Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Bashu Relics - Dazu Rock Carvings

The art of Dazu Rock Carvings in Sichuan has survived in the Tang and Song Dynasties, but it has been obscured for a long time because of its remote location. In 1945, Yang Jialuo, Ma Heng, Gu Jiegang and other scholars formed a delegation to conduct on-the-spot and serious investigations on the art of Dazu Rock Carvings, and the art of Dazu Rock Carvings was gradually known to people at home and abroad. After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the Dazu Rock Carvings were valued by the relevant departments of the national government, and were listed as national, provincial, and county-level cultural relics protection units, and in-depth investigation and research have also entered a new era.

Dazu County is located in the central part of Sichuan Province, and the county seat is more than 200 kilometers away from Chongqing City.The county is narrow from north to south and wide from east to west, surrounded by continuous mountains and undulating hills. There are cave temples and niches dug everywhere, and there are more than 10 famous ones. One is Beishan (ancient name Longgangshan) Grottoes.Located 2.5 kilometers northwest of the county seat, it started in the first year of Emperor Zhaozong of the Tang Dynasty (892 A.D.), went through the Five Dynasties, the Northern Song Dynasty, and ended in the Shaoxing period of the Southern Song Dynasty. It is a Buddhist stone carving.The caves and niches include Fowan, Yingpanpo, North Tower, Guanyinpo, and Foeryan, with a total of five places numbered 448. In 1956, it was listed as a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit in Sichuan, and in 1961, it was promoted to a national-level cultural relic protection unit.

The second is Baoding Mountain (also known as Xiangshan) Grottoes.Located 17.5 kilometers east of Dazu County, it was mainly excavated during the Chunxi to Chunyou years of the Southern Song Dynasty (AD 1174-1252), and later generations added it to Buddhist stone carvings.Including Big Buddha Bay, Little Buddha Bay, Daotapo (unfinished), Longtou Mountain, Sanyuan Cave, Big Buddha Slope, Rengong Mountain, Zhushi Mountain, Opposite Buddha, Longtan, Yanwan, Fozu Temple, Fozu Rock, Sankuai Stele, Gaoguanyin, Guangdashan, Songlinpo, Taertian, a total of 18 places with 60 numbers. In 1961, it was listed as a national cultural relic protection unit.

The third is the Nanshan (ancient Guanghuashan) Grottoes.It is located 2.5 kilometers southeast of Dazu County.It originated in the Southern Song Dynasty and was added in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It is a Taoist stone carving, with a total of 15 numbers. In 1956, it was listed as a provincial cultural relic protection unit. The fourth is Shizhuanshan Grottoes.It is located in Fohui Village, Sankai Shizhuo Township, 22.5 kilometers southwest of Dazu County.It started in the fifth year of Yuanfeng in the Northern Song Dynasty (AD 1082), and has been added in successive dynasties. It is a stone carving of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism.Including Shizhuan Mountain, Qianfoyan, and Fohui Temple, there are three places No. 20 in total. In 1956, it was listed as a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit, and the nearby Thousand Buddha Rock was later listed as a county-level cultural relic protection unit.

The fifth is Shimenshan Grottoes.It is located in Shimiao Village, Shima Township, 20 kilometers southeast of Dazu County.Most of them were excavated in the Song Dynasty, and they were stone carvings of Buddhism and Taoism.Including Shimenshan and Chenjiayan, there are two No. 15s in total. The sixth is Miaogao Mountain Grottoes.Located 37.5 kilometers south-southwest of Dazu County, Jijiashan Dongfeng Reservoir.Mainly engraved in the Song Dynasty, it is a stone carving of various schools, and there are statues of the integration of Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism.A total of eight. In 1963, it was listed as a county-level cultural relic protection unit.

