These grottoes (麦积山石窟) are found on the precipices of Maiji Mountain 30 kilometers south of Tianshui County, Gansu Province. Maiji Mountain is a green and graceful peak in the western part of the grand Qinling Range. The grottoes were cut during a period of 1,500 years, from the Later Qin Dynasty (384-417) until the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). During an earthquake in the seventh century, the cliff broke in two and the grottoes were thus divided into east and west sections. The 194 remaining grottoes today contain 7,000 clay and stone statues and 1,300 square meters of mural paintings.[dfsc.com/by Jing Qi Shen]

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