From No Longer Staying in Dark Murals to Becoming Human-Sized Flying Figures in the Mountains and Caves...
The Buddhist caves in the north are not as large or intricate as those in Dunhuang, Yungang, Longmen, and Mei Ji Shan, nor as grand as the famous caves like Da'an. However, they are integrated with the mountains, rivers, and the original landscape of the local area, recording the changes of the times as they wander through. This makes the experience feel tranquil and serene.
Carved on the side of a mid-mountain cliff, overlooking a winding and rugged river flowing through a small village and fields, it possesses a scale and grandeur unlike any I have seen before, including large-scale flying figures that are equal to adults. This is what left the most lasting impression on me at Chang Zhuang Stone Caves.
In Shaanxi, the ten-month rice grains smell of fragrance, and in the rain, everything is filled with the golden hue of ripe rice.
Once lost in the Zhongyu Ridge, I had already lost my bearings, fortunately our guide was always reliable, always able to lead us to find magical places.
Chang Zhuang Village, the name of the village may be related to this small river along the way, and the stone caves are nameless, so they are simply called Chang Zhuang Stone Caves.
Descending by mountain road, reaching the site along a rugged path, we encountered blooming flowers alongside the road, heard the barking of dogs, and an elderly grandma pointed us towards the direction of the wooden door, eager for a heartfelt affection.
This village is sparsely populated, and this small shrine seems to be the only one left with a solitary old person.
The village scenery is unique, and together with Sister S, we were captivated by the wooden door before, feeling as if we had stepped into the scene depicted by a poet.
Therefore, let's adapt the following sentence:
Hear the barking of dogs, and the moss is green on the plum blossoms.
Seek the Buddha in the deep mountains, and there are thousands of years in the human world.
After a thousand years, we, the descendants, followed the small path through the stone cave at Chang Zhuang, passing through the dilapidated houses and bee farms, and finally arrived at the end of the cliff, after the vegetation, where we stumbled upon this hidden stone cave in the depths of the countryside.
From a distance, the top of the cave looked special, and upon closer inspection, we realized that these were the legendary flying figures equal in size to humans.
Hearing is believing, and seeing these flying figures was truly shocking, we all lay down on the straw bedding in the cave, lying on our backs to admire the scenery.
Looking closely at the cave wall, this cave also has smaller Buddha statues hidden among the stones, but most of them have been eroded by time, making their forms indistinct.
Lying in the cave for a long time, the time in the mountains and rivers was calm and tranquil, and we forgot the passage of time.
After paying our respects to the Buddha in the deep mountains, we felt fortunate to have had this rare encounter.
To capture a panoramic shot, everyone rushed out of the cave, recording this hunt in the woods.
Outside the cave, wild leeks smell fragrant, and Zaozhuang pulls people to come, along the way, we turned back and returned to Grandma's house.
Grandma was still enthusiastic, perhaps she was also guarding the quiet of the deep mountains, looking forward to the return of her grandchildren, and the visits of her friends.
So we chatted with HP and Grandma about local life, just making her happy.
The dog had already burrowed into its own nest, listening attentively to our conversation.
We reluctantly said goodbye, concealing this deep mountain stone cave, and this North Wei era, and also this encounter with the grandma.
I wish, may the mountains and rivers remain unchanged, may people live in peace, and may they guard this stretch of golden rice and this small village, forever and ever, and may they be well and happy~
Related reading:
Shafang Stone Caves • Rain Dyes Moss, a Lifetime of Green
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