Mati Temple (Matisi Grottoes)

马蹄寺

A thousand-year-old grotto complex carved into cliffs at the foot of the Qilian Mountains, with the tiered Thirty-Three Heavens caves, blending Yugur ethnic culture with snowy peaks and grassland.

The Mati Temple Grottoes (Matisi Grottoes) lie in Mati Tibetan Ethnic Township, Sunan Yugur Autonomous County, on the northern foothills of the Qilian Mountains about 65 km south of Zhangye city. Carving began in the Northern Liang period, and the name comes from a legend that a celestial horse left hoofprints here. The site combines grottoes, Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and natural scenery. Its highlight is the Thirty-Three Heavens caves: 21 caves across seven tiers carved into red sandstone cliffs, linked internally by narrow, steep tunnels and steps. Climbing to the top offers a view over the entire valley, a cave form rarely seen in China. Other sites include the Thousand Buddha Caves (grottoes and relief pagodas from the Northern Liang to the Yuan dynasty), Jinta Temple (flying apsara painted sculptures from the Northern Liang in the eastern and western caves, requiring a separate ticket and advance booking), Mati Hall, and Puguang Temple. The surroundings include Qilian Mountain meadows and the Linsong Xiegu valley. In summer you can ride horses, watch Yugur song and dance performances, and stay in tents. Admission costs about RMB 74, and there is a shuttle bus within the scenic area. A private car from Zhangye takes about 1.5 hours. Most visitors spend a half day to most of a day here. Notes: the passages inside the Thirty-Three Heavens caves are extremely narrow, so people who are afraid of heights or have a larger build should think twice. Traffic is one-way. The altitude is above 2,500 m, so mornings and evenings are cold. Photography is prohibited inside the caves.

Mati Temple (Matisi Grottoes)

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