One Day Chongqing Dazu Rock Carvings Tour
Tour Overview
Dazu Rock Carvings are one of the many late period Grotto Art Masterpieces in China due to the size of the sculptures, artistry those both very large sculptures, and their excellent preservation. Thus, this One Day Chongqing Dazu Rock Carvings Tour makes for an outstanding Chongqing day tour for those looking for deep cultural understanding not having to do with the skyline views from the City of Chongqing.
The journey highlights Baodingshan, the artistic heart of the Dazu Rock Carvings, which shows Buddhist and Taoist and Confucian beliefs through its detailed stone carvings. The tour includes Dafowan U-shaped cliff gallery, Xiaofowan statue collection and peaceful environment of Shengshou Temple before returning to downtown Chongqing.
Travel destination: Chongqing
Suitable for: Culture Lovers, Stone Carving Enthusiasts
Tour type: Private
Highlights of this tour:
- Discover the UNESCO-listed Dazu Rock Carvings, a pinnacle of Chinese grotto art from the Tang to Qing dynasties.
- Focus on Baodingshan, the most highlighted area, featuring Dafowan’s U-shaped cliff gallery with vivid Buddhist storytelling reliefs.
- Enjoy the peaceful setting of Shengshou Temple nestled behind Dafowan’s dramatic cliff carvings.
Day-by-day Itinerary
- Day 1: Chongqing to Dazu Rock CarvingsExplore China's finest late grotto art where Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism merge harmoniously
Your guide will arrive at your hotel at the scheduled time to drive you 1.5 hours to Dazu Rock Carvings which stand as a Chinese late-period grotto art masterpiece. The first stone carvings at Dazu began during the early Tang Dynasty and continued until the Song, Ming and Qing Dynasties which created a complete system of Chinese stone carving. The carvings display their enormous size, exceptional artistry and diverse subject matter while maintaining their original condition because they show how Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian beliefs found artistic expression through their complete Buddhist system.
Dafowan of Dazu Rock Carvings Today’s visit focuses on Baodingshan, the highlight of the Dazu Rock Carvings. Here, cliff carvings were created over more than 70 years and are distributed across the east, south, and north rock faces, covering approximately 3,600 square meters and featuring 31 large-scale compositions. The centerpiece is Dafowan, a U-shaped cliff gallery displaying narrative carvings of Buddhist teachings, including the famous Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara and vivid scenes from the Buddha’s life. Each carving is uniquely designed, combining sculpture and inscriptions, with many works representing outstanding examples of Song Dynasty esoteric Buddhist art.
The statue collection at Xiaofowan contains more than 2000 remaining statues which you will see before heading to Shengshou Temple which exists behind Dafowan. The temple complex building shows an imposing presence at the same time it creates a peaceful atmosphere throughout the mountainside area.
You will return to downtown Chongqing after your visit.
Shengshou Temple
Tour Price Per Person
The price varies depending on the activity, number of people, travel date, and selected hotel. Please contact us for a specific price.
