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The catalogue
7 places to sift through. Narrow by kind, country, period or how firmly each one is established — contested and pseudoarchaeological claims are labelled here, never hidden.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Sixteen Kingdoms to Ming · Western Qin, Northern Wei, Western Xia, Tibetan, Ming
Liujia Gorge 27-m Tang Maitreya and 420 CE Western Qin mandala caves above Yellow River reservoir, 183 caves.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Sixteen Kingdoms to Yuan (420 – 1368 CE) · Northern Liang Han, Tuyuhun Xianbei, Tibetan, Uyghur, Western Xia Tangut, Mongol
Hexi cliff 31 conglomerate caves with 33 Heavens Pagoda and Gesar hoof legend, 420 CE–Yuan.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Sixteen Kingdoms to Yuan · Northern Liang, Tibetan, Uyghur, Western Xia Tangut, Mongol
Sunan east conglomerate cliffs 12 caves with 33 Heavens 7-storey pagoda and pillar hall, 420 CE–Yuan.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Northern Dynasties to Tang · Northern Qi Xianbei-Han Buddhist
Handan south hill 3 limestone caves with 550 CE Amitabha Western Paradise (Freer) and central pillar, Northern Qi.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Northern Wei to Song · Northern Wei, Sui, Tang cosmopolitan
Luoyang west bank core with Guyang 493 earliest cave 800 inscriptions and Binyang pagoda, Northern Wei–Tang.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Eastern Wei to Tang · Han Chinese Buddhist, Northern Dynasties, Tang cosmopolitan
Taiyuan south peak 13 caves with Tang Manshan Pavilion Maitreya 4 m and stolen apsaras digital-reunion, 534–907 CE.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Northern Wei (Northern Dynasties) · Tuoba Xianbei-Han Buddhist imperial
Yungang western annex 5 caves with Cave 12 music pavilion and 10k-buddha niches, 453–494 Northern Wei Tanyao.
