The Yulin Grottoes
The Yulin Grottoes, also called the
Ten-Thousand-Buddha Gorge, lie at one of the key points on the Silk
Road, with steep stony banks on both sides of the of the Yulin River,
75 kilometers south of Anxi County.
The grottoes were first carved during
the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317--420), about 1,600 years ago. There are
now 41 grottoes, more than 100 painted sculptures and over 1,000 square
meters of murals in existence. They are crucial component of the Dunhuang
art. The murals of Grotto No. 25 portray plump, healthy human figures
and manifest the aesthetic characteristics of the Tang Dynasty (618--907).
Yandang
Mountain (Yan means goose and Dong shallow lake) claims to be the Number
One Mountain in Southeast China well known for the picturesque scenery
of rolling green hills and clear waters. It is situated in Leqing County
in the southeast of Zhejiang Province. The main peak of the mountain is
called the Yanhu Ridge with a lake atop, on which reeds grow in great
variety and profusion. It is home to the wild geese that come in autumn
to rest here for the winter, hence the name Yandang Mountain. 
The
Mountain is famous for the peaks, rocks, caves and waterfalls, most of
them in Great Dragon Pool, Ling Peak and Ling Rock and are considered
to be the best scenic spots in the southeast of Yandang Mountain. The
unpredictable night visions at Ling Peak are fantastic and worth staying
a night to enjoy.
