Shanxi Travel Guide
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| Tianlongshan Grottoes |
Situated 36 km in the southwest of taiyuan , is the ' Tianlongshan Grottoes' built in 'Dong Wei Five. States' dynasty and fined in Yuan dynasty, in the existing 25 caves from 'Bei Chao' period carved with 'Arc Carving' is known as ' Tianlong Style' Over 500 sculptures of Buddhism characters there later were taken as models for the making of the kind in China.
Not far from the grottoes is Tianlong Temple which was built in the Northern Qi Dynasty (550-577). The construction of the Buddhist-statue grottoes can be traced back to the dynasty of Eastern Wei (534-550).
The grottoes have 24 caves scattered in the cliffs halfway up the western and eastern peaks ofthe Tianlong Mountains. On the steep cliff is Manshan Pavilion. The wooden structure, more than 10 meters high, looks very grand. The exquisite stone statue of Buddha standing on a lotus flower with a patch of blue sky on his head is a model of decorum and uprightness.
Frescos kept there are 1144 pieces with vivid appearances with delicacy appreciated as the prime of the world by professionals.