The seventh is Shuchengyan (ancient name Yuncongyan) Grottoes.It is located 10 kilometers west of the north of Dazu County.Most of them were chiseled during the Shaoxing period of the Southern Song Dynasty (1131-1162 A.D.), and were rebuilt by later generations. They are Taoist stone carvings, with a total of five numbers. In 1963, it was listed as a county-level cultural relic protection unit. The eighth is the Grottoes of Fo'an Bridge (also known as Foyan Bridge).It is located in Bajiao Village, Sanxi Township, 15 kilometers southwest of Dazu County.Founded in the Song Dynasty, it is mainly Buddhist stone carvings, with both Confucianism and Taoism, a total of 13. In 1964, it was listed as a county-level cultural relic protection unit.

Nine is the Yutan Grottoes.It is located in Yuhe Village, Sanxi Township, 12.5 kilometers southwest of Dazu County.It was built in the Song Dynasty and is a Buddhist stone carving, with a total of 13 numbers. In 1964, it was listed as a county-level cultural relic protection unit. Ten is the Seven Arch Bridge Grottoes.It is located in Xiangshui Village, Yutan Township, 12.5 kilometers southwest of Dazu County.Founded in the Song Dynasty, it is a Buddhist stone carving with a total of six numbers. Among the numerous stone carvings above, the Beishan, Baodingshan, Nanshan and Shizhuanshan grottoes are the most representative and the most typical and rich in content.Now it is described as follows:

Dazu Beishan Grottoes.In the late Tang Dynasty, Wei Junjing, the Jiedu envoy of Jingnan County, once built Yongchang Fort here to strengthen the defense.There are many statues of Buddha carved in the mountains of Senai.Its carvings are centered on Fowan, and are widely distributed in the North Tower, Yingpanpo, Guanyinpo, Fo'er Rock, etc. Fowan is three miles away from Dazu County, which is actually referred to here by the Dazu North Mountain recorded in Song Wangxiang's "Yudi Beimu Kao" and Ming Cao Xuequan's "Shuzhong Guangji".The name of Fowan first appeared in Zhang Shu's "You Beishan Fowan Ji" in the Qing Dynasty.Fowan was first carved in the Jingfu, Qianning and Guanghua years of Emperor Zhaozong of Tang Dynasty (892-901 A.D.), followed by Yongping and Guangzheng of the Five Dynasties, Qiande, Xianping, Yuanyou, and Yuanyou of the Northern Song Dynasty. It took more than 250 years from Daguan, Xuanhe, to Jianyan and Shaoxing in the Southern Song Dynasty, before they were carved into the scale of today's remains.During the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, although there were continuations, they were irrelevant.The places where the statues are engraved are mainly on the cliffs.The cliff carving is about seven meters high and 293 meters long. It starts from the statue of Wei Junjing in the east and ends at the stele of Lin Jun's poem in the south. It is numbered 290 in total.

Fowan Stone Carvings can be divided into three parts: First, various statues.There are 275 numbers in total, most of which are statues of Sakyamuni Buddha, Bodhisattvas, big mandala, Arhat, scriptures in disguise and some figures.Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism, was surnamed Gautama and named Siddhartha.According to legend, he is the prince of King Jingfan of Kapilavastu in northern India, and his mother is Mrs. Maya.Buddha is the abbreviation of "Buddha".Theravada Buddhism only respects Sakyamuni as the Buddha.Mahayana Buddhism not only refers to Sakyamuni, but also generally refers to all those who are enlightened and perfect, and declares that there are Buddhas everywhere in the three times and ten directions.Sakyamuni said during his lifetime that there are tower statues everywhere he walked, which are called "sacred sites".There are 48 sacred statues in India, of which six are the most famous, including Sarnath, Vulture Hill, Kushina, Lumbini, and the Lonely Garden.The statues of Shakyamuni Buddha carved in China include not only imitated Indian holy signs, but also double and triple statues carved according to the content of Buddhist scriptures.There are a total of 12 sacred statues of Sakyamuni in Fowan, among which No. 10 carved in Tang Dynasty and No. 136 carved in Song Dynasty are the most representative;

statues of bodhisattvas.The full name of Bodhisattva is "Bodhisattva", which translates as "feeling sentient beings", "all living beings of the Tao", "all living beings of the Tao mind".Bodhisattvas often mentioned in Buddhist scriptures include Manjusri, Samantabhadra, Avalokitesvara, Maitreya, Ksitigarbha, Vajrapani, etc.There are 40 Bodhisattva statues made in Fowan, among which four numbers including No. 28 are Double Avalokitesvara, No. 149 is Three Avalokitesvara, and eight numbers including No. 115 are Six Arms Avalokitesvara.There are also eight statues of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, of which No. 37 is the most representative; there are six statues of Avalokitesvara and Ksitigarbha in the same niche, of which No. 58 is the representative; There are three numbers in total, among which number 52 can be represented.

