The small and beautiful grotto temple is worth a visit

Gongyi Grotto Temple is located in Siwan Village, Heluo Town, Gongyi City, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, nestled on the south bank of the Yellow River, the north bank of the Yiluo River, and at the foot of Mount Dali, 10 kilometers from the city center. Bus route 66 can take you directly to the parking lot at the temple's entrance. The grotto temple was built during the Northern Wei Dynasty, originally named Xixuan Temple, renamed to 'Shifang Jingtusi' during the Song Dynasty, and renamed again to Grotto Temple during the Qing Dynasty. It was a place where Northern Wei emperors and empresses held Buddhist ceremonies. Later, Emperor Taizong of Tang and the royal family of the Northern Song Dynasty also held Buddhist events here, leaving behind a large number of precious statues and inscriptions. Most of the ancient buildings in the grotto temple no longer exist, and the only ancient buildings in the temple today are the main hall and east and west wing rooms from the Ming Dynasty. After entering through the mountain gate, there are bell and drum towers on both sides, with the bell ringing in the morning and the drum at dusk, which is deafening. A small path leads straight to the Mahavira Hall, with two arched doors on both sides, each with a plaque above. The plaque on the west side reads 'Mijin Fudu' (Lost Ferry, Again Crossed), and the one on the east reads 'Juelu Chongkai' (Path of Enlightenment, Reopened). Turning right after exiting the west arched door and walking fifty meters, you will reach the Gongyi Grottoes. The Gongyi Grottoes are the most valuable part of the temple to visit, with over seven thousand Buddha niches and statues distributed within the 120-meter-long grotto complex. Especially, the 'Emperor and Empress Worshiping Buddha' mural in the first cave is the most complete and unique piece preserved in the country, truly a priceless treasure. I will write another article specifically about the Gongyi Grottoes. Normal visitors would leave after viewing the statues in the grotto temple, but if you climb the stairs on the west side of the first cave, there are two more ancient sites. One is the Forest of Steles, which displays inscriptions from the Tang, Song, Jin, Ming, and Qing dynasties, recording the changes and repairs of the grotto temple over the ages, some of which are no longer clear. The second is the Han Garden, which is the half-cave at the northwest corner of the entire scenic area. It's hard to distinguish with the naked eye. I didn't bring glasses or a flashlight, and after looking for a long time, I really didn't see anything. When I left, I asked the staff, who said that on the wall directly opposite inside, there is an inscription from the Eastern Han period, hence the name Han Garden. Perhaps it was not meant to be for me to see it, so I'm giving everyone a heads-up to see if there are any destined visitors who can successfully spot it. There is a solid Tang Dynasty pagoda on Mount Dali, which is a geomantic pagoda that cannot be climbed, but can be viewed from both inside and outside the temple. Gongyi Grotto Temple is backed by mountains and faces water, with an elegant environment and beautiful scenery, known as the sacred place of 'Creek Mist and Rock Clouds,' and the 'Evening Bell of the Grotto Temple' is one of the eight scenic spots of Gong County. The area of the grotto temple is not large, and a normal visit takes about two hours, but for avid grotto enthusiasts, it is possible to spend several days here. After all, although the Gongyi Grotto Temple is small in size, the quality of its statues is very high, and there are many epoch-making sculptures, which we will talk about later. The ticket is only thirty yuan, and I highly recommend going in for a visit, and suggest pairing it with a visit to the Kang Baiwan Manor.