Tianlongshan Grottoes
Location
Longshan Grottoes, Jinyuan District, Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province
Reasons to visit
The Longshan Grottoes are a national key cultural relic protection unit and are the largest existing group of Taoist grottoes from the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368 AD) in China. Located on the top of Longshan Mountain, 20 kilometers southwest of Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, the main cave was excavated between the sixth and eleventh years of Taizong of the Yuan Dynasty (1234-1239 AD).
Opening Hours
The Longshan Grottoes are a national key cultural relic protection unit and are the largest existing group of Taoist grottoes from the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368 AD) in China. Located on the top of Longshan Mountain, 20 kilometers southwest of Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, the main cave was excavated between the sixth and eleventh years of Taizong of the Yuan Dynasty (1234-1239 AD). There are 8 caves in total, namely Xuhuang niche, Sanqing niche, Woru niche, Xuanzhen niche, Three Great Masters niche, Qizhen niche and two Biandao niches. There are 66 Taoist stone statues in the grotto, 8 relief cloud dragons, double phoenix caisson, crane and many other stone sculptures. The style of the statue is simple, concise and solemn, with simple clothing and clear folds, which is very different from the style of Buddhist grotto statues. Some niches still have inscriptions from the Yuan Dynasty on both sides and the front wall. The statue combinations mostly adopt the form of Buddhist statues and have no obvious characteristics. For example, in Sanqing Cave, the main wall is engraved with Taoist gods - Yuanshi Tianzun, Taishang Daojun, Taishang Laojun, surrounded by sitting and standing sun-duty gods on both sides, and Li Zhiquan's congratulations are engraved on the west wall. The main statue on the front (Yuanshi Tianzun) is 1.7 meters high, and the Taishang Daojun and Taishang Laojun on the left and right are each 1.65 meters high. The sun-watching gods on both sides are 1.6, 1.5, and 1.4 meters high. Most of the statues are broken, with only 1/3 intact. Lying in the middle of the cave (or Shengxian Cave) is Lu Zushengxian. Lu Dongbin is dressed in Taoist costumes, lying on his right side with his pillow, like the Buddha's Nirvana, with two Taoist boys standing respectfully on the left and right. The phoenix pattern and dragon pattern caisson on the top of the three master's niches and the seven true niches are quite exquisite and can be called a masterpiece. The entire Longshan statue is simple in sculpture and honest in image, but lacks change and is rather dull.
Top Attractions
Ask a Question
