Xumishan Grottoes 须弥山石窟

About Xumishan Grottoes

The large seated Maitreya at Dafo Tower is the best-known image, while the Yuanguang Temple and Xiangguo Temple areas reveal a wider sequence of cave carving. The site developed across several dynasties along routes connected with the Silk Road. Its museum helps explain the imagery before the outdoor climb.

Before the grottoes were carved the site was known as Fengyishan. Construction is thought to have begun in the late Northern Wei, linked to Guyuan's position on the Silk Road, and continued through the Western Wei, Northern Zhou, Sui and Tang dynasties. During the Tang, Jingyun Temple (景云寺) was built nearby; it was rebuilt in 1443 and renamed Yuanguang Temple (圆光寺) by Emperor Yingzong, while Xiangguo Temple (相国寺) was built nearby.

A 1986 survey by Peking University (北京大学) and Ningxia's cultural heritage office (宁夏回族自治区文化厅文物处) numbered 132 caves across eight areas spread along more than 1,500 metres of hillside, including the Dafo Tower, Zisun Palace, Yuanguang Temple, Xiangguo Temple and Taohua Cave areas. Statues, wall paintings and inscribed stelae are found within the grottoes, some of which may have served to house monks; the seated Maitreya at Dafo Tower stands 65 feet tall.

Statues were smashed during the Cultural Revolution, and the largest cave served as a shooting range. The site was listed as a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level (全国重点文物保护单位) in 1982, but continued to suffer damage from weathering and illegal digging; cement was used on the seated Buddha in 1982 during conservation work, and in 2007 the grottoes were placed on the World Monuments Fund's list of the world's 100 most endangered sites.

What to look for

• The seated Maitreya at Dafo Tower is the major landmark.
• Yuanguang and Xiangguo cave groups reveal varied Buddhist carving.

Location & getting there

Getting to Xumishan Grottoes

Use the Xumishan Tourism Area visitor entrance in the Huangduobao/Sanying area of Yuanzhou District, Guyuan. Plan the road transfer from Guyuan and check the open cave route, internal transport and return pickup.