Chongqing - Dazu Rock Carvings was built in the early Tang Dynasty, went through the late Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties, and reached its peak during the Song Dynasty. It is the last monument in the whole grotto art history, representing the highest level of grotto art worldwide from the 9th to 13th century. Dazu Rock Carvings, together with the Dunhuang, Yungang, Longmen, and other grottoes form a complete grotto art history in China. In 1999, UNESCO inscribed Dazu Rock Carvings on the World Heritage List.

On May 14, 2021, "The Reputation Spreads from the Empty Valley - The Discovery and Inheritance of Dazu Rock Carvings" themed exhibition was inaugurated at Shenzhen Nanshan Museum, which was co-hosted by Shenzhen Nanshan Museum and Dazu Rock Carvings Museum. This is the second time Dazu Rock Carvings have entered Shenzhen since reform and opening-up. More than 80 pieces (sets) of exhibits displayed present the unique artistic value, inclusive cultural meanings, and advanced cultural relics protection achievements of Dazu Rock Carvings.

The discovery of Dazu Rock Carvings originated from two expeditions in the 1940s, in which Cantonese scholars participated. In January 1940, Liang Sicheng (from Xinhui District, Jiangmen city, Guangdong province), Liu Guozhen, Chen Mingda, Mo Zongjiang (from Xinhui District, Jiangmen city, Guangdong province), and other members of the Society for the Study of Chinese Architecture investigated North Mountain, Baoding Mountain, South Mountain and some ancient buildings of Dazu Rock Carvings. They called the Illustration of the Amitāyurdhyāna Sūtra (No. 245), the masterpiece located at North Mountain during the late Tang Dynasty, the "biggest whole composition of this subject in Sichuan, and belongs to the same system with Dunhuang frescoes"; the Zhuanlunjingzang Grotto (No. 136), the masterpiece during the Song Dynasty, "is the unique work among grottoes"; the Nirvana of Sakyamuni (No. 11), the magnificent sculpture located at the Great Buddha Bend of Baoding Mountain, takes a leading position among the sculptures nationwide.

In April 1945, Yang Jialuo, curator of China Dictionary Museum, invited 15 experts and scholars to form the "Dazu Rock Carvings Inspection Team" to visit Dazu Rock Carvings, including Ma Heng, He Sui, Gu Jiegang, Zhu Jinjiang, Zhuang Shangyan, Fu Zhenlun, Mei Jianying (from Taishan city, Guangdong province), Lei Zhen, Wu Xianqi (from Chao’an district, Chaozhou city, Guangdong province), and so on. After spending seven days in compiling the number of caves, measuring the parts, drawing the decorations, identifying the age, and studying the value of the carvings at North Mountain and Baoding Mountain, the inspection team thought that Dazu Rock Carvings is another great discovery following the Yungang Grottoes and Longmen Grottoes, which is comparable with the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang. Wu Xianqi was in charge of recording during the expedition and wrote the book of "The Dazu Rock Carvings Inspection Team Diary". The Painter Mei Jianying has kept close contact with Dazu Rock Carvings for a long time, and once served as an academic adviser of Chongqing Dazu Rock Carvings Research Institute.

Unlike the first exhibition of Dazu Rock Carvings at the Shenzhen International Exhibition Hall 35 years ago, the number of cultural relics in this exhibition accounts for 80% of the total number of exhibits. In addition, three treasures of Chongqing Dazu Rock Carvings Museum, the Sakyamuni Buddha statue, Avalokiteshvara Buddha statue, and incense burner, make their debuts in Shenzhen, which present an intimate view of Dazu Rock Carvings, a world cultural heritage, for the audience.

Entering the exhibition hall, the audience can see the most important exhibit: the Sakyamuni Buddha statue above a lotus seat with downcast introspective eyes and a slightly forward-leaning posture. He is listening and meditating, leading the audience to embark on a journey of exploring Dazu Rock Carvings with a history of more than 1,000 years. The Avalokiteshvara Buddha statue plays a central role at the end of the passageway, showing the charm of the "China Avalokiteshvara Buddha Statue Exhibition Hall". The largest incense burner with the most outstanding carving technique is also on display. Carved in the Ming Dynasty, the incense burner is 121 centimeters high and weighs more than 800 kilograms. The hollow incense burner is divided into five layers from bottom to top, with each layer having a unique shape and design. It has become the classical incense burner of Dazu Rock Carvings during the Ming Dynasty.

The exhibition will continue until August 8, 2021. Coincidentally, the Longmen Grottoes, the highest representative of the Chinese grotto art during the Sui and Tang Dynasties which was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2000, are also on display at Shenzhen Nanshan Museum simultaneously. The audience can enjoy two major grottoes in Shenzhen at the same time.