Kezil Thousand-Buddha Grottoes

The Kezil Thousand Buddha Caves, also known as the Kezil Grottoes, share the reputation of being among the "Four Great Famous Grottoes of China" along with the renowned Mogao Grottoes. First constructed during the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Kezil Grottoes are the earliest Buddhist grottoes in Chinese history.

Highlights of Kezil Thousand-Buddha Grottoes

Statue of Kumarajiva

At the entrance to the Kezil Thousand Buddha Caves stands a statue of the eminent monk Kumarajiva. Kumarajiva lived during the flourishing period of the Kingdom of Kucha and made enormous contributions to the spread and development of Buddhism in China. This statue is an important cultural landscape in the scenic area and carries profound historical and cultural significance.

Caves

Caves

One of the architectural features of the Kezil Thousand Buddha Caves is the combination of caves of different types and functions, including central-pillared caves, large-image caves, as well as monks' quarters and square caves, which can be used by monks for worship, circumambulation, daily living, and so on. The combination of caves with different functions presents a panoramic view of life in a monastery.

Murals

"Buddha's Karmic and Biographical Stories"

The murals in the Kezil Grottoes went through three periods: early, middle, and late, in terms of themes and artistic styles. The murals are rich in content, including not only Buddhist elements such as flying Apsaras, heavenly musicians, stupas, Bodhisattvas, Arhats, the Eight Divisions of Heavenly Beings, Buddha's Jataka stories, and Buddha's life stories, but also a large number of paintings depicting folk customs.

Among them, the most representative is the mural of "Buddha's Karmic and Biographical Stories" (in Cave 14). Through continuous diamond-shaped grids, it tells the karmic and biographical stories of the Buddha, such as his birth, enlightenment, and turning the Dharma wheel. The diamond-shaped grid composition is a major feature of the Kezil Grottoes. Each grid contains an independent story scene, which is both unified and full of changes. This composition not only increases the capacity of the murals but also reflects the ingenious ideas and innovative spirit of ancient artists in composition.

Educational Value

The unique diamond-shaped grid composition, the "twisted iron wire-like" line technique, and the use of mineral pigments such as lapis lazuli blue in the murals demonstrate the innovations of ancient artists in compositional logic, color application, and painting skills. These artistic features are important examples of the independent development of Chinese Buddhist art and are suitable for explaining traditional aesthetics and creative thinking in art education.