Xumishan Grottoes

Xumishan takes its name from Sumeru, the mountain at the centre of the Buddhist universe, and around a hundred and thirty caves were cut into its red sandstone knolls between the Northern Wei and the Tang, on a route that carried Buddhism east. The best known figure is a seated Maitreya of about twenty metres from the Tang, originally sheltered by a wooden structure that has long gone, so it now sits exposed on the hillside, visible from a distance across the valley. Other caves hold Northern Wei and Sui sculpture in various states, reached by paths and stairs across several separate hills.

History

Before the caves were cut, the hill was known as Fengyishan. Work began under the Northern Wei and went on, with periodic rebuilding, through the following dynasties to the Tang; the site lay on the Silk Road, the route by which Buddhism spread east, and its decorative motifs draw on India and Central Asia (Wikipedia, Xumishan Grottoes).

What to look for

• The Tang Maitreya - a twenty-metre seated Buddha open to the sky.
• The Northern Wei caves - earlier sculpture in the smaller chambers.
• The red sandstone hills - the knolls the caves are cut into.
• The linking paths - stairs and bridges between the separate groups.

When to go

April to June and September to October; summer is hot and winter cold in southern Ningxia. Morning light falls best on the great Buddha. The site is quiet outside holidays.

Things to know

Many caves are damaged, weathered or closed. The site is spread across hills with a lot of climbing. Access from Guyuan needs a taxi and the area sees few foreign visitors.

Nearby

Guyuan lies southeast; Kongtong Mountain is south in Gansu.

Key facts