Shuiliandong is an amazing example of Buddhist grotto art. Pay special attention to the paintings that are rapidly fading from the cliff walls behind the temple. These 3d paintings show relief achieved by the addition of clay features on the paintings. Dropped from recent editions of lonely planet, this is a can’t miss stop when visiting Gansu.

This has been in our bucket list of places to visit in Gansu but we were really awed by the effort taken to paint on and add sculptures on a cliff surface! Well- preserved and a great piece of Buddhist art, we spent hours trying to capture its intricate and minute details! The grottoes also has a number of caves. We visited the Water Curtain cave and temple and were impressed with the upkeep of the attraction! Must see even though it ranked 2nd to Maji Shan, also in Tianshui!