Maijishan Grottoes

The Maijishan Grottoes (Chinese麦积山 石窟/麦积山 石窟, Pinyin Maijishan Shiku, English Maijishan Grottoes / Grottoes on Maiji Mountain) are Buddhist cave temples dating back to the Northern Wei Dynasty to Qing 45 km southeast of Tianshui City in the Chinese province of Gansu. You are 30-80 m high in the rock walls of the 142 m high mountain Maijishan.

The origins date back to the late period of the Sixteen Kingdoms and probably earlier. In the period of the Northern Wei Dynasty began a major phase of work later additions range from the Sui about the Tang to the Qing period.

There are 194 caves with over 7000 statues of the Northern Wei, the Western Wei, Northern Zhou, Sui and Tang Dynasty, from the period of the Five Dynasties and from the dynasties song, Yuan, Ming and Qing get the most out of clay.

The grottoes murals covering an area of ​​over 1000 square meters. Thousands of sculptures are displayed lifelike.

The figures are for the history of Buddhism, archeology and folklore of great importance.

The cave temples stand on the monument list the People's Republic of China ( 1-38 ) since 1961.