◎Cave Culture of the Northern Qi Dynasty

The Cave Culture of the Northern Qi Dynasty,represented by the Xiangtangshan Caves and the caves in the Wahuang Palace,is a treasure of Buddhist engraving art in China. With the largest group of cliff carvings in the world,it represents the highest achievement in the development of Buddhism in the Northern Dynasties. Xiangtangshan Caves has the largest cave temple in the Northern Qi Dynasty and the fifth largest cave group in China after the four famous caves in Yungang,Longmen,Dunhuang and Maijishan,which makes it a treasure of Buddhist engraving art in the Northern Qi Dynasty. It was first built in the Northern Qi Dynasty,expanded in Sui,Tang,Song and Ming dynasties,with 16 caves of various sizes and more than 4,300 statues. It is not only an embodiment of the integration of Chinese and Western cultures,but also a witness of the interpenetration of southern and northern cultures in China,as well as an important link in the sinicization of Buddhist engraving art. There are six Buddhist scriptures of the Northern Qi Dynasty engraved in the caves of Wahuang Palace,with a total of about 130,000 words,which are the best preserved ones in China and masterpieces of calligraphy art in Northern Dynasties. They also provide important materials for the study of the development of Buddhism in China and the emendation of relevant historical records.(https://www.daowen.com)