Located in the northern part of Sichuan Province, Guangyuan City is a scenic spot where Mt Longmen, the Micang Mountains and the low mountainous region in the northern Sichuan Basin converge.
One of the historic sites in the area is Jianmen Shu Road, also recognized as the ancient plank road. With a history of over 2,000 years, the road has a total length of 450kms running from Hanzhong City in Shaanxi to the provincial capital, Chengdu. This used to be the major pass from Central China leading to Southwest China]] through Sichuan.
Between 770 and 221 BC, Guangyuan was the capital of the Ju Kingdom. It was named ‘Lizhou’ during the Tang Dynasty from 618 to 907 AD because it was the birthplace of Empress Wu Zetian, the sole female empress in the history of China. On the bank of River Hiangling, Huangze Temple was erected in her honor, which is renowned for the various stone carvings in its caverns.
Set five kilometers north of Guangyuan, Thousand-Buddha Cliff features the largest grotto in Sichuan. With a height of around 45 meters and a length of 200 meters, the cliff contains plentiful Buddha statues that were carved about 1,500 years ago. Boasting a total amount of 234 statues, Dayun Cave is the most impressive among the grottoes.
Getting There & Away
Guangyuan Airport is placed on Mt Longpan, 14kms from the city center, and receives flights from Beijing, Guangzhou and Jiuzhaigou; the flight time from Beijing to Guangyuan is 2 hours, 20 minutes. From Zhaojuesi Bus Station in northern Chengdu, it takes about 3 hours to reach Guangyuan.
Things to Do
Guangyuan Attractions
- 1 - Thousand Buddha Cliff
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Featuring the largest grotto in the province, the cliff is
home to numerous Buddha statues carved into the caves 1,500 years ago.