Thousand Buddha statues.Only 20, 155. Big mandala.Beishan mandala statues are not taught by the abbot of Tantric Buddhism in the past dynasties, and there is no Acharya (that is, "mentor"), so they belong to ordinary statues transformed from rituals.There are six thousand-handed Avalokitesvara statues, which can be represented by number nine; Ruyilun Avalokitesvara statues have three numbers, which can be represented by number 149; King Kong statues are number two, peacock Mingwang statues are number one; Medicine Master Liuliguang Buddha statues are six , which can be represented by No. 110 and No. 281; the golden wheel flaming light Buddha statue has two numbers, of which No. 39 can be represented. Arhat statue.Arhat, abbreviated as "Arhat".The highest attainment of Theravada Buddhism practice.In India, the birthplace of Buddhism, there were no statues of arhats, but after they were introduced to China, there were statues of arhats.Generally, there are sixteen arhats and five hundred arhats.There are sixteen arhat statues in Fowan, No. 2, of which No. 36 is the representative; five hundred Arhats, No. 168. In disguise. "Transformation" is referred to as "change".One of the popular painting art forms since the Tang Dynasty.The pictures drawn according to Buddhist scriptures are called "jingbianxiang" or "jingbian".There are two kinds of this sutra transformation in our country, one is Bodhisattva transformation and the other is Sutra transformation.Gu Kaizhi of the Jin Dynasty made Vimalakirti in the Watanguan Temple, making "the face of Qing Ying showing his illness, based on the appearance of forgetting words", which is a change for a Bodhisattva.There were changes in the prosperous Tang Dynasty, but most of them were murals, which were extremely valuable.The Transformation of the Buddha Bay Sutra, the Transfiguration of the Sutra of Amitayus (also known as "Western Pure Land Transformation"), No. 245; the Transfiguration of the Maitreya Sutra, No. 176; the Transfiguration of Thirteen-faced Avalokitesvara, No. 180; the Incarnation of Ksitigarbha, No. 177. portrait.Painting portraits of people and their deeds at that time, also known as portraits.Here are the statues of Wei Junjing, No. 1; the statues of Empress Mingsu, Nos. 122 and 128; If the above-mentioned statues are distinguished by age, in the late Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties, they were mainly Amitabha Buddha, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, Heavenly King, Hercules, Sixteen Arhats, Medicine Buddha, Avalokitesvara, Avalokitesvara, etc.; Resolve the Bodhisattva, Nine Sons and Mothers, Peacock King Ming, Five Hundred Arhats, Ksitigarbha Bian, Avalokitesvara Bian, Vimo Bian, Maitreya Bian, etc. Second, various monuments.There are a total of nine titles, among which there are ancient ones and those lost today are "Wu Jizi's Tombstone" and "Gaozu Dafengge Stele".The surviving ones are "Wei Junjing Monument", "Ancient Wen Xiaojing Monument", "Zhao Yijian Gong Shendao Monument", "Endless Old Man Monument", "Lin Jun Poetry Monument", "Western Zen Master Zuotuo Ji" and the remnant stele "Goulongcheng monument". Third, various inscriptions.There are 11 numbers in total, and there are nine numbers in total.That is, "Guo Qingzu Yimao Inscription", "Zhao Zongrui Chunxi Dingwei Inscription", "Lv Bohu Chunxi Bingwu Inscription", "Yang Yanxiang Chunxi Dingyou Inscription", "Zhao Xunfu Renshen Inscription" , "Inscription of Lu Yuanxi and Fan Mimei", "Inscription of Wang Jili Qiandao Xinmao", "Inscription of Li Jisheng Wuwu". "Jiatai Guihai Inscription" and "Shaoxing Gengshen Inscription" have been destroyed. Fourth, Jingzhu.A total of six numbers.Among them, Nos. 279 and 281 are the most complete. Dazu Baoding Mountain, 580 meters above sea level, has Shengshou Temple on the top of the mountain.Its stone statues are centered on the Big Buddha Bay in the northwest valley of Shengshou Temple and the Xiaofo Bay in the