Shibao Mountain

Shibao Mountain is situated in Jianchuan County, 25 km. away from the county seat and 140 km. away from Dali. Here, evergreen trees, elegant temples, superb and exquisite grottoes and the scenery in general are attractive. Shizhongshan (Stone Bell Mountain), a branch range of Shibaoshan, has a huge bell-shaped rock on top of the mountain, hence its name. The scenery on Shizhongshan is famed for its towering peaks, dense forest, grotesque rocks, bamboo groves and the luxuriant growth of azaleas. There is a temple on the mountain, namely the Stone Bell Temple constructed in the Nanzhao Kingdom period and renovated during the Qing Dynasty. Up to the present, 16 grottoes distributed over the Lion Pass, Shadengqing and the Stone Bell Temple have been discovered and there are 139 statues in them. Among them, there are a complete set of statues of the royal family of a king of Nanzhao, Lord Buddha, monks from Tianzhu (India today), animals and so on. Eight of the 16 aforesaid caves, all located in the Stone Bell Temple, are the most important ones. They are the master pieces and representatives of the grotto art of Jianchuan County. These grottoes are magnificent with numerous statues exquisitely and finely carved. They are also important source material for the study of Nanzhao Kingdom.

The earliest carvings date back to the Tang and Song Dynasties while the latest ones are carvings of the Ming Dynasty.