Chinanews.com, Chengdu, August 9th. The special survey report on the caves (including cliff statues) in Sichuan Province was released on the 9th.
The report shows that, including 115 newly discovered grottoes, there are 2,134 existing grottoes (including cliff sculptures) in Sichuan, the largest number in China.
It is reported that in order to fully grasp the status quo of Sichuan grottoes (including cliff sculptures) and lay the foundation for future protection and utilization, Sichuan initiated a special survey of grottoes (including cliff sculptures) in November 2020.
More than 240 investigators from the Sichuan Provincial (municipal) Archaeological Institute and universities formed an investigation team. In 8 months, they investigated 2,953 cultural relics in 20 cities (prefectures), and recently completed a special investigation report.
The exquisitely carved Hejiawan Cliff Grottoes.
Photo courtesy of the investigation team
There are a huge number of statues in Sichuan grottoes, which are widely distributed, and are mainly small and medium-sized grottoes. They began in the late Northern Dynasties and prospered in the Tang and Song Dynasties. They have strong regional uniqueness and era characteristics. The embodiment of unique value.
The report shows that among the 2,134 existing grottoes (including cliff sculptures) in Sichuan, there are 33 national key cultural relics protection units, 111 provincial-level cultural relics protection units, 116 municipal and prefecture-level cultural relics protection units, and 233 county-level cultural relics protection units.
As one of the leaders of the investigation team, Yao Jun, deputy dean of the Sichuan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, introduced that 115 newly discovered grottoes (including cliff sculptures) are all over Mianyang, Luzhou, Guangyuan, Leshan, Nanchong, Ganzi, etc. 11 These cities (prefectures) have no shortage of fine stone carvings from the Tang and Song Dynasties, among which 35 are as far away as the Tang Dynasty.
The Qianfo Cliff of Jiajiang has serious water damage and weathering.
Photo courtesy of the investigation team
A map of the distribution density of grottoes (including cliff sculptures) in Sichuan Province specially produced by the investigation team shows that there are more than 200 grottoes (including cliff sculptures) in Chengdu, Ziyang, Bazhong, and Nanchong, with the smallest distribution density in Ganzi Prefecture and Liangshan Prefecture. , Are less than 10 places.
The survey results show that weathering, water erosion, instability, mold and other diseases are common in Sichuan grottoes (including cliff sculptures), including 833 places with structural instability, 1384 places with water hazards, and 1574 places with biological diseases.
The nine-pin Liang cliff sculpture newly discovered in this special investigation.
Photo courtesy of the investigation team
The relevant person in charge of the Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau said that the biggest result of this special investigation is to find out the "family background" of the Sichuan grottoes (including the cliff statues) and find the basic diseases, which provides an important basis for building a scientific and effective protection system.
It is reported that Sichuan will issue an implementation plan for the protection and utilization of grottoes in the future.
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