在中國最早“國道”上遇見盛唐彩雕奇觀

Magnificent Tang Dynasty Colored Statues from China

色彩艷麗的南龕石窟造像。

南龕石窟

南龕石壁為白砂石地質。

生動明艷的石刻佛像。

米倉古道

米倉古道，是古代重要的入川通道，歷史可追溯至夏商，可謂中國最早的“國道”。巴中位于米倉古道要塞，唐宋時期，南來北往的商人、官員和文人在此駐足，沿著山崖石壁開窟造像、裝彩題詞，其中尤以南龕石窟最為卓絕……

The Micang Ancient Road is an important passageway into Sichuan dating back to the Xia and Shang Dynasties, making it one of China's earliest "national roads". Bazhong is located at a key strategic point along this ancient route. During the Tang and Song Dynasties, merchants, officials, and scholars from the south and north would stop here. They carved grottoes, created statues, and inscribed colorful texts along the cliffs. Among these, the Nankan Grottoes are particularly renowned.

南龕石窟是四川巴中境內規模最大、保存最為完好的摩崖造像群，窟區全長252米，有碑碣、造像記、題記68處，詩文130余條、佛塔18座。作為中國十大石窟之一，南龕石窟坐西朝東分布著176龕2700余尊大小不一、形態各異的石刻佛像。讓人驚異的是，南龕石窟雖距今已有1300多年歷史，但造像顏色依舊生動明艷。

The Nankan Grottoes are known as the largest and best-preserved group of cliff carvings in Bazhong, Sichuan. The total length of the grotto area is 252 meters. There are 68 inscribed tablets, statue creation notes and remarks, over 130 poems and writings, and 18 Buddhist pagodas. Listed among China’s top 10 grottoes, the Nankan Grottoes include 176 niches with over 2,700 stone-carved Buddha statues of varying sizes and shapes, all arranged from west to east. An astonishing fact about the Nankan Grottoes is that, though they boast a history of over 1,300 years, the colors of the statues remain vibrant and vivid.

研究表明，南龕石壁為白砂石地質，有利于顏料滲透。石窟造像塑彩提取純天然植物和礦物質色素，經久耐用，彰顯了古人的智慧和制作工藝。

According to research, the cliffs of the Nankan Grottoes are made up of white sandstone which facilitates the permeation of pigments. The colors used for the statues are extracted from natural plant and mineral pigments, allowing for durable quality and demonstrating the ancients’wisdom and craftsmanship.

佛像溫和慈祥，菩薩造像嫵媚秀美，天王威嚴凜然，力士遒勁剛健，極富世俗人物的情感與生活氣息。被譽為“盛唐彩雕、全國第一”的南龕石窟，雕刻圓潤，色彩艷麗。站在南龕石窟面前，一眼千年，夢回大唐。

The Buddha statues are mild and benign, the Bodhisattva statues are charming and graceful, the Heavenly Kings are majestic and awe-inspiring, and the warriors are vigorous and sturdy. They are rich in the emotions and worldly features of mortal beings. The Nankan Grottoes, hailed as“China’s Top 1 Colored Statues from the Tang Dynasty”, feature smooth carvings and brilliant colors. Standing in front of the Nankan Grottoes, a single gaze brings us back to the Tang Dynasty of millennia ago.

中文作者：四川日報全媒體記者 盧麗嘉

英文作者：四川國際傳播中心記者 劉動

攝影：盧麗嘉