Atlas of China
Shibaoshan Grottoes 石宝山石窟Shíbǎo Shān Shíkū
4A scenic area · National heritage site · Dali, Yunnan
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Days to budget
- Half a day
- City
- Dali
- Region
- Yunnan
- Type
- Heritage
- Listed as
- 4A scenic area, National heritage site
About Shibaoshan Grottoes
Buddhist cave carvings on forested Shibao Mountain above the Shaxi valley, cut during the Nanzhao and Dali kingdoms. Seventeen grottoes in three groups, at Shizhong Temple, Shiziguan and Shadengqing, hold 233 figures: Buddhas, bodhisattvas, guardian kings and monks, but also, unusually, Nanzhao kings with their courtiers and families. The carving shows Tang and Song influence, similar to cave art in Sichuan, combined with a strongly local style.
How to get to Shibaoshan Grottoes
About 30 minutes by road from Shaxi, which is roughly 2 hours from Dali or Lijiang; public transport is sparse.
Nearby
- Shaxi Ancient Town 沙溪古镇 under 10 km
A caravan town on the old Tea Horse Road, with a village market every Friday
Also within 20 km: Jianchuan Woodcarving Art Town 剑川木雕艺术小镇 (20 km).
On the map
Open Shibaoshan Grottoes on the illustrated map to see the terrain around it and what else is close, and to add it to a trip.
Open Shibaoshan Grottoes on the map