Located about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from the west of Binxian County, and to the south side of Xian-Lanzhou Highway (312 National Highway), the Binxian County Great Buddha Temple is famous for its gigantic Amitabha statue, which is delicate and majestically sculpted, which is regarded as the 'First Wonder in Shaanxi Province' and a bright pearl on the Silk Road.
In 628, Emperor Li Shimin of Tang Dynasty ordered people to build a temple to celebrate his mother's 60th birthday, and it was originally called Qingshou Temple (Celebrating Birthday Temple). Later in the following Northern Dynasties (386-581), some Buddhist statues were carved at that time as well. Nowadays, there are 130 grottoes and 1,980 statues in the Great Buddha Grotto, Cave of a Thousand Buddhas (Qian Fo Grotto), Buddha Cave (Arhat Cave) and Zhangba Buddha Grotto.
The Great Buddha Grotto, which stands in the center of this temple, is the largest cave, in which there ia a 20-meter high Amitabha in the middle. Its fingers are two meters (6.56 feet) tall. This one is the largest Buddha statue in Shaanxi Province. Besdies, on either side of this giant Buddha stand Bodhisattva Dashizhi and Kwan-yin Bodhisattva who are both 17.6 meters (57.7 feet) high. They are called the 'Three Saints in Paradise'. Moreover, many niches in the wall contain about 200 Buddha and Bodhisattva statues in various different sizes.
On the west side of the Great Buddha Grotto sits the Buddha Cave(Arhat Cave). The principal statue is Sakyamuni and one of its retinues, Wenshu Bodhisattva, who rides on a life-like lion. The lion is finely engraved finely with a bell on its neck and is posed whisking its tail. Besides, there are other statues of disciples, Bodhisattvas, Heracles and Vajras.
On the east side of the Great Buddha Grotto sits the Thousand Buddhas (Qian Fo Grotto). The main statue is Maitreya with his disciples, Bodhisattvas and Heracles standing besides him. In other niches, most of the statues consist of one Buddha and two Bodhisattvas or one Buddha with two disciples and two Bodhisattvas. The Bodhisattvas complete with graceful poses and flowery clothes look like beautiful dancers.
Zhangba Buddha Grotto is located about 200 meters (218.7 yards) from the west of the Great Buddha Grotto. On the cliff, there are nine small rock caves, in which 108 statues are carved in a simple and dignified style. The main statue is the 7-meter high Zhangba Buddha. The two Bodhisattvas on either side are about six meters (19.7 feet) high.
Moreover, this temple also preserves 177 inscriptions and six stone tablets engraved by visitors throughout history, and according to the traditional Chinese calendar, this temple always holds a temple fair on March 8th every year.
In 628, Emperor Li Shimin of Tang Dynasty ordered people to build a temple to celebrate his mother's 60th birthday, and it was originally called Qingshou Temple (Celebrating Birthday Temple). Later in the following Northern Dynasties (386-581), some Buddhist statues were carved at that time as well. Nowadays, there are 130 grottoes and 1,980 statues in the Great Buddha Grotto, Cave of a Thousand Buddhas (Qian Fo Grotto), Buddha Cave (Arhat Cave) and Zhangba Buddha Grotto.
The Great Buddha Grotto, which stands in the center of this temple, is the largest cave, in which there ia a 20-meter high Amitabha in the middle. Its fingers are two meters (6.56 feet) tall. This one is the largest Buddha statue in Shaanxi Province. Besdies, on either side of this giant Buddha stand Bodhisattva Dashizhi and Kwan-yin Bodhisattva who are both 17.6 meters (57.7 feet) high. They are called the 'Three Saints in Paradise'. Moreover, many niches in the wall contain about 200 Buddha and Bodhisattva statues in various different sizes.
On the west side of the Great Buddha Grotto sits the Buddha Cave(Arhat Cave). The principal statue is Sakyamuni and one of its retinues, Wenshu Bodhisattva, who rides on a life-like lion. The lion is finely engraved finely with a bell on its neck and is posed whisking its tail. Besides, there are other statues of disciples, Bodhisattvas, Heracles and Vajras.
On the east side of the Great Buddha Grotto sits the Thousand Buddhas (Qian Fo Grotto). The main statue is Maitreya with his disciples, Bodhisattvas and Heracles standing besides him. In other niches, most of the statues consist of one Buddha and two Bodhisattvas or one Buddha with two disciples and two Bodhisattvas. The Bodhisattvas complete with graceful poses and flowery clothes look like beautiful dancers.
Zhangba Buddha Grotto is located about 200 meters (218.7 yards) from the west of the Great Buddha Grotto. On the cliff, there are nine small rock caves, in which 108 statues are carved in a simple and dignified style. The main statue is the 7-meter high Zhangba Buddha. The two Bodhisattvas on either side are about six meters (19.7 feet) high.
Moreover, this temple also preserves 177 inscriptions and six stone tablets engraved by visitors throughout history, and according to the traditional Chinese calendar, this temple always holds a temple fair on March 8th every year.