” “Pavilion of Extensive Treasures，”“Three Saints of the Avatamsaka School，” “Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva with Thousand Arms or Thousand-ArmedGuanyin”(a statue of Avalokitesvara seated on a lotus flower, her1,007 hands spread out over 88 square metres of rock. An unusual feature here is the carving of scenes from everyday life executed with tender vividness.),“Sakyamuni Entering Nirvana，”“A Story from the Mayurasanasutra，…‘A Story from the Scripture on the Kindness of Parents，”“The Voice of Cloud and Thundering，”“A Story from the Scripture on Nahopaya Buddha's Requital of Kindness，”“A Story from the Amitayus-Buddhadyana-sutra，”“A Picture of the Six Animals，…‘AScene of the Hell，”“Master Liu's Religious Centre，”“Image of the Ten Great Vidyarajas，”“The Cave of Full Enlightenment”and "The Cowherd's Pasture land，”The images associated with inscribed Buddhist texts and eulogistic expressions look very much like an ancient picture-story book with ample explanations.Dafowan is the only place among groups of sculptures where this technique of expression is employed.
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Rosedale Hotel & Suites GuangzhouThe images such as the patents and children in the"Story from the Scripture on the Kindness of Parents", the flute girl in the"Sutra on Mahopaya Buddha Requiting the Kindness of His Parents" and the hen wife in the "Scene of the Hell" depict a vivid picture of the people in the Song Dynasty.