A few days ago, the reporter learned from the Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology that in order to do a good job in the protection and utilization of the grotto temple sites and fully grasp the current situation of the grotto temples and moya statues in Qinghai Province, our province has carried out a special investigation work that lasted more than 2 months, and the survey showed that there are 31 existing cave temples and moya statues in our province, and the grotto temples are mainly distributed in the eastern Hehuang Valley, and the moya statues are mainly distributed in Yushu, Haixi, and Guoluo areas.
"Qinghai is an important part of the Silk Road, and the special investigation of the Cave Temple is of great significance to the study of the Silk Road in Qinghai, and is also a valuable heritage of ethnic integration and exchange, an important expression of the combination of Tibetan and Chinese Buddhist art, and can provide important physical materials for the study of religious and ethnic exchanges and integration." The relevant staff involved in the special investigation introduced to reporters. It is understood that among the 31 cave temples and cliff statues investigated, 28 have been found in the Sanpu data and 3 newly discovered in recent years. In the course of the investigation, the investigation team conducted a detailed investigation of its basic situation, preservation status, main risks, and security precautions. Through this survey, the distribution range, content connotation and preservation status of the grotto temples in Qinghai Province were basically clarified, which provided a solid foundation for the protection and utilization of the grotto temples in Qinghai Province in the next step. "Judging from the current survey, the grotto temples in Qinghai Province are mainly distributed in the eastern Hehuang Valley, and the Moya statues are mainly distributed in the Yushu, Haixi and Guoluo areas. Its construction dates from as early as the Southern and Northern Dynasties to the Ming and Qing dynasties. The grotto contains carvings, line carvings, clay sculptures, painted Buddha statues and Buddhist stories, including Chinese and Tibetan Buddhist art, and some of the statues on the cliffs reflect the fusion of early Confucian And Taoist Buddhas. The staff told reporters.
It is reported that the number of Qinghai Cave Temples and Moya statues is not much from the national scale, but due to qinghai's special geographical location and ethnic composition, it has high research and display value. The cave temple is a precious heritage of ethnic integration and exchange, and also an important expression of the combination of Tibetan and Chinese Buddhist art. It preserves the grottoes at the peak of the north and south dynasties, and also preserves a large number of Tibetan cliff statues. The content combines the Tradition of Sino-Tibetan Buddhism and provides important physical materials for the study of the exchange and integration of religions and ethnic groups. Among them, the grotto temples distributed in the Hehuang Valley are similar to the grotto temples in the Hexi Corridor area, and the moya statues in Yushu and other areas are connected to Tibet and even South Asia, which is an important witness to the silk road exchanges in Qinghai Province.
Source: Xining Evening News