🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Kizil Caves (Bezeklik precursor)
Six Dynasties to Tang ~300–800 CE · Tocharian Kuchean Buddhist with Gandharan influence
Kucha's 236 lapis-blue Jataka caves - China's earliest Buddhist grottoes on the Silk Road.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Binglingsi Upper Grottoes — Liujia Gorge Yellow River Cliffs
Sixteen Kingdoms to Ming · Western Qin, Northern Wei, Western Xia, Tibetan, Ming
Liujia Gorge 27-m Tang Maitreya and 420 CE Western Qin mandala caves above Yellow River reservoir, 183 caves.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Mati Si (Horse Hoof Temple) Grottoes
Sixteen Kingdoms to Yuan (420 – 1368 CE) · Northern Liang Han, Tuyuhun Xianbei, Tibetan, Uyghur, Western Xia Tangut, Mongol
Hexi cliff 31 conglomerate caves with 33 Heavens Pagoda and Gesar hoof legend, 420 CE–Yuan.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Bingling (Binglingsi) Grottoes
Sixteen Kingdoms to Ming ~420–1644 CE · Northwestern Chinese Buddhist (Western Qin to Tibetan)
Yellow River cliff grotto accessible only by boat, bearing China's earliest dated 420 CE inscription.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Yungang Grottoes — Western Caves Extension (Caves 26–40)
Northern Dynasties (Northern Wei late) · Tuoba Wei (Xianbei) Buddhist with Han artisan school
UNESCO Yungang western 15-cave zone 494–525 with central-pillar and collapsed colossus.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Matisi Grottoes — Southern Sunan Secondary Cliff
Sixteen Kingdoms to Tang (Northern Liang 420 peak) · Hexi Corridor mixed Han–Tibetan Buddhist (Juqu Mengxun lineage)
Mati Si southern 12-cave cliff 420 CE Thousand-Buddha with hoof-print legend and hanging plankway.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Kizil Caves — Western Valley Extension (Western Kizil)
Early Medieval Central Asian (Tocharian B) · Tocharian Buddhist (Kucha Kingdom) with Gandhara influence
Kucha Tocharian western 42-cave valley 400–700 CE diamond ceilings and lapis blue, German-removal archive.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Xiangtangshan South Caves — Fengfeng Echoing Hall Peak
Northern Dynasties to Tang · Northern Qi Xianbei-Han Buddhist
Handan south hill 3 limestone caves with 550 CE Amitabha Western Paradise (Freer) and central pillar, Northern Qi.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Tianlongshan South Caves — Heavenly Dragon South Peak
Eastern Wei to Tang · Han Chinese Buddhist, Northern Dynasties, Tang cosmopolitan
Taiyuan south peak 13 caves with Tang Manshan Pavilion Maitreya 4 m and stolen apsaras digital-reunion, 534–907 CE.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Yungang West Caves — Wuzhou Mountain Western Annex
Northern Wei (Northern Dynasties) · Tuoba Xianbei-Han Buddhist imperial
Yungang western annex 5 caves with Cave 12 music pavilion and 10k-buddha niches, 453–494 Northern Wei Tanyao.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Kangla Grottoes (Minhe) — Yellow River Tibetan Fringe
Northern Dynasties to Qing (Western Wei to 19th c.) · Han-Tibetan Buddhist communities of Longxi
Yellow River Tibetan fringe 5-cave scarp Western Wei 540 CE seated Buddha with Tibetan repaint.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Beishan Niche Complex — Dazu Extension Eastern Valley
Tang to Song (Late Tang Wei Junjing phase to Southern Song) · Sichuan Buddhist gentry (Dazu artisan guilds)
Dazu UNESCO eastern valley 150 niches Tang–Song 892–1169 with Avalokitesvara transformation.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Maijishan Eastern Cliff — Tianshui Stacked Grottoes East Face
Later Qin to Song (384 – 1279 CE) · Buddhist Hexi to Central Plains transition at Wei River gap
East face stacked 90 caves 142 m hill with 16 m Buddha and plankway tiers.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Maijishan Grottoes
Sixteen Kingdoms to Tang ~384–907 CE · Chinese Buddhist Northern Dynasties
Stacked-cliff wheat-plant-shaped grotto city with 7,200 sculptures on bolted plank galleries.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Mogao Northern Caves — Dunhuang Oasis North Cliff Monastic Cells
Sixteen Kingdoms to Yuan (366 – 1368 CE) northern cells 960–1300 · Buddhist monastic Dunhuang oasis international
North cliff austere monastic cells 1000–1300 CE opposite southern painted scripture halls.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Mati Si East Grottoes — Sunan Upper Cliff Temples
Sixteen Kingdoms to Yuan · Northern Liang, Tibetan, Uyghur, Western Xia Tangut, Mongol
Sunan east conglomerate cliffs 12 caves with 33 Heavens 7-storey pagoda and pillar hall, 420 CE–Yuan.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Longmen West Hillside Grottoes — Luoyang Yi River West Cliffs
Northern Wei to Song · Northern Wei, Sui, Tang cosmopolitan
Luoyang west bank core with Guyang 493 earliest cave 800 inscriptions and Binyang pagoda, Northern Wei–Tang.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Tiantangshan (Weizi Mountain) Grottoes — Quyang Hebei
Northern Dynasties to Tang (Northern Qi 550–577 peak) · North China Buddhist imperial patronage (Qi and Tang)
Quyang white-marble mountain 12 caves 550–750 CE South Cave Vairocana, quarry-monastery.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Tianlongshan Cave 8 — Manshan Pavilion Buddha Sanctuary
Eastern Wei to Tang (534 – 750 CE) · Buddhist Northern dynasties under Gao Qi and Tang
Cave 8 Manshan Buddha 3.6 m of Northern Qi–Tang on western slope.
🇨🇳 China · Rock-cut
Longmen Binyang Central Cave — Mt Long Gate Middle Grotto Sanctuary
Northern Wei to Tang (493 – 750 CE) · Buddhist imperial Luoyang under Empress Dowager Hu
Central Binyang 11 m Buddha of Northern Wei Emperor Xuanwu at Yi Gorge.