Unveiling China’s 1000-Year-Old Buddha Stone Quarry: A Hidden Treasure
Hello everyone, welcome to my channel. We are now at the Keyan Scenic Area in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province. Before us stands the “Heavenly Craft Great Buddha,” with a history of over a thousand years. The Buddha was carved during the Sui Dynasty, completed over a century by three generations of stonemasons. It stands 20.8 meters tall, majestic and imposing, and is one of the Four Great Stone Buddhas of Zhejiang. This was once a quarry, with mining history dating back to the Three Kingdoms period. Through continuous excavation from the Sui and Tang to the Ming and Qing dynasties, unique stone cliffs, caves, and walls were formed. The massive rock before us is called “Cloud Bone,” a relic from the Sui and Tang quarrying era. Wider at the top and narrow at the base, it resembles an upside-down pagoda. Standing 30 meters tall, its peak is crowned by ancient trees over a thousand years old. It appears top-heavy, fragile and unsteady, yet it has weathered storms for over a millennium. Now we head to Puzhao Temple behind the Great Buddha. Puzhao Temple was first built during the Tang Dynasty and has been reconstructed in Tang-style architecture. Ancient quarrying posed extreme risks to workers’ safety, so Puzhao Temple and the Heavenly Craft Great Buddha became places to pray for protection. At the temple’s entrance stands a statue of Guan Yu. Puzhao Temple is built along the mountain’s contours, creating a tiered and harmonious layout. This is the Hall of the God of Wealth. This is the Maitreya Hall, housing a four-faced Maitreya Bodhisattva. The entire corridor depicts the story of Buddha’s Nirvana. Here is the Grand Hall (Mahavira Hall). A magnificent statue of Sakyamuni. Flanked by the Eighteen Arhats. And Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. This is a cavern left behind by the ancient quarry. Further inside the scenic area lies a tranquil classical Chinese garden. This is Jian Lake, where visitors can take a Wupeng boat ride to enjoy the lake and mountain scenery. Ahead is an ancient towpath preserved on Jian Lake. The towpath was used by boat trackers in ancient times. Because Jian Lake is wide, with the main channel at its center, a towpath surrounded by water on both sides was necessary. The stones used were mostly quarried from Keyan’s bluestone, earning it the poetic name “White Jade Causeway.” The footsteps of trackers polished the bluestone slabs smooth as mirrors, imprinting time itself onto the stone. By the lake stands a recreated ancient town, named Luzhen. Luzhen is a physical recreation of the fictional town from the works of Lu Xun, China’s literary giant. It recreates the water-town charm of Shaoxing a century ago, bringing to life the world of Lu Xun’s stories. This is a statue of Lu Xun.
Hello everyone, welcome to my channel!
Today I’ve come to the Keyan Scenic Area in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province. This is an ancient Buddhist land built within a former quarry. The most striking feature here is the “Heavenly Great Buddha” carved during the Sui Dynasty. This colossal Buddha, standing 20.8 meters tall, was completed by three generations of stonemasons over the course of a century. It’s truly majestic and awe-inspiring!
Let’s explore it together!
00:00 Preview
00:50 The Thousand-Year-Old Giant Buddha
04:15 Puzhao Temple
17:29 Ancient Quarry Site
21:59 Classical Garden
26:35 Ancient Towing Path
30:03 Lakeside Ancient Town
13 Comments
สาธุๆๆค่ะ
Namo Amitabha
¡ Qué lugar tan bonito 😍 ! GRACIAS 🌷
it's verry AMIZING COLOSAL BUDHA GARDEN WOUUUHHHH…….!!!!thank you
Guten Tag meine liebe Reisende 🧳🙋♀️Dann fange ich mal wieder mit einem langen Kommentar an🤭Wenn man so diesen Spaziergang mit Dir macht,ist das, besonders wenn nicht so viele Personen unterwegs sind,richtig gemütlich und entspannend 👍😊Mich würde jedoch interessieren ob die ganzen Figuren echt aus Gold sind,oder nur golden angemalt ?Ich denke das zweite, denn sonst müsste man doch jede Menge Wachen aufstellen 🧐Alles was man so sieht,ist in der Herstellung so exakt ,mit einem solchen Gefühl für Feinheit,das ist es was mich so begeistert👍👏Ganz egal ob es die Gebäude 🏘 sind oder die Figuren so real🍃Der See ist wunderbar,ich glaube China hat das meiste Wasser 💦 auf der ganzen Erde 🌏Nun wenn es so ist dann werden wir irgendwann mal Wasser von China einkaufen müssen👍Doch wollte ich Dir noch sagen,das mein Lieblings Video von dir“Der Granitgipfel“ „Das Rückgrat Chinas“ ist,sind dort bin ich jeden Tag 👍👏😊Morgens nach dem Frühstück und am Abend vor dem Einschlafen 🍃🌺🍃Der Granit und die Azaleen 🌺 haben mich sehr inspiriert🤭👍Ich werde so oft dort Wander,bis ich den Wag alleine finde,sollte ich einmal dort sein 👍Vielen Dank das ich Dich wieder mal begleiten durfte,und bleibe weiterhin motiviert diese Reisen zu machen 🍃🌺🍃Grüße Renate 🍃🌺🍃🌺🍃
很精彩的视频！拍的很漂亮！感谢您的分享！❤❤❤
what an breathtaking temple and old village! so fascinating!
Tout simplement GRANDIOSES SOMPTUEUX MAJESTUEUX FOISONNANT FÉERIQUE APAISANT RELAXANTE 🌐🧡💚🤍💛🩷💎💎💎🎍🎍🎍
Absolutely amazed by the Heavenly Craft Great Buddha! It's incredible to think it took over a century and three generations to complete—true dedication and artistry.
这湖面风景简直是人间仙境！
Buddham Saranam Gacchami. Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu
❤Круууть