INTRODUCTION
Shimen mountain is located in Xinsheng Village, about 20 kilometers, east of Longgang town in Dazu County, and lies at an elevation of about 374 meters above sea level.
BACKGROUND & HISTORY
The statues here were carved from 1094 to 1151 AD in the Northern Song Dynasty to the Southern Song Dynasty. The rock face on which the statues are carved is 71 meters long and 3.4 to 5 meters in height. The rock carvings at Shimen Mountain are a combination of Buddhism and Taoism, although the Taoist statues are the most prevalent. The styles of the carvings are very distinct for the time period with exaggerated features when it comes to their eyes and ears, facial expressions muscles, and other details.
While Baodingshan and Beishan are the most famous locations for rock carvings in Dazu, visiting the lesser-known areas such as Shimenshan will offer some unique perspectives on the rock carving culture of the time, and the differences in the styles through the ages and the differences between Buddhist and Taoist rock carvings.
MAIN ATTRACTIONS
Buddhist and Taoist Sculptures
The Shimen Mountain rock carvings contain a small collection of rock carvings from the Northern and Southern Song Dynasties in China. The art style and visual impressions of the rock carvings are very distinctive of this period in time.