The Dazu Rock Carvings (大足石刻) are five groups of cliff sculpture in Dazu District, Chongqing, carved between the 9th and 13th centuries and a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1999. Two of them fill a visitor’s day: Baodingshan, a U-shaped gorge with about 500 m of carved cliff, and Beishan, 2 km from Dazu town. They are ticketed separately or together: the official peak-season prices, 1 March to 30 November, are RMB 115, RMB 70 and RMB 140 for both. Baodingshan tickets are sold at the visitor centre until 16:00, and passport holders buy at its staffed window. From central Chongqing it is a full day trip.
What are the Dazu Rock Carvings?
UNESCO lists them for their aesthetic quality, for the range of their subjects, secular as well as religious, and for what they show of everyday life in China at the time. In UNESCO’s words they give outstanding evidence of the harmonious synthesis of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. The carving runs from the late Tang to the Southern Song, later than the great cave temples of the north, and many of the figures still carry paint.
The five sites: which to see
| Site | What it is | For visitors |
|---|---|---|
| Baodingshan | A U-shaped gorge 15 km north-east of Dazu town, carved between 1174 and 1252 under the monk Zhao Zhifeng. The cliff is about 500 m long and 8–25 m high, in 31 numbered groups that include scenes of herdsmen and ordinary life | The main site, with the museum and the film; see this one if you see only one |
| Beishan | A cliff 7–10 m high running about 300 m, 2 km north of Dazu town, with more than 10,000 figures from the late 9th to the mid-12th century | Finer, smaller-scale work; add it after Baodingshan if time allows. It also opens in the evening |
| Nanshan | 12th-century Song carvings along 86 m, mostly Taoist | For a second visit |
| Shimenshan | Carvings from the first half of the 12th century along 72 m, Buddhist and Taoist together | Remote |
| Shizhuanshan | Late 11th-century carvings along 130 m that set Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian figures together | Remote |
Tickets and opening hours
| Ticket | 1 March to 30 November | 1 December to end of February |
|---|---|---|
| Baodingshan, with Shengshou Temple | 115 | 100 |
| Beishan | 70 | 50 |
| Baodingshan and Beishan | 140 | 120 |
| Nanshan, Shimenshan or Shizhuanshan, each | 30 | 30 |
| Digital film | 80 | 80 |
| Baodingshan scenic-area bus and cart | 22 return, 12 one way | 22 return, 12 one way |
| Package A: Baodingshan, film and return transport | 170 | 165 |
| Package B: Baodingshan and return transport | 130 | 115 |
| Package C: Baodingshan, Beishan, film and return transport | 190 | 180 |
| Package D: Baodingshan, Beishan and return transport | 150 | 130 |
- How to buy: the official WeChat account 大足石刻 sells online to holders of a Chinese resident ID card. With a passport, buy at the staffed ticket window in the Dazu Rock Carvings Visitor Centre. Entry is by ID check and a face scan, so carry the passport.
- Baodingshan: tickets are sold and checked at the visitor centre, open 08:30–16:30, with sales to 16:00 and ticket check to 16:10. The carvings are open 09:00–18:00, with last entry at 16:30.
- Beishan: 09:00–18:00, ticket sales 08:30–16:00 and last check 17:00. The evening session is 19:30–23:00, with sales 19:30–21:00 and last check 21:30. It closed for equipment maintenance on 20 July 2026, with reopening announced for 21 September, so check the academy’s notices before planning an evening visit.
- Museum and film: the museum is open 09:00–17:00 with last check 16:30, and Ctrip lists it as closed on Mondays. The digital film screens at 09:30, 10:20, 11:10, 12:00, 13:30, 14:20 and 15:10.
- Concessions: free under 18 and from 65, half price for ages 60–64, with ID; the academy’s notice lists a passport among the valid documents. Student half price is for full-time students at schools in China. Concessions do not cover the film or the transport.
- Guides: the academy’s English-language guide costs RMB 260 per session at Baodingshan, Beishan or the museum, and RMB 480 for Baodingshan with the museum.
- Refunds: an online order can be refunded only before the ticket is checked, and cannot be moved to another date.
- Phone: Baodingshan tickets 023-43785339, online ticketing 023-43766699.
The day trip from Chongqing
- Leave early. Baodingshan ticket sales stop at 16:00, and the two sites are more than 10 km apart; transport between them is yours to arrange.
- Start at Baodingshan: the museum, a film screening if the time fits, then the gorge.
- For Beishan, buy the combined ticket in the morning: Beishan’s own window closes at 16:00 and its last check is 17:00.
- By train, the high-speed station is Dazu South (大足南); check 12306 for trains from Chongqing. The academy’s route from the station is bus 204 or 206 into town, then bus 205 to the visitor centre; a taxi is simpler. A private car from Chongqing covers both sites without the transfers.
Dazu questions
Where are the Dazu Rock Carvings?
In Dazu District, Chongqing Municipality, south-west China. Baodingshan is 15 km north-east of Dazu town and Beishan 2 km north of it.
How much are Dazu Rock Carvings tickets?
The official peak-season prices, 1 March to 30 November, are RMB 115 for Baodingshan, RMB 70 for Beishan and RMB 140 for both; from 1 December to the end of February they are RMB 100, RMB 50 and RMB 120. The film is RMB 80 and the Baodingshan bus RMB 22 return.
Can foreign visitors buy Dazu Rock Carvings tickets online?
The official online sale is for holders of a Chinese resident ID card. With a passport, buy at the staffed window in the visitor centre; entry is by ID check and a face scan.
Baodingshan or Beishan, which should I see?
Baodingshan if you see only one: it is the main visitor site, with the museum and the film. Beishan is finer in detail and worth adding if you have the time.
Can I visit Dazu as a day trip from Chongqing?
Yes, as a full day. Leave early, see Baodingshan first because its ticket sales stop at 16:00, and add Beishan on a combined ticket if you can reach it before the 17:00 last check.
What are the opening hours?
Baodingshan 09:00–18:00 with last entry 16:30; its tickets are sold at the visitor centre from 08:30 to 16:00. Beishan 09:00–18:00 with last check 17:00, and an evening session 19:30–23:00. The museum is open 09:00–17:00.
Are the Dazu Rock Carvings a UNESCO World Heritage site?
Yes, since 1999. The listing covers five sites: Beishan, Baodingshan, Nanshan, Shizhuanshan and Shimenshan.
Sources(9)
- Dazu Rock Carvings (inscribed 1999)UNESCO World Heritage Centre
- Visitor information: opening hours, posted prices, film times, routes and phone numbersDazu Rock Carvings Academy
- Ticket booking notes: online and window sales, entry check and refundsDazu Rock Carvings Academy
- Ticket concessionsDazu Rock Carvings Academy
- Guide service feesDazu Rock Carvings Academy
- Notice of 13 July 2026: Beishan evening visits closed for maintenanceDazu Rock Carvings Academy
- Dazu Rock Carvings listing: museum hours and Monday closureTrip.com Group (Ctrip)
- Beishan listing: location, day and evening hoursTrip.com Group (Ctrip)
- China Railway 12306: trains to Dazu SouthChina Railway