A Visit to Anyue, China

On June 28, 2014, at the invitation of my old friend Guo Jin, I joined a group of fellow artists on a visit to Anyue, a small county in Sichuan, China, known for its ancient stone carvings.

Often called the “Hometown of Stone Carvings,” Anyue is home to a vast number of Buddhist sculptures. Unlike the grand royal caves of Dunhuang or Yungang, the carvings here are spread across villages, fields, and hillsides. They reflect local beliefs and the humble craftsmanship of rural artisans. The subjects include Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Dizang (Kṣitigarbha), flying beings, as well as Taoist figures and everyday scenes. The carving style is simple and lively, full of local character and life.

The artists I traveled with were deeply moved by the immediacy of these works—the feeling of truly being “on site.” These carvings aren’t displayed in museums or presented as spectacles. They sit quietly on hillsides and stone walls, weathered and softened by wind and time. Many of them are blurred, damaged, or partially lost, yet they remain embedded in the rock, continuing to exist and speak in their own slow rhythm.

For me, this trip to Anyue wasn’t about visiting a major “art destination,” but more about resetting my senses and way of seeing. It reminded me that the most powerful works are often not grand statements, but quiet images and presences that live in the cracks of daily life—rough, real, and somehow capable of cutting through the surface.

Le Xi 奚乐 and fellow artists visiting rural stone carving sites in Anyue, Sichuan

Ancient Buddhist stone carvings on a hillside in Anyue, Sichuan

Ancient-Buddhist-stone-carvings-on-a-hillside-in-Anyue,-Sichuan,-photographed-by-artist-Le-Xi-奚乐.jpg

Ancient Buddhist stone carvings on a hillside in Anyue, Sichuan-5, photographed by artist Le Xi 奚乐

Ancient Buddhist stone carvings on a hillside in Anyue, Sichuan-8, photographed by artist Le Xi 奚乐