The first rural grotto culture park in the province is completed in Mianjian

Recently, the construction project of the Wulong Mountain Qianfuyan Rural Grotto Culture Park Protection Zone in Zitong County has been completed. This is the first pilot construction project of a rural grotto culture park in Sichuan Province.
The project is located at Wuyi Village, Wolong Town, Zitong County, at the foot of the eastern cliff of Mount Wolong, mainly for the protection of the carved statues on the Qianfodian Cliff. A reporter on the scene saw that the facilities here have been completely renovated, and construction workers are carrying out the final greening and beautification work. "The project is basically completed, and we are doing the final finishing work, including greening, installation of signs, and clearing of construction waste," said Huang Guoquan, the person in charge of the construction.
This construction strictly adheres to the principles of "not altering the original state of cultural relics," "minimal intervention," and "protecting the 'authenticity' and 'integrity' of cultural relics and their historical environment," mainly focusing on upgrading and renovating various protective facilities of the grottoes.
The renovation and conservation project includes: dismantling the old rafters and tiles, redoing the roof, replacing decayed wooden structures, moving the front eaves wall forward, increasing the indoor area to meet visitor needs, redoing the doors and windows in accordance with local traditional styles, re-plastering the walls, re-laying square brick floors, and adding lighting enhancements, etc. At the same time, the cultural relics department of the county has set up an exhibition room named "Exploring the Early Tang Charm on the Rock Walls of Qianfoyan", specially introducing the basic situation of the Qianfoyan cliff carvings and displaying some cultural relics to help visitors better understand.
With the smooth completion of the project, some tourists have also come here out of admiration. "We came from Mianyang. We visited here last year. The cultural relics here are very precious and worth protecting. The construction here is very well done and beautiful, making it a place worth visiting," said tourist He Xiaoping.
According to reports, in 2023, Sichuan Province announced the selection of 9 sites for the pilot construction of the Sichuan Rural Grotto Culture Park (attractions, micro-landscapes), with the Wulong Qianfuyan Cliff Grotto Statues in Zitong County among them. It is hoped that through the pilot construction, the integration of protection and utilization of small and medium-sized grotto temples will be promoted, aligning with the implementation of the rural revitalization strategy, the construction of rural public service systems, and the development of agricultural, cultural, and tourism industries in order to unleash the vitality of cultural resources, support the high-quality construction of the Sichuan-Chongqing Grotto Temple National Heritage Park, and explore a path for the protection and utilization of small and medium-sized grotto temples with Sichuan characteristics.
"Wolong Town adheres to actively promoting the integration of agriculture and tourism, as well as the integration of culture and tourism development. By effectively connecting the Qianfuyan Cliff Grotto Statue Grotto Temple Cultural Park with the under-construction Niutou Mountain Modern Agricultural Theme Park, the town is striving to create a demonstration garden that integrates 'circular agriculture + green ecological organic agriculture + smart agriculture + cultural experience.' This will contribute to the development of the town's cultural and tourism industry," said Luo Huiyuan, Secretary of the Wolong Town Party Committee.
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Sichuan Province currently has 2134 grottoes (including cliff carvings), ranking first in the country. However, apart from a few concentrated sites such as the Leshan Giant Buddha, Guangyuan Qianfodian Cliff, and Bazhong Grottoes, the vast majority of small and medium-sized grottoes are scattered in rural areas. Not only is the situation of protection urgent, but the cultural relics have not been effectively utilized.
In January 2023, the General Office of the Provincial Government issued the "Implementation Plan for Strengthening the Protection and Utilization of Grotto Temples in Sichuan Province", aiming to promote the integration of the protection and utilization of small and medium-sized grottoes into the implementation of the rural revitalization strategy, the construction of rural public service systems, and the development of agricultural, cultural, and tourism industries. This plan effectively unleashes the vitality of cultural relics resources, supports the high-quality construction of the Sichuan-Chongqing Grotto Temples National Heritage Park, and explores a path for the protection and utilization of small and medium-sized grottoes with Sichuan characteristics.
The establishment of rural grotto cultural parks (scenic spots, micro-landscapes) is a pioneering initiative nationwide. Sichuan's rural grotto cultural parks (scenic spots, micro-landscapes) will be strictly evaluated based on the scale of the grottoes and accessibility conditions. Policy support and appropriate assistance will be provided for model projects, special funds for cultural relics protection, and promotion of cultural and historical tourism routes. Designated rural grotto cultural parks (scenic spots, micro-landscapes) will be incorporated into the key projects for the integrated protection and promotion of the Sichuan-Chongqing Grotto Temples National Heritage Park.