The Immortal Cliff Grottoes are in the Maijishan Scenic zone about
65 kilometers southeast from Tianshui. It was named according a
legend: "the immortal shows the way with lamps." It was thought of
as a gathering place for immortals. Now it is a grotto temple
displaying interaction between Buddhism and Daoism.
The Immortal Cliff site consists of three cliffs, six temples and
Wulian Mountain, 27 palaces of the Ming and Qing dynasties, 54
houses, 197 statues of the Beiwei, Song, Ming and Qing dynasties,
83 square meters of frescoes, and 5 precious Buddhist bronze
statues from the period of Emperor Yongle's reign.
Of the three cliffs, the west cliff has the largest area and the
most Buddha halls. More than 100 statues of Buddha in the 14
temples and halls may be appreciated as art.