Wofoyuan Grottoes
卧佛院
The largest Tang-dynasty cliffside reclining Buddha in China, and home to the largest cluster of Tang-era scripture-carving caves; the Buddha, about 23 metres long, lies on its side along the cliff.
Wofoyuan Grottoes lie in Wofo Gully, Bamiao Town, roughly 25 km north of the Anyue County seat. They are representative of the Anyue Grottoes, a national key cultural relic protection unit. The principal image, a statue of the Buddha entering nirvana, was carved in the High Tang period. It is about 23 metres long, with its head to the east and feet to the west, lying on its right side, and it is one of the largest Tang reclining Buddhas in China. The surrounding cliff contains more than a hundred niches and over ten scripture-carving caves, inscribed with about 400,000 characters of Buddhist scripture, which makes it the largest cluster of Tang stone scriptures in China. Admission prices follow the notices posted on site. A stream trail through Wofo Gully takes about an hour to walk. Most carvings are open-air rock reliefs, so touching, climbing and using flash photography are prohibited. The points of interest are far apart, so self-driving or hiring a car in the county town is recommended.
Opening hours
About 08:30–17:30
Nearby sights
- Mumen Temple
- Xuanmiao Taoist Temple Carvings
- Anyue Lemon Orchards
- Qianfozhai (Thousand-Buddha Camp) Grottoes
- Anyue Confucian Temple & Kuige Pavilion
- Yuanjue Cave Grottoes
- Gaosheng Giant Buddha
- Pilu Cave (Purple Bamboo Guanyin)