On 16 September 2016 when I visited Dazu Rock Carvings or Dazu Baoding Mountain Rock Carvings, it was just a couple of days shy of 23 years since I last visited this place.
The most striking change at I noticed is the frontage or the entrance to this World Heritage Site. In 1993 when I visited this place with a group of Engineers from the Institution of Engineers Malaysia, the entrance was a simple stone arch with the Chinese characters "Baoding Mountain" inscribed on it. It was said that Bo Xilai during the pinnacle of his political career as Mayor of Chongqing spent billion to upgrade the entrance to its current monumental scale. He was known to focus on aesthetic development projects such as massive boulevards, monuments and large public parks. His appetite for gargantuan projects probably triggered his political downfall. The sheer size and intricacy of all the structures built for the entrance truly is mind boggling!
The most striking change at I noticed is the frontage or the entrance to this World Heritage Site. In 1993 when I visited this place with a group of Engineers from the Institution of Engineers Malaysia, the entrance was a simple stone arch with the Chinese characters "Baoding Mountain" inscribed on it. It was said that Bo Xilai during the pinnacle of his political career as Mayor of Chongqing spent billion to upgrade the entrance to its current monumental scale. He was known to focus on aesthetic development projects such as massive boulevards, monuments and large public parks. His appetite for gargantuan projects probably triggered his political downfall. The sheer size and intricacy of all the structures built for the entrance truly is mind boggling!
Back in 1993, no video recording was allowed in the Rock Carvings Site. Many staff and under-covers were assigned all over the place to warn people against doing video recording. They stopped and asked to check for any sign of recording. Recording video tape would be ripped off if they find any recording!
With the introduction of smartphones into the market in 1999, it would be impossible to enforce such rule. In any case, any posting of video of the site in the internet nowadays would be promotional materials and likely be encouraged by the Chinese to promote tourism! What a change!
It still amazed me to look at these carvings said to number over 50,000 statutes. Carved over a period of 500 years from AD650 during the Tang Dynasty up to the 12th Century, the carvings are good historical records of what people then perceived the living, the dead and the afterlife. It is the synthesis of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism.
While I was impressed by the "knowledge" of the tour guides as they narrated the tales and significance of all these carvings, I was wondering just how much these teachings and tales affect their belief system in China today?
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Simple archway in 1993 as against gargantuan square
and archway in 2016
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Another huge square and massive building after crossing the gigantic entrance archway
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September 1993 Vs September 2016
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September 1993 Vs September 2016
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September 1993 Vs September 2016
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The huge lying Bhudda was closed for renovation and restoration. It was fortunate that I can dig up my old photo to have a look of this huge rock carving.
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| September 2016 |
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| September 1993 |
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