Piyang Caves
皮央石窟
Thousands of cave openings and monastery-fortress ruins cover an earth hill behind Piyang village, a few kilometres west of Dungkar; one of the largest known Buddhist cave sites in Tibet.
Piyang Caves occupy an entire earth hill behind Piyang village in Zanda County. Thousands of cave openings are stacked like a honeycomb, and the hilltop still has remnants of the Dukang Hall, stupas and fortress ruins. Contemporary with the Guge kingdom (roughly the 11th to 16th centuries), it is one of the largest known Buddhist cave complexes in Tibet. Together with Dungkar Caves, it is listed as a national key cultural heritage site. Exquisite gilt bronze Buddha statues have been unearthed here, and some caves still retain murals, but the main attraction is the spectacular cluster of caves. A footpath climbs to the hillside, offering views of Piyang village and the valley below. Tickets and opening arrangements are handled by village caretakers, and the situation may change on site. It is about one hour's drive north of the county town, roughly 5 km from Dungkar Caves, making the two easy to visit together. The hill is made of soft earth, so do not enter caves that are not open.
Opening hours
Open during the day (contact the administrator)
Nearby sights
- Dungkar Caves
- Zanda Earth Forest
- Sutlej (Xiangquan) River Valley
- Tholing Monastery
- Zanda Town (Tholing)
- Guge Kingdom Ruins (Tsaparang)