southeast of the temple.Dafowan, the ancient name of "Guangdabao Pavilion" and Xiaofowan, the ancient name of "Dabao Pavilion", were mainly excavated between Chunxi and Chunyou in the Southern Song Dynasty (AD 1174-1252), and it took more than 70 years to complete. Dafo Bay is a deep horseshoe-shaped mountain bay, about 500 meters long, with a cliff face 15-30 meters high.All the stone carvings are carved on the cliffs or grottoes on the east, south and north sides of the valley. There are 31 large-scale carvings in total, which were presided over by Zhao Zhifeng, a famous monk in the Song Dynasty.In addition, there are inscriptions on the steles. First, statues.A total of 19 issues, it is a series of works that systematically instill Buddhist teachings to the world.A few of them, such as Nos. 15, 17, 18, 20, and 30, also somewhat reflect the lives and fantasies of the people at that time, with a strong sense of life.There are four numbers of holy signs in the engravings, including: the imitation of the holy sign of Sakyamuni's descent (commonly known as "Jiulong bathing prince"), the imitation of the holy sign of Shakyamuni's nirvana, the imitation of the image of Shakyamuni becoming enlightened, and the imitation of the Buddha's tooth and blue standing image. The altar image of the yoga ministry.Excavated and built by Zhao Zhifeng, the great Acharya of the Ministry of Yoga, it is a statue of Tantric rituals.The images include: the statue of Pilu Buddha (whose Buddha is the master of the yoga department, that is, the western deity of this department), the image of Liu Benzun, the image of the Great Wheel King, the image of Avalokitesvara, the image of Guangdabao Pavilion, the image of Peacock King Ming, the image of Yunleiyin Bodhisattva, Numa statues, etc., a total of eight numbers. The teaching image of the Yoga Department.Yuanjue cave, three Buddhas, seven Buddha statues, ten Buddha statues, six thieves images, etc., a total of five numbers. In disguise.There are two pictures in total of the picture of Guan Wuliangshou Buddhist scriptures and the picture of herding cattle. Second, steles.Seven links, five existing links, that is, "Yuwen Yu Poetry Stele" in Song Dynasty, Ming Liu Tianren's "Reconstruction of Baoding Mountain Shengshou Temple", Xuanji "Reconstruction of New Baoding Facts", Zhan Fu "Lingqiu Spring Poetry Stele", Qing History The movie "Reconstruction of Baoding Mountain". Third, inscription. There are 17 poems, including eight inscriptions and nine poems.There are six poems with no names and surnames, one "Poetry of Guo Tongfu in Hebijian", one poem "A Long Tour with Feng Luo Erzhai in Yuanjue Cave with Feelings in Autumn" and one residual poem. Xiaofo Bay is on the right side of Shengshou Temple in Baoding Mountain. It is the site of "Shengshou Temple" built in Song Dynasty, or the site of "Shengshou Temple Main Hall" built by Zhao Zhifeng according to legend.The stone carvings are mainly carved on the walls and platforms of stone houses with a width of 16 meters and a depth of eight meters.There are four types of remains.The first category is statues, which are mostly destroyed. The existing ones are all after the collapse of the Sanghalan (literally translated as "the garden") of the ancient Dabao Attic, and those who have been repaired by later generations can be divided into stone house statues (about 1,000 statues), stone cave statues, etc. Image and residual image etc.The second category is steles and four links, namely Zen Master Zujue's Biography of Tang Liu Benzun, Monk Quan of Guangli Temple's "Pictures of Pagodas", "Records of Enrong Shengshou Temple", "Stele of Legend of Lanterns at Chi Shengshou Temple" and " Cao Qiong'en Shengshou Temple Stele", etc.The third category is the four inscriptions, namely "Chici Shengshouyuan", "Cheng Zhilang", "Dabao Pavilion", and "Ode to Baoding Mountain".The fourth category is the sutra building, which is engraved with the "Catalogue of Dingzhong