Chapter 2: A Walk Through Time: Historical Timeline of Dazu
If the Dazu Rock Carvings were a book, their stone pages would be filled with stories spanning ten centuries. From the Tang Dynasty (618–907) to the Qing Dynasty (1636–1912), each era left its unique mark on these cliffs, turning simple rock faces into a living record of China’s past. To understand Dazu is to walk through time—so let’s follow the chisel marks and meet the people who shaped this heritage.
The story begins in the Tang Dynasty, a period of great prosperity and cultural flourishing in China. Buddhism, which had entered China centuries earlier, was widely accepted by people from all walks of life—from emperors and nobles to ordinary villagers. Wealthy families and local officials often funded religious art to show their faith and gain merit. The first carvings in Dazu date back to the 9th century, during this golden age of Tang culture. These early works are simple yet powerful: most are small Buddha statues with calm, gentle faces, carved into quiet valleys far from busy towns.
The craftsmen of the Tang focused on capturing the sacredness of the figures. Their robes fold softly, and their eyes seem to smile, conveying a sense of peace and compassion. One key patron of this era was Wei Junjing, a local official who funded a group of carvings in the Beishan area. His goal was to honor Buddha and bring good fortune to his people, and his support laid the foundation for Dazu’s later fame. These Tang carvings reflect the confidence and grandeur of the era—an empire at the height of its power, embracing new ideas and expressing them through art.
After the Tang Dynasty came the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (907–979), a short but chaotic period when China was divided into many small states. Despite the political instability, work on the Dazu carvings did not stop. Local warlords and wealthy families continued to fund small-scale carvings, hoping to gain respect from their people and find comfort in religion amid the turmoil. These works are more practical than the Tang ones—many include short inscriptions that tell stories of daily life, such as farmers praying for good harvests or families asking for health.
For example, a small carving in Nanshan shows a farmer kneeling before Buddha, with a line that reads, “I ask for rain to feed my crops.” These inscriptions are invaluable today because they offer a glimpse into the lives of ordinary people over 1,000 years ago. They tell us about their hopes, their fears, and their relationship with religion—not as an abstract belief, but as a part of everyday life.
The Song Dynasty (960–1279) was the golden age of the Dazu Rock Carvings. By this time, China was unified again, and the economy boomed. Trade flourished, cities grew, and more people had the money to support religious art. Craftsmen became more skilled, and their works became bigger, more detailed, and more diverse in theme. The Song carvings include not just Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, but also stories from Buddhist texts, scenes of heaven and hell, and even portraits of ordinary people.
The most famous Song work is the Great Buddha of Baoding Mountain, a 7-meter-tall statue of Buddha sitting cross-legged. It took 25 years to complete (from 1174 to 1199) under the guidance of Monk Zhao Zhifeng. Zhao was a wise and patient man who worked with over 100 craftsmen, checking every chisel stroke to ensure perfection. He wanted the statue to show both power and kindness, and today, when visitors stand at its feet, they still feel a sense of awe. The Buddha’s face is wide and calm, with eyes that look down at visitors—neither strict nor distant, but full of warmth.
The Song carvings also reflect changes in society. More women are shown in the art, and some carvings focus on education and family, not just religion. This shows that Buddhism was becoming more integrated into daily life, adapting to Confucian values like filial piety and social harmony. For example, the “Filial Piety Carvings” in Baoding Mountain depict children caring for their parents, blending Buddhist teachings with Confucian ideals. This integration of different beliefs is one of the things that makes Dazu’s carvings so unique.
After the Song Dynasty, the Yuan (1271–1368) and Ming (1368–1644) Dynasties saw fewer new carvings, but they played a crucial role in protecting the existing ones. The Yuan rulers were Mongols who did not follow Buddhism closely, so they did not fund new works. However, local monks took it upon themselves to repair damaged carvings—filling cracks with mud and stone, and repainting some statues to preserve their colors.
During the Ming Dynasty, Buddhism became popular again, but most craftsmen focused on building temples rather than carving rocks. Still, a few small carvings were added, mostly in the style of the Song Dynasty. These Ming works are simple, but they show that people still cherished Dazu’s heritage. Monks and local communities continued to maintain the site, ensuring that the carvings survived through wars and natural disasters.
The last era of Dazu’s history is the Qing Dynasty. By this time, the carvings had become a local treasure. The Qing government officially listed Dazu as a “protected site” in 1747, making it illegal to damage the stones. Some minor repairs were done, but no new large carvings were created. Instead, the Qing people focused on recording the carvings—scholars wrote books about their history, and artists drew pictures of the most famous statues. This documentation was crucial because it helped track the carvings’ condition over time, providing valuable information for modern conservation efforts.
Looking back at these ten centuries, we can see that the Dazu Rock Carvings are more than just art—they are a mirror of China’s past. Each dynasty’s carvings tell us about the beliefs, hopes, and skills of the people who made them: the Tang nobles seeking merit, the Five Dynasties farmers praying for survival, the Song monks spreading wisdom, and the Qing scholars preserving history. Today, when we walk among the carvings, we are not just looking at stone—we are talking to history. In the next chapter, we will take a closer look at the most beautiful of these works and explore the artistry that made Dazu famous around the world.
