Chongqing - The Chongqing International Land-Sea Communication Foundation recently launched the Foreign Youth Public Welfare Creation Project. As part of the public welfare project, it recruits international students from universities in Chongqing and collaborates with local social organizations.

In addition to improving international students' perceptions of Chongqing's public welfare environment, culture, and achievements, the program is expected to strengthen international cooperation and exchanges between cities in public welfare.

Focusing on public welfare and culture as exchange topics, Chinese and international youths can truly experience Chongqing and foster friendly interactions.

The "Looking for Guardians of Rock Carvings" program was started by Abood, a Yemeni student studying theater and film director at Chongqing University. The Dazu Rock Carvings are one of the world's eight main grottoes. Several rock carvings are scattered across the countryside, guarded and monitored by rural cultural relics protection volunteers.

On December 21 and 22, 11 Chongqing International Land-Sea Communication Foundation members traveled to Dazu District in search of the rock carving guardian.

They experienced the dome theater in Baodingshan Scenic Area, learned about the construction history of Dazu Rock Carvings and the stories behind it, and learned about the integration of traditional culture and modern digital technology.

During their stay, foreign youths were astonished by the exquisiteness and splendor of the stone sculptures. Abood from Yemen said, "It's difficult to believe these stone engravings were created over a thousand years ago. It's remarkable."

After touring Baoding Mountain, the crew continued to visit the guardians of rural rock sculptures in four places, including Douwanzhai Grottoes, Shucheng Rock Grottoes, Shimenshan Grottoes, and Yingpanpo Grottoes.

Zhou Yaode, a 76-year-old cultural relics protection volunteer in Group 8 of Zhongshan Village, Zhongao Town, Dazu District, has been guarding the Douwanzhai Grottoes for 36 years. Zhou arrives at the Douwanzhai Grottoes on schedule every evening and cleans the cave temple.

He slept close to the stone sculptures at night and kept them safe. Over the previous 36 years, he had traveled back and forth between his house and the Douwanzhai Grottoes.

Zhou Yaode told the crew about the history of the stone sculptures in the cave temple he was guarding. Locals from the surrounding area would burn incense at the cave temple and worship Buddha on the first and fifteenth days of the Lunar New Year. The cultural life of the surrounding community is also housed in the cave temple.

Zhou told us that he would protect the rock carvings until the end of his life.

During this tour, Yang Xuquan, the guardian of Shimenshan cliff sculptures, was also a special guardian of stone carvings. Since 1975, his father has been looking after the Shimenshan rock sculptures. Yang Xuquan took on his father's responsibilities and had been guarding them since 1987. He's been protecting here for 35 years. Yang Xuquan guards these Buddha statues daily, except when he returns home for supper.

"The surrounding region was previously a wasteland while my father was guarding this place. He planted numerous saplings around the cave temple, which is now a tiny forest," said Yang Xuquan. Yang Xuquan believes that his father also guarded the rock sculptures alongside him as he observed the trees planted by his father. Yang Xuquan was quite knowledgeable about the legends behind each Buddha statue throughout the tour. Yang Xuquan has memorized all the stories he has heard the guide tell travelers over the past 30 years.

In addition, Dai Xiaobing, who has been photographing Dazu Rock Carvings for over ten years, was explicitly invited to this activity. After ten years of shooting Dazu Rock Carvings, Dai shared his experience with us. To take high-quality photos of the stone sculptures at Baoding Mountain, he once spent a month there.

According to Dai, more and more rock sculptures have been conserved in the past few years thanks to the work of the Dazu Rock Carvings Research Institute. Dai is optimistic that more young people will visit Dazu and see the Dazu Rock Carvings.

Abood said that filming the documentary on the guardians of rock sculptures aims to learn more about China and Chongqing and let more people experience what he saw and felt in Dazu District through his lens. He wishes his film would give Arabs a glimpse of the real Chongqing to fill this information gap. "Today is memorable. We can still see these rock carvings now because of those guardians."

Following the Foreign Youth Public Welfare Creation Project, various activities such as "Seeing the World in the Countryside," "The City of Eagles," and "Love in the Mountains" will be held.