Sutras" in Wu Zhoukan.The catalog is engraved on the first layer of the tower.Most of its scriptures have been eroded, but there are still more than 500 existing scriptures, including Theravada and Mahayana Buddhist scriptures, and the various scriptures. Among all the stone carving works in our country, the most important process is the engraving, besides the donors and the writers of the designs.The level of immediate workers determines the size of each stone carving.Regrettably, among the many stone carvings and stone carving masterpieces, a large number of engravers failed to leave their names. Although their achievements will remain in the world forever and become the treasure and essence of Chinese national culture, they will never know who carved them.In the Dazu Rock Carvings, although there are similar situations, some surnames and first names of the engravers are still left.According to preliminary statistics, from Yuanfeng in the Northern Song Dynasty to Shaoxing in the Southern Song Dynasty (1078-1149 A.D.), the names and works of 21 engravers have been handed down.which is: The authors of Beishan Peacock King Ming's Niche, Maitreya's Underbirth Sutra Bian Cave, and Ksitigarbha Incarnation Cave are craftsmen Fu Yuanjun and Nan Shineng of Honshu; Beishan Manjusri and Vimalakirti Asking Diseases, the author is Luo Fuming, Li Dalang reproduced; Beishan Nagarjuna Bodhisattva, engraved by Fu Xiaoba Beishan Leading King Bodhisattva, carved six times by Fu Xiao; The Shizhuan Mountain III Buddhist niche, Wenxuan Wang niche, and Ksitigarbha niche were written by Wen Weijian, a scholar in Yueyang, and his son Ju'an, Juli, Juyong, etc.; Shimen Mountain Sakyamuni Buddha Shrine and Shanwang Shrine, the author has the engraved composition Weiyi, and his son engraved the god craftsman Renwen Judao; Shimen Pharmacist's Altar, authored by engraver Jian Zhongjin, etc.; The Three Religions Grottoes in Mount Miaogao were written by Dongpu Gong engraved Wen Zhongzhang, Wen Yu, Wen Zhu, etc.; Pilu Cave of Fo'an Bridge, authored by Wen Mengzhou, a scholar of Dongpu, etc.; Yutan Luohan Grotto, authored by Changzhou Gongengwen Zhongzhang, his son Wenxiu and his nephew Wenkai; Thousand-handed Avalokitesvara Grotto in Yutan, author Dongpu Gongwen Wenxiu, etc.; The niche of Dongyue Emperor in half of the temple is written by Fu Yuanjun, Fu Yuanxin, Wu Zongming, etc.; The niche for the Jade Emperor in half of the temple was written by Fu Zhonglu and others. In order to encourage craftsmen to improve their skills so that they could serve the court better, the feudal rulers of past dynasties, in addition to increasing their "employment value" and rank, sometimes gave certain titles and positions to some master craftsmen.Craftsmen often pass on ancestral skills to their children and grandchildren in order to make a living.A group of engravers such as Fu Yuanjun and Wen Weiyi once led their nephews to engage in engraving work in various parts of Dazu County. Position.It is they and more unknown craftsmen who left behind these outstanding works of Dazu Rock Carvings, which are still shining brilliantly and are extremely precious. What is particularly memorable is the No. 22 cliff statue in Dafo Bay, Baoding Mountain. Among the 10 statues of Ming King Kong, there are still five unfinished bodies, only showing large blocks and bold and smooth chisel marks. There are roughly beaten stone tires and unfinished statue outlines on the walls.These are excellent materials for us to understand the process of making ancient statues. Looking at the above-mentioned stone carvings in various places in Dazu, each has its own characteristics.For example, the Baodingshan stone carvings were carried out in a planned and purposeful manner under the auspices of the Tantric master Zhao Zhifeng. Therefore, there is no repetition in the 19 groups of works in Dafowan. Even from the images of single Buddhas and characters, it is difficult to find two identical