Anyue, an underrated gem of a niche travel destination

🍋 Located in Ziyang City, Sichuan Province, Anyue is well-known to those who appreciate historical stone carvings, earning it the nickname 'Capital of Buddhist Sculpture in China'. ✈️ The statues in Anyue County were created during the Southern and Northern Dynasties, particularly famous for the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty statues and the exquisite craftsmanship of the Song Dynasty statues. Tour route: Reclining Buddha Temple - Huayan Cave - Pilu Cave - Yuanjue Cave The cliff carvings at the Reclining Buddha Temple were mainly excavated during the Tang Dynasty's Kaiyuan to Dali period, featuring the Nirvana of Sakyamuni, Sakyamuni Preaching, and the Eleven-Faced Avalokitesvara, among others. The reclining Buddha is 23 meters long, the largest full-body Tang Dynasty stone carving of a reclining Buddha in the country. Huayan Cave was carved in the Southern Song Dynasty and consists of two grottoes with 159 statues from the Song Dynasty, many of which are missing heads. Pilu Cave is most famous for its Water Moon Avalokitesvara, considered the pinnacle of Anyue stone carvings, praised by British Chinese writer Han Suyin as the 'Purple Bamboo Avalokitesvara' of the East. Yuanjue Cave is located on Yunju Mountain in the Jinhua Community of Yuecheng Street, Anyue County, 1 kilometer southeast of the county town, with direct access via National Highway 247. The site has a profound historical and cultural heritage, with stone carvings dating back to the Tang Dynasty, flourishing during the Five Dynasties and Northern Song Dynasty. It was named for the 'Twelve Yuanjue' carvings excavated during the Northern Song period, concentrated on the cliffs south and north of Yunju Mountain. The carving area is 186 meters long, with 103 cliff niches, 1933 statues of various sizes, and 25 inscriptions and steles, including a Tang Dynasty pagoda. 🍋 Besides being the 'Capital of Buddhist Sculpture in China', Anyue is also known as the 'Lemon Capital of China'. The Baosen Lemon Tourist Area is the largest lemon-themed tourist area in the country. The World Lemon Development Conference is held here annually. In Anyue, you can witness the spectacular sight of thousands of acres of lemon plantations and unlock the secrets of 25 major lemon varieties from around the world in the World Lemon Variety Expo Park. 🍽️ When it comes to food, Anyue Times Square has it all, with a variety of snacks available, including the highly recommended 'Heartbroken Jelly Noodles'. 🏨 As for accommodation, there are brand hotels like Vienna Hotel and upscale options like Mingshi.