Cliff three Buddha niches

Cliff three Buddha niches

Carved in the Wu Zhou period, the cliff three Buddha niches are one of the most famous scenic spots in Longmen Grottoes.

brief introduction

Original name

The three Buddhas created by the cliff three Buddhas stand for the past, the present and the future. It is a typical theme of the three Buddhas. This cave is called the cliff three Buddhas because of the cliffside statues and the theme of the three Buddhas.

Buddha statue

The three Buddhas with Maitreya as the main theme are rare in Chinese grottoes. The cave has no title. There are seven statues in the three niches on the cliff, of which three are sitting Buddhas and four are standing Buddhas. Maitreya Buddha is the main statue, and the two on the left and right are sitting Buddhas. This combination of statues is extremely rare in China's grotto temples. Maitreya, the main Buddha, sits on a square pedestal. The top of his head is damaged. Only the outline is carved without polishing. According to the Buddhist scriptures, Maitreya Buddha is the "future Buddha" and appeared as the successor of Sakyamuni.

significance

Combined with literature research, the cave should be excavated by Empress Wu Zetian to establish the Wu Zhou regime and create Buddhist theological public opinion, and publicize the Wu family as Maitreya, so as to stabilize the regime. It was excavated in the period of Wu Zhou regime, i.e. around 690 A.D. because of the coup instigated by Zhang Cambodian in Wu's later years and the end of Wu Zhou regime, the grottoes were abandoned immediately. Therefore, the statues in the grottoes were only rough and crude. But this group of statues shows the process of making a stone into a worshipped Buddha.

history

Wu Zetian made use of Maitreya belief to create public opinion for her accession to the throne, and then called herself "Ci Shi" (Maitreya), which promoted the popularity of Maitreya belief. With the collapse of the Wu Zhou regime, the excavation of the three Buddha niches on the cliff also stopped. Although these statues are semi-finished products, they provide us with a valuable material for us to understand the excavation process of grotto statues.

Address: Xishan Grottoes in Longmen Grottoes scenic area, Luolong District, Luoyang City, between Binyang three caves and Wanfo cave.

Longitude: 112.47669153373

Latitude: 34.556090548485

Ticket information: no ticket required. It's included in the 120 yuan ticket of Longmen Grottoes. Tickets for the night tour are 120 yuan, including Xishan grottoes and Xiangshan temple.