The largest and best-preserved group of grotto statues in eastern China

Many people mention Qingzhou, the first thing they think of is the exquisite Longxing Temple statues. However, the Tuo Mountain Grottoes in Qingzhou, compared to the "perfect" Longxing Temple statues, bring a deep and peaceful beauty, worth savoring the inner beauty. Unlike the Longxing Temple statues that hit the eye, the statues of the Tuo Mountain Grottoes are more like a cup of aged wine. During the Sui Dynasty, most of China's important grotto statues were located in Shandong. There may have been many sculpture activity centers in central and eastern Shandong. The Sui Dynasty statues were mostly located on the slopes near important temples. The artistic level of the works left by these sculptors is uneven. The good works undoubtedly represent the sculptural quality of the Sui Dynasty. The Tuo Mountain Grottoes are known as the "crown of the Qi and Lu grottoes", which began to be excavated from the Northern Zhou Dynasty and completed in the middle of the Tang Dynasty, lasting nearly two hundred years. During the Yuan Dynasty, due to the dispute between Buddhism and Taoism, Tuo Mountain was once occupied by Taoists, causing some damage to the statues. The ticket for climbing Tuo Mountain in Qingzhou, Weifang, Shandong is 40 yuan, and it is free for people over 60 years old. The mountain is not high, but the steps are steep, all are steps carved out of mountain stones, there is almost no flat part, and the whole journey takes about two hours. There is a Buddha-viewing platform halfway up the mountain, where you can see the opposite mountain peak, like a Buddha's head lying on his back, which is very spectacular. When you climb to the top of the mountain, you can see the most recommended Tuo Mountain Grottoes in Qingzhou. This is the largest and best-preserved group of grotto statues in eastern China. There are a total of 5 caves here, each of different sizes, and you can still vaguely see the colored patterns on the grottoes a thousand years ago, and the Buddha statues in the grottoes are solemn and shocking! Coming out of the grotto and going up, there is a Taoist temple-Haotian Palace. This is a place for the Quanzhen Taoist cultivation, and there are still Taoist priests practicing inside, and there is a stele forest at the door, which is forbidden to take pictures. To appreciate the thousand-year-old grottoes, Tuo Mountain is the best choice, it is very worth a visit!