Bingling Temple Lower Grottoes — Liujia Gorge Yellow River Cliffs
Lower Bingling · Xia Bingling
Western Jin to Yuan (300 – 1300 CE)·Buddhist Hexi nomad to Tang imperial·🇨🇳 Gansu Province, Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Yongjing County, Liujia Gorge dam reservoir west cliffs lower zone, China
About
About Bingling Temple Lower Grottoes — Liujia Gorge Yellow River Cliffs
Lower zone of Bingling (炳靈) Temple 169 caves on west cliffs of Dasigou Valley at Liujia Gorge Yellow River reservoir, contrasting the famous 27 m Maitreya upper cliff. Lower grottoes include Cave 169 (Wu folk) with earliest dated inscription 420 CE (Western Qin Jianhong 1) and 6th c. Northern Wei flying apsaras. First excavated Western Jin c.300 CE, Silk Road western Gansu gateway. Now islanded after 1974 Liujiaxia dam reservoir rise.
Why it mattersLower Cave 169 holds earliest Chinese cave inscription securely dated 420, predating Dunhuang 366?
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01420 inscription Western Qin vs Tibetan paleography
- 02Reservoir impact on microclimate flaking
Theories
- 01Silk Road maritime nimbus Silk Road terminus
- 02Earliest dated Chinese cave after Mogao
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- Western Jin c.300 first niche; 420 Jianhong inscription Cave 169; Tang peak
- Period
- Western Jin to Yuan (300 – 1300 CE)
- Culture
- Buddhist Hexi nomad to Tang imperial
- Purpose
- River canyon sutra cliff for Hexi Silk Road monks
- Abandoned
- c.1300 Yuan decline
- Excavation
- Unexcavated
420
Western Qin inscription Cave 169
704
Tang giant Maitreya carved
1974
Liujiaxia dam reservoirs grotto toe
On the ground
Structures & features
36.0400° N · 103.3300° E · 1750 m · 3 mapped features
Cave 169 – Wenshu Hall
caveEarliest dated cave with 420 inscription and Northern Wei murals
36.0410° N · 103.3310° EGreat Maitreya Upper Cliff
colossus27 m Maitreya and 15 m Avalokiteshvara mid cliff
36.0395° N · 103.3295° ELiujia Gorge Reservoir Overlook
viewpointView across submerged valley toe of cliffs
36.0405° N · 103.3300° E
Gallery