Dazu Rock Carvings: A Day Trip from Chongqing

The Dazu Rock Carvings are tens of thousands of Buddhist, