With each glance, we see less of China's second Dunhuang, the past and present of Shuilu'an Temple

When it comes to Lantian, most people's first reaction is to think of the well-known Lantian Man or Lantian jade. However, there is also a temple known as 'China's second Dunhuang' on this auspicious land—Shuilu'an Temple. And the most famous feature of Shuilu'an is the Shuilu'an colored sculpture group! The Shuilu'an colored sculptures integrate painting, round carving, relief, and engraving techniques, and the walls, beams, and columns are inlaid with more than 3,700 statues of figures and natural beings. In the figure sculptures, the expressions, eyes, movements, and storylines of the characters are vividly depicted in a comic-strip style. Such well-preserved and exquisitely rich sculptures are few and far between in the whole country. Originally built during the Sui and Tang dynasties, Shuilu'an was initially the Shuilu Hall within the Wuzhen Temple. After ups and downs, during the Jiajing era of the Ming dynasty, Zhu Huaipei, the Prince of Qin, spent five years on a major construction project to renovate and finely carve the wall sculptures. He dedicated Shuilu'an as the family's Buddhist hall. Later, in memory of his deceased mother, he renamed Shuilu Hall to Shuilu'an. The colored clay sculptures of Shuilu'an possess high artistic and historical value. These sculptures are important materials for studying the Ming dynasty's Shuilu'an, and in the main hall, Sakyamuni, the Medicine Buddha, and Amitabha are all seated on Sumeru thrones. Behind the three Buddha statues are bodhisattva figures, but unlike the compassionate female images in the minds of the Chinese people, these are all bearded male figures. The mountain wall contains Buddhist story content, showing that the craftsmen considered the psychology of the viewers when depicting the characters, using color matching and reasonable layout. Therefore, whether it is the layout, color, or the combination of individual and whole, all constitute the artistic value of Shuilu'an. At the same time, through the research and analysis of the art of Shuilu'an's colored sculptures, it is easier for people to understand the culture of the Ming dynasty, and it can also showcase architectural styles, folk customs, clothing, spatial layout, social life, and more, all of which have great historical value. In contemporary times, to better protect the sculptures, the Xi'an Cultural Heritage Restoration Center applied to the Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau for cooperation with the United States to use '3D scanning and digital image production technology.' In 2004, they completed the book 'Images of Shuilu'an,' which is printed in color and uses a series of exquisite scanned images to 'permanently' present the sculptures of Shuilu'an. Although the reputation of being 'China's second Dunhuang' may seem a bit exaggerated, it is indeed worth a look. Moreover, due to changes in climate and environment, it is said that the sculptures suffer different degrees of peeling and cracking each year, or they could be destroyed by an earthquake, so it really is a case of 'with each glance, we see less'! 📍Yangxia Village, Pu Hua Town, Lantian County, Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province 🚗Recommended to drive 💰Free, no reservation required ⏰️9:00-17:00, subject to adjustment on special holidays