Binglingsi Yongjing County, Gansu is located 35 kilometers southwest of the small Jishishan away from Lanzhou, there are more than 70 kilometers. Not yet dawn, and a few friends on the ride from Lanzhou departure, at the beginning were good roads into the mountains, the road becomes narrow and difficult. Northwest perennial water shortage in the mountains with scant vegetation, even in this season can only see a thin layer of morning frost. The voyage, and finally to the Liujiaxia reservoir. Reservoir Marina wants to come, a desolate. After inquiries, I discovered that almost no one here to tour at this time, the ship opened the majority do not. Accompanied by several local friends, every possible effort to both soft and hard, finally finally is leased to a small yacht.

First saw the famous Liujiaxia Reservoir, feel not up to much, it seems size is not large, surrounded by mountains pretty variety. As being located in the upper reaches of the Yellow River, the water is clear, no turbidity through the Loess Plateau, the kind of after. When the boat sailed out of a saddle in front suddenly see the light, Enpa Haomiao Pinghu blowing from the plateau, by boat of the people whom the spirit of pick up, have climbed out extravehicular to enjoy the lake. Passion for it, we feel the cold water on the north wind, cold pressing. Had to arch back to the cabin, through the boat windows peep out. Through more than 50 kilometers of the lake, reading off the demeanor of sister peaks, and finally came to Binglingsi.

Binglingsi built in Qin and subsequently by the Northern Wei, Western Wei, Northern Zhou, Sui, Tang, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties expansion, so far, about 1,600 years of history. Binglingsi most typical is the stone statues and Tibetan pagoda relief mural art, and the Mogao Grottoes and the Maijishan known as the three caves in Gansu. Then a number of craftsmen and artists hanging in ropes, in the 60-meter-high cliff on the use of the natural cliff bump, the construction of a large number of Buddhist caves. Liujiaxia now because of the construction of a reservoir, the water level up a lot of the original that the brink of the Yellow River, overlooking the high momentum has been left free.

Binglingsi distributed in Odera red sandstone on both sides of the ditch, after landing, along the path forward, longer follow a trestle on the last saw cascading cave, Plank Road twists and turns. Miss guides braved the cold, give us a Binglingsi history and some well-known statues. Binglingsi Jishishan where the geological structure of rock, although the easy-to-dig carving, but impatience weathering and moisture. Cliff's height, often rock out, the shape of the eaves, for a number of cave blocked a lot of wind and rain and sun, they played a certain protective effect, but many thousands of years after Kukan statues still sounded vicissitudes of life, only vaguely see the elegance of the year. Due to fading, weathering and appears to dim the murals, can only bring Way back past glory. Here, we have yet to see any decent protection, and asked Miss guide, the answer is that because of local sandstone structure, and in many other places where protective measures is not only useless but harmful, it will only serve these millennium old Buddha continued through the wind and rain, see the world. Clay statues of Buddha is even more incomplete limbs, heads, often without. In addition to natural factors on the shrines of the damage, the human damage is also very serious, of course, missed the last century, 60 years of that catastrophe, there is a history of the war damage. Local friends told me that these wars, most of the local Han Chinese and disputes between the two communities because of their religious beliefs, they often get the upper hand to destroy each other's religious worship idols. Alas, the mortal struggles Foyi distress. Buddha Cave No. 172 of up to 27 meters, is the most Binglingsi caves tall one, though now is a mass of bruises, still silently watching the ditch the other side through the massive temple - Binglingsi, between them, there are a stone bridge linked. Temples apparently been rebuilt, and now can be regarded as the shiny, as compared with the side of the shrines, I really can be called heaven and earth.

Standing stone bridge looking straight down, to see a non-deep ravine meandering stretch water. If there is no Liujiaxia Reservoir, the water level will go a lot, standing here, you can see is the foot of the Yellow River flowing through. River boats that pass through here, looked up, the Mid-levels should be seen towering above the Binglingsi stance. Drum and bell, leisurely triumphantly, that is what a spirit. Now with a bit desolate little Jishishan, in the Sui Dynasty was a prosperous merchant parked within the Department, is also the ancient "Silk Road" south to the Tubo must pass through, economic development and different cultures has created cross-dissolve Binglingsi. With the ancient "Silk Road" Decline, Binglingsi also gradually lose their luster. Poverty and war, but is almost destroyed here.

Liujiaxia reservoir began to store water in 1967, when the threat of Binglingsi Caves, and some long-buried in an underwater cave only in the trestle bridge on the tour, often seen on the stone walls engraved with the words: here down × × m for × × cave. Now estimated to have been deposited silt or less the same, and I wonder if there any advance polling day. Cave No. 16 was only 8.6 meters long in a big dumping of a large Wofo 9 migration to save, the discharge is more than 30 years, until 1999, Binglingsi vacated by the original text of Paul's office, in the Binglingsi of a side, the construction of Wat Po, Tai Wo Fo's nine limbs had a chance to Jiujiuguiyi. The construction of reservoirs, although brought to Binglingsi irrevocable loss, but also for the development of the Yellow River, to promote local economic development, and played an important role. Shen large number of shrines in the underwater, is not it also be counted as the Buddhist self-sacrifice Purdue beings do?
Author: ylxieyang