Bingling Thousand-Buddha Caves

Bingling Thousand-Buddha Caves (Chinese name: 炳灵寺石窟), also called Bingling Grottoes, are a famous religious attraction in Lanzhou, ranks the second after the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang. At some point the caves were named the Thousand Buddha Caves because Bingling means "ten thousand-Buddha" in the Tibetan language, despite the fact that there have never been more than 200 grottoes.
 

The first cave was built here in 420 AD, by daring Buddhists who descended from the cliff on ropes to carve their masterpieces. Although the cave complex was enlarged gradually over many centuries, it is the work of both the Song (960-1279 AD) and the Ming (1368-1644 AD) Dynasties that remains most impressive. The temple was, in-between these golden years, to become a Tibetan Monastery (in the Yuan Dynasty, 1271-1368 AD). Within and on the cliff are a series of winding walkways and stairs that will lead you around the site.
 

Bingling temple grottoes located in Yongjing county Jishi Mountain 35 kilometers southwest of Gansu province, is one of the famous Chinese grottoes, belong to national key cultural relics protection units. The grottoes were built in Western Jin dynasty, went through Northern Wei, Sui, and Tang dynasties, Wei dynasties, each dynasty had repaired and expansion of the grottoes. In 2012, the number of existing grottoes were 183, total 694 stone statues, 82 clay sculpture and murals of about 900 square meters

 

Grottoes is one of Chinese buddhist grottoes, divided into upper temple, hole, and down temple three places, and down temple is the most spectacular. Located 35 kilometers southwest of Yongjing county. Bingling temple in Wei and Jin dynasties was called Tangshu grottoes, called Lingyan Temple in Tang dynasty and called Bingling Temple in Song dynasty.


 

Highlights of the Bingling Temple Caves

Statue of Maitreya

Statue of Maitreya is a 27-meter-high seated statue of Maitreya, which can best reflect the economic strength of the Tang Dynasty among many statues in Bingling Temple. The Giant Buddha was carved in Tang Dynasty(731). The statue is composed of stone carving and clay sculpture, which is unique in China.

At the time of construction, there was a large and magnificent wooden ladder building in front of the Buddha. The nine-story pavilion was built to the top of the Statue of Maitreya, and the Buddha was indoors. In Qing Dynasty(1874), the buildings around the Statue of Maitreya were destroyed by war. And the clay sculpture of the giant Buddha has been destroyed. Although we can't see the whole appearance of the Statue of Maitreya, it still retains the characteristics of the Tang Dynasty.

 

Cave 169

The Cave 169 is the earliest and most valuable cave in Bingling Temple. It is 9 meters deep, 16 meters high and 27 meters wide. It is one of the earliest Buddhist grottoes in China. At the Cave 169, you can know about the characteristics of Buddhist art at the early stage. The inscription at the Cave 169 was carved in 420, which is over 100 years earlier than that of the Mogao Grottoes.

 

Nearby Attraction

Bingling Temple Scenic Area is located in Yongjing County, Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province, with a total area of 180 square kilometers. It consists of Bingling Lake, Bingling Danxia National GeoPark(Bingling Stone Forest) and Bingling Temple Grottoes.
 

Bingling Lake

Bingling Lake is the reservoir of Liujiaxia Hydropower Station, with a water area of 130 square kilometers and a storage capacity of 5.7 billion cubic meters. It is named after Bingling Temple at the end of the reservoir. The Biling Lake is like endless green silk rippling in the mountains, and the scenery combines the beauty of the south of the Yangtze River with the grandeur of the plateau, making it a fascinating tourist destination. At the Bingling Lake, you can witness the astonishing and spectacular view of the intersection of the Yellow River and Taohe River. Liujiaxia Hydropower Station is famous hydro project in Asia independently designed and constructed by China.

 

Bingling Danxia Geopark

Bingling Danxia Geopark, also known as Bingling Stone Forest, is a Danxia landform formed by the accumulation of Cretaceous purplish red fine sandstone in the early Cenozoic. Bingling Danxia Geopark is located in Yangta Township, southwest of Yongjing County, 35 kilometers away from Yongjing County. With a total area of 23.36 square kilometers and an average elevation of 1,783 meters, Bingling Danxia Geopark boasts canyons, stone pillars, peak forests and red cliffs. Based on the red continental sedimentary strata in the early Cretaceous(120-144 million years ago) in the late Mesozoic, a large number of precious geological relics of orogenic belt structures are preserved. 
 

How to Get to Bingling Temple

The Bingling Caves are quite far away from Lanzhou and can only be reached by boat via the Liujiaxia Reservoir. First you should take bus from Lanzhou to Liujiaxia Dam (about 80 miles, 1 hour driving for 12 Yuan), and then you can take boat to Bingling Temple. Boats leave from near the Liujiaxia Dam in Liujiaxia City, and sometimes also from other docks on the reservoir. The whole cruise will take 2 hours for 10 Yuan a person. Round way needs 8 hours. But if you take speedboat, it will take you 3 hours of round way. And the Bingling Caves only can be reached during summer and autumn because in the rest of year the boat will not be operated and there are no any roads can access to Bingling except water way.