The Wushan Shuilian Cave Grottoes, a sight that spans a thousand years, surpasses the Maijishan Grottoes

🍱 Because of a bowl of much-craved spicy hot pot, I made a special trip to Tianshui again; due to the popularity of the spicy hot pot, I chose to rest and transfer in Wushan, a county under the jurisdiction of Tianshui, and stumbled upon the Tianshui Wushan Shuilian Cave by chance. I can only say that the travel experience here is a hundred times better than that of the Maijishan Grottoes, highly recommended! 🍀 Initial acquaintance: The Wushan Shuilian Cave Grottoes is a large open-air grotto complex in the Longnan region, second only to the Maijishan Grottoes. There are four grotto units that still exist today: Xiansheng Pool, Lashao Temple, Shuilian Cave, and Thousand Buddha Caves, which are halls that continue the Buddhist art of the East and West on the ancient Silk Road. ✅ What to see: 1️⃣ The world's first open-air cliff relief of a giant Buddha. The entire statue is presented in the form of a shallow relief with smooth lines and balanced proportions, carved on the natural cliff face, which undulates in height. There is also a well-preserved painted clay sculpture of one Buddha and two Bodhisattvas, showcasing the exquisite skills of ancient Chinese sculpture, with an impact that is no less than that of the Maijishan Grottoes. 2️⃣ The Buddhist grottoes and the Danxia landform complement each other. The Danxia landform here offers unique scenery, with strangely shaped mountains and rocks such as One-Line Sky, Axe-Testing Mountain, Lotus Mountain, and Elephant Trunk Mountain, as well as a variety of exotic flowers and plants scattered across the mountains, perfectly integrated with the Buddhist grottoes and architecture. 3️⃣ The natural wonder of Shuilian Cave. Shuilian Cave is a natural rock cave about 50 meters high and more than 20 meters deep, named for the waterfall-like streams that pour down from the eaves of the cave on rainy days. What's more extraordinary is that the cave is densely packed with cultural relics, with temples and other ancient buildings constructed in every nook and cranny, blending seamlessly with the natural landscape of Shuilian Cave, which is absolutely marvelous. 👉 How to play: After entering the scenic area, take the sightseeing bus to the main Shuilian Cave attraction, turn left for Shuilian Cave, and right for Lashao Temple, and you must return the same way you came. The overall visiting time is about 3 hours. 🎫 Ticket: 30 yuan per person, round-trip ticket for the sightseeing bus is 10 yuan per person, and the sightseeing bus is highly recommended, as walking would be at least 2 kilometers. 📍 Address: Located in Luban Gorge in the mountains of Zhonglouwan Village, Yupan Town, 25 kilometers northeast of Wushan County, Tianshui City, Gansu Province. There is a parking lot outside the scenic area visitor center, with a starting price of 5 yuan. 🤳 Tips: It is recommended to go in the morning, as the morning sun shines directly on the open-air cliff relief of the giant Buddha, making it ideal for photography. The plank road to the Thousand Buddha Caves is currently under repair, and the walking conditions are poor, so it is advisable to skip it.