Baoquansi Caves

The Baoquansi Caves () is a Buddhist site located on the western bank of Pingdingchuan, Taibai Township, Heshui County, Gansu in Northwest China. Built during the Northern Wei Dynasty (386AD–534AD) and excavated on an 8-meter tall cliff, Baoquansi consists of 25 horseshoe-shaped niches and 153 stone statues. Most of the niches have been well preserved, however some parts have been damaged by erosion and looting. The Baoquansi Caves is a valuable site to study the spread of Buddhism since it is located on one of the ancient northern Silk Road paths.

Niches description & list The Baoquansi Caves were carved into a cliff wall and are 40 meters long and eight meters high, with the grottoes running east to west. Among the niches, three, four, five, and six are the largest. Some of these niches are square-shaped while others are horseshoe-shaped or domed. The largest of all is niche four. The width, height, and depth are all three meters. The main wall consists of the Buddhas Śākyamuni and Prabhūtaratna sitting side by side with Maitreya. The north and south walls are each composed of two Buddhas. There are also two Bodhisattva standing at the entrance. +List of NichesNiche No.Time PeriodContentCurrent Condition1Early Northern Wei (Year 477–499) One Buddha, two Bodhisattva Good2One Buddha, two Bodhisattva The Bodhisattva in good condition; the other two statues eroded3Cross-legged Bodhisattva, two Buddhas sitting by each other, Manjusri, small Buddhas on the wall Two Buddhas' face destroyed; cross-legged Bodhisattva face eroded; left Manjusri eroded 4Cross-legged Bodhisattva, two Buddhas sitting by each other, Manjusri, small Buddhas on the wall Two Buddhas' surface destroyed; Manjusri's upper body destroyed 5One Buddha, two Bodhisattva Collected by the Longdong Ancient Carved Stone Art Museum (Chinese: 陇东古石刻艺术博物馆) 6Eleven Buddha statues Heads damaged 7Late Northern Wei to Western Wei (Year 534–557) Cross-legged Bodhisattva, two Buddhas sitting by each other Heads damaged 8Buddha statue Head damaged 9One Buddha, two Bodhisattva Heads damaged 10One Buddha, two Bodhisattva Leg lost for the right Bodhisattva 11One Buddha, two Bodhisattva Face eroded 12One Buddha, two Bodhisattva Heads damaged 13Mid Northern Wei (Year 490–512) Two Buddha statues Heads damaged 14One Buddha, two Bodhisattva Collected by the Longdong Ancient Carved Stone Art Museum (Chinese: 陇东古石刻艺术博物馆) 15Cross-legged Bodhisattva, two Manjusri Heads damaged 16Late Northern Wei to Western Wei (Year 534–557) Buddha statue Eroded 17Buddha statue Eroded 18Buddha statue Eroded 19Two Buddha statues Faces damaged20Unknown Damaged due to erosion 21Two Buddha statues Faces damaged22One Buddha, two Bodhisattva Manjusri destroyed 23Cross-legged Buddha, lion head, Buddha head Lion and Buddha heads eroded 24One Buddha, two Bodhisattva Only legs remain25One Buddha, two Bodhisattva Eroded 26Unknown Damaged due to erosion 27Unknown Damaged due to erosion 28Unknown Damaged due to erosion 29Five Buddha statues Partially remained30Unknown Damaged due to erosion 31Early Northern Wei (Year 477–499) Strongman statue Lower body covered in ground; head missing32Late Northern Wei (Year 512–534) One Buddha, two Bodhisattva Heads damaged 33Buddha statue Head damaged 34Unknown Statue building incomplete35Buddha statue Collected by the Longdong Ancient Carved Stone Art Museum (Chinese: 陇东古石刻艺术博物馆) 36Buddha statue Eroded37One Buddha, two Bodhisattva Collapsed38UnknownDamaged due to erosion 39Unknown Damaged due to erosion 40Unknown Damaged due to erosion 41Unknown Damaged due to erosion

Murals During the mid to late Northern Wei Dynasty, murals, utilizing many colors, were used to emphasize different characters. These murals mainly included images of the Asparas, the Bodhisattva, the thousand buddhas, Buddha, and donors. These characters were often portrayed as tall and thin figures with a clear compositional outline. Various shades of green were also used heavily during the Northern Wei Dynasty. Complementary and supplementary colors were used to create a total sense of harmony.

Relic destruction, protection, and relocation Across Chinese history, there has been looting and destruction of Buddha statues, however, this was exacerbated in the late 19th and 20th centuries. During the Cultural Revolution, there was an increased belief in destroying ancient Chinese culture. For instance, the "Destroy the Four Olds" motto led to the mass destruction of antique items. After the Cultural Revolution, the Gansu government listed these caves in the Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit and sent caretakers to look after the caves. However, despite this protection, looting still continued to plague the area. As a result, the government decided to move three Buddha statues in the best condition to the Longdong Ancient Carved Stone Art Museum (Chinese: 陇东古石刻艺术博物馆), where they are now preserved.

Baoquansi Caves

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