ones.This feature is also manifested in the diversity of themes, styles, methods and organic connections of each group, which can produce great artistic charm.In the strict plan, it also highlights and systematically promotes the Buddhist thoughts of karma and reincarnation.For example, the 10 kinds of "kindness" of parents in Fowan No. 15, Sakyamuni himself on No. 17 and various stories of filial piety to repay kindness and sacrifice one's life to seek the Dharma, No. 18's "Contemplation of Sutras", and No. 20's "Hell Transformation" are all concrete manifestations.The second characteristic of Baodingshan stone carvings is that they are full of life.One is the subject matter of engraving, which selects more content that directly reflects people's real life; the other is the artistic technique of carving, which makes life truly reflected.For example, the theme of the picture of "Cow Herding Dojo" is to express "tune the mind", but what catches people's eyes is the ancient rural grazing life full of poetry.The third feature is the diversity of styles.For example, the engraving techniques include the Yuanjue Cave and Avalokitesvara, which are as delicate as clay sculptures, as well as the bold and unrestrained Cattle Dojo, Hell in Disguise, and Ten Ming Kings.Generally speaking, most of the works are calm and powerful, with a strong sense of three-dimensionality. Compared with the delicate and weak features of other works of the Song Dynasty, they are unique and contain healthy aesthetic factors.The fourth feature is that many Buddhist niches are in the shape of a concave and perfect circle, with no decoration on the back of the niche, simple and generous. This shape can be regarded as the most prominent feature of the niches in the grottoes.The fifth feature is that every group of stone carvings in Dafo Bay and other places, and even every piece of work has explanatory text, which are mostly carved in the gaps of the statues.Its titles and storylines can be clearly seen in its texts, recorded scriptures, or verses.This is rare in other grottoes.In addition, Zhao's biography of Liu Benzun was the master of Tantra before Tsongkhapa (1357-1419 A.D.).Baoding Mountain is the main Taoist temple run by Zhao Zhifeng. There are a large number of stone carvings in it. This is the only place that is actually an important relic in the history of Chinese religion. Beishan Fowan Stone Carving No. 136 "Xinshen (also known as Xingchen) Car Cave" is the most representative of the Northern Song Dynasty grottoes.Especially the playboy depicted on the railing of the car cave has a very cute posture, fully showing the child's innocence, lively and playful expression.The representativeness of the Xinshen Cave is also reflected in the accuracy and clarity of the stone carving techniques, without fuzziness and chaos, which can be regarded as one of the models of ancient stone carving techniques.In addition, the carvings of Buddha statues such as Manjusri, Samantabhadra, and Guanyin are not only beautiful in appearance, but also have outstanding personalities. They are also a group of valuable and excellent works. The characteristics of Dazu Rock Carving art represented by Beishan, Baodingshan, Nanshan and Shizhuanshan can be summarized as rich themes and contents, ingenious conception and layout, vivid artistic images, rich life flavor, various styles and techniques, and rich carving pictures and texts. Seven points such as the combination of science and art.These characteristics not only show the connection and difference between Dazu Grottoes and other grotto arts, but also reflect its precious artistic value. The development of grotto art in my country was mostly an imitation of Indian grotto art in the Northern Dynasties. It was not until the Tang Dynasty, especially after the mid-Tang Dynasty, that grotto art and exquisite and beautiful works with Chinese characteristics really appeared.In the late Tang and Song dynasties, that is, in