Represented primarily by the grottoes on the "Five Hills"—Baodingshan, Beishan, Nanshan, Shimenshan, and Shizhuanshan—the Dazu Rock Carvings stand as a definitive masterpiece of late-period Chinese grotto art. They are globally renowned for their immense scale, exquisite craftsmanship, thematic diversity, profound cultural depth, and remarkable state of preservation.

Selected Scenic Spots

Baodingshan Rock Carvings

The Baodingshan Rock Carvings were executed between the Chunxi and Chunyou periods of the Southern Song Dynasty. Construction was overseen by the eminent monk, Zhao Zhifeng. Centered around Dafowan (Big Buddha Bend) and Xiaofowan (Small Buddha Bend), more than ten smaller cave complexes are scattered within a 2.5-kilometer radius.

Digital Cinema

The digital movies of Dazu Rock Carvings can be experienced at a 4K theater or an 8K dome theater. The 4K wide-screen film, Tianxia Dazu, charts the epic, thousand-year history of the grotto construction and statue carving, highlighting the spirit of craftsmanship—the determination of ancient Chinese artisans to "transform mountains into rock, striving for excellence." Meanwhile, the 8K dome film, Dazu Rock Carvings, offers audiences a panoramic, multi-perspective view of several dozen exquisite grottoes.

Museum of Dazu Rock Carvings

The Museum of Dazu Rock Carvings is a specialized museum dedicated to the evolution of global grotto art and the essential characteristics of Dazu Rock Carvings. Covering a building area of 18,000 square meters, it boasts exhibition halls spanning 5,000 square meters. The architectural design of the museum draws on elements from architectural imagery found in the Dazu Rock Carvings, capturing the distinctive architectural style of the Tang and Song Dynasties.

VISIT

• Digital Movie (4K Theatre and Dome Theatre)

Screening Schedule: 7 shows every day, respectively at 9:30, 10:20, 11:10, 12:00, 13:30, 14:20, 15:10

• Tourist Bus

Operating Time: 08:40-19:00

Departure Interval: 10 mins

• Sight-seeing Bus

Operating Time: 09:00-18:30

Departure Interval: 10 mins

TICKETING

Admission Ticket 

Baodingshan Rock Carvings (including Shengshou Temple): CNY 115 per person (peak season), CNY 100 per person (off season)

Beishan Rock Carvings or Beishan Rock Carvings (Night Tour): CNY 70 per person (peak season), CNY 50 per person (off season)

Digital Movie (including 4K Theatre and Dome Theatre): CNY 80 per person

Shuttle Bus (including Tourist Bus and Sightseeing Bus): CNY 20 per person (round-trip), CNY 12 per person (one-way) 

Combined Admission Ticket

CNY 140 per person (peak season), CNY 120 per person (off season)

Note: Combined ticket includes admission ticket for the Baodingshan Rock Carvings and the Beishan Rock Carvings.

Other Attractions

Changzhou Ancient City

Developed around the theme of Song-dynasty style and charm, Changzhou Ancient City recreates the lively streets and bustling markets of the Song era. The scenic area offers a range of options, including local snacks, teahouses and bars, B&Bs, local specialties, cultural and creative products, and handmade crafts. Visitors can experience Song-dynasty folk culture while enjoying the simple pleasure of strolling and shopping.

Longshui Lake Tourist Resort

Longshui Lake is one of the most beautiful scenic landscapes in western Chongqing, backed by Yulong Mountain National Forest Park. The resort offers a rich variety of experiences. Visitors can jog and exercise along the lakeside loop trail, or soak in hot springs by the lake to relax both body and mind. Those who take a boat ride on the lake can also see 108 islands and peninsulas of varying sizes and shapes scattered across the water. The islands are home to abundant vegetation, including pine, cypress, and cedar trees. With its expansive waters and clear, pure water quality, Longshui Lake has also attracted more than 20 species of rare birds, including white cranes, wild ducks, and mandarin ducks, to rest and inhabit here.

Local Delicacies

Youting Crucian Carp

Youting has been a key transportation hub between Chengdu and Chongqing since ancient times. Its original name was "Youting," meaning a place where postal letters and other items stopped. It is said that during the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty, travelers passing through from north and south would stop at Youtingpu to drink tea, play cards, eat, and stay overnight. Local fishermen then began setting up crucian carp eateries along the roadside, preparing crucian carp soup and boiled crucian carp for travelers. The crucian carp cooked here won high praise from passing officials and merchants for its fresh flavor and delicate, tender texture. Its reputation spread far and wide, and business gradually became more and more prosperous.

Made with local crucian carp, Youting Crucian Carp is mainly seasoned with chili peppers, pickled ginger, fermented black beans, sesame oil, chopped scallions, and other ingredients. The resulting crucian carp soup is fresh, flavorful, spicy, numbing, and tender. The traditional craft of making Youting Crucian Carp has been recognized as a municipal-level representative intangible cultural heritage item.

Dazu Winter Preserved Vegetables (Dazu Dongcai)

Source: Commission of Culture and Tourism Development of Dazu District, Chongqing

Dazu winter preserved vegetables are known as "fragrance for ten li" and "vegetable MSG." Legend has it that when the Dazu Rock Carvings were being carved, ancient people preserved large quantities of leafy greens in winter to ensure a year-round food supply for the many craftspeople. The vegetables were sealed in jars and stored on the mountainside. By chance, a jar of pickled vegetables that had been forgotten for three years was opened, revealing dark brown, glossy vegetables that were crisp, tender, and richly fragrant. They soon became highly popular among the craftspeople.

Dazu winter preserved vegetables are made with the tender tips of local broad-leaf mustard greens. They go through several steps, including sun-drying and dehydration, rubbing with salt, and packing into jars, before being sealed and fermented for at least three years. This process creates their distinctive fresh, fragrant, tender, and crisp flavor. The fermenting and pickling technique has been recognized as a municipal-level representative intangible cultural heritage item. Fragrant dishes made with winter preserved vegetables, such as steamed pork with winter preserved vegetables, steamed buns with winter preserved vegetable filling, and shredded pork noodles with winter preserved vegetables, are especially popular with local residents and visitors.