DONGPING

images

Entrance to the Valley, from the east. The texts are inscribed on the southern- and northern walls, "facing" each other. View from the southern side of the valley to the north. The big inscription "Da Kong Wang Fo", now whitened, is clearly visible. Closer view of the northern side of the valley. Further west of the "Da Kong Wang Fo" inscriptions the texts split into an upper and lower part. Total view of the "Da Kong Wang Fo" inscription. Further west of the big inscription the text in the lower part mostly consists of Buddha-names. The picture clearly shows that the slope angle rises to more than 45° in the eastern part of the southern wall.
Further west of the big inscription the text in the lower part mostly consists of Buddha-names. The picture clearly shows that the slope angle rises to more than 45° in the eastern part of the southern wall. Overview of the eastern part of the southern wall. To the left, the two small Buddha-niches can hardly be seen. The texts cover Wenshu banruojing, Dajijing, and two inscriptions mentioning Da Shamen Seng An and Seng An Daoyi. The Buddha image inside the niche is strongly weathered. Total view of inscription #4, reading "Seng An Daoyi". The fourth character has been almost completely destroyed, probably due to the production of illegal rubbings. Dongping, Southern side, detail of inscription #4: "Seng An Dao (yi)". Text #5 contains the Mohe banruo jing inscribed in the form of a stelae. The image shows a detail of the dragon decoration.
Climbing the huge "Da Kong Wang Fo" inscription. Total view of the upper part of the southern side. Uppermost par of the lower texts. This Buddha name reads "Da Shan Yan Fo" and is part of inscriptions #11. Detail of inscription #11, character "da" (big). Its strokes are very bold and show a texture inside as if they were written with a huge brush. Another detail of the Buddha names. Note the irregular shapes of the characters that seem to be a little clumsy. Inscriptions #12 and #13 of the southern Dongping side actually face east. They read Gao Shan Fo and An Wang Fo, respectively.
Upper part of the southern side, inscription #15, the Feng men kou bei, or Wind Gate Opening stele. The white pieces are remnants of recent rubbing-production. Inscription #16 actually is a wordplay using the three characters of An Daoyi's name to praise the monk. The character "wang" of the "Da Kong Wang Fo", inscription #7, southern side, is more than 1.50m high. "On character" research with Zhang Zong and Prof. Ledderose. Professor Ledderose meditating the inscriptions on the upper part of the northern side. View from the "Meditation seat" on the northern side down the valley to lake Dongping.
Total view of the southern side of the valley. The inscriptions are situated where there are no trees next to the rocks. Closer view of the northern side of the valley. The inscriptions on this side of the valley are heavily eroded. The Wenshu banruo jing ("Sutra of Perfection of wisdom by Manjusri") was inscribed both on the southern and the northern walls. Detail of the Wenshu banruo jing ("Sutra of Perfection of wisdom by Manjusri"). Another detail.