the period of Dazu Grottoes art, the degree of nationalization can be said to have fully reached a mature stage.Not only has the style of the works been sinicized, but many works have also broken through the shackles of religious rituals in terms of content, reflecting the social style at that time and expressing the love and hatred of the people. The art of Dazu Grottoes has extended the history of grotto art in my country for nearly 400 years, and occupies an important position in the history of culture, art, and religion.So what was the reason for its success during this period?Preliminary analysis, slightly four points.First, historical changes have shifted the center of gravity of political and economic activities from north to south.Before the "Anshi Rebellion" in the Tang Dynasty, the Yellow River and the Yangtze River were the pillars of Tang's economy, but political, cultural, religious and other activities were still dominated by the Yellow River Basin. After the "Anshi Rebellion", the activity center of the superstructure began to move southward, which promoted the development of religion and art in Sichuan.Second, there is no war in Shu.According to literature records, after the late Tang Dynasty, Sichuan "had a full treasury, no different from the capital".In the Southern Song Dynasty, Sichuan had a population of nearly 10 million, and its annual fiscal revenue and offerings to the imperial court accounted for 1/3 to 1/2 of the needs of the Southern Song Dynasty.Third, the proliferation of Buddhist thoughts. During the "Anshi Rebellion", Xuanzong, who went to Sichuan, wrote books to the Daci Temple and gave the temple thousands of acres of fertile land. The new Luo monk Jin Zen Master came in to provide supplies, and established regulations. There are 96 courtyards and 8,500 areas.During Tang Xizong's reign, he "sent a monk Zhixuan to see him".In this way, the accompanying officials also accompanied the king to worship the Buddha and built "seven Buddha niches" and so on.Local officials, such as Sun Xizhuang, governor of Hezhou, opened Buddhist shrines in Beiya, Hechuan.Wei Junjing, the governor of Changzhou, chiseled a statue of a golden immortal with thousands of hands and eyes on the West Cuibi in the barracks (that is, Fowan, Beishan, Dazu).Fourth, the rise of esoteric religion.Esoteric Buddhism was introduced into my country during the period of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, and it prevailed before the late Tang Dynasty.At the end of the Tang Dynasty, the Five Dynasties, and the Song Dynasty, when the Northern Esoteric School was weak and declined, the Sichuan Esoteric School developed and flourished.The development of Dazu Tantra is mainly due to two people.One is Liu Benzun of the late Tang and Five Dynasties (855-942 A.D.). He inherited the esoteric teaching of the Vajra Ding Yoga Department of the Tang Dynasty, and specialized in holding the five secret mantras of the Great Wheel. Set up a dojo, created his own teaching system, and was called "the king of the Tang Yoga Department".The king of Shu was amazed and sent envoys to praise him, and the esoteric religion in Liangchuan prevailed.The Dazu Beishan Cliff was built under this situation.Among the caves at No. 290 in Fowan, Beishan, more than half were excavated in the late Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties, and 2/3 of them were of esoteric religion, which shows its grand development.The second is Zhao Benzun (Zhao Zhifeng) in the Song Dynasty. He "passed on the decree of Liu Benzun and established the sect of Liu Benzun", which is called "the secret seal of the six generations of patriarchs". The rule of virtue is far and near, and there is no one who does not take refuge."He led his apprentices to raise funds, and for more than 70 consecutive years, he carved tens of thousands of Buddha statues in Dafowan and Xiaofowan, and created a unique and large-scale esoteric mandala in my country.