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.

Yonghemen

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Yonghemen is also named as Gate of Harmony. It is actually a hall rather than a gate. Following the Buddhist tradition, the first hall in a lamasery is usually called the Maitreya's shrine or the Hall of Heavenly Kings. In this hall Mile or Maitreya in Sanskrit, the Laughing Buddha always greets people with a smiling face. A Bodhisattva often worshipped in China as a fat, laughing man. He is known in China as the Big Belly Buddha.Legend has it that he was born1,000 years ago and became a monk in Yuelin Temple in Fenghua County, Zhejiang Province. He often went spreading Buddhism with a bag in his hand begging for food, so people usually called him the Bag Buddha. He is also known as the Laughing Buddha because he always smiles. It is said that before his death he was sitting on a piece of stone slab, telling people that he was the reincarnation of the Future Buddha Maitreya. According to what he said people called him Buddha Maitreya after his death.
On each side of Buddha Maitreya, there is a sandalwood pagoda. On the Pagoda stand many small Buddhist images,which were symbols of longevity.Hence, the Longevity Pagoda.
On both sides of Maitreya's shrine are seated four fear some looking Heavenly Kings or Celestial Guardians, two on each side.
The Buddhist theory goes that the earth is divided into four worlds:northern, southern, eastern and western. Each of the four worlds is guarded by one of the Four Heavenly Kings.
The one with a sword is the Southern World Heavenly King named Zengzhang. When ghosts and monsters dare to step in, he chants an incantation and throws his magic sword up into the sky. In a flash the sword flies down like lightning, hitting, sometimes even killing the intruder. Next to him sits Chiguo, the Eastern World Heavenly King, who plays a pipa, a 4-stringed Chinese lute. On the battlefield, he plucks the musical instrument and gives his enemy a headache. So he wins the battle.
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Opposite to him is Duowen, the Northern World Heavenly King, who carries a huge umbrella. Whenever he puts up his umbrella, the sky over the battlefield turns dark and a cyclonic storm howls, sending sand and rocks whirling about. The eyesight of his rivals is sure to be impaired. Hardly has he shut up the umbrella when the rivals are drawn into it and arrested.
The one with a water snake is the Western World Heavenly King Guangmu.Once released, the snake mounts the clouds and rides the mists. All of asudden, this animal spurts out water and disperses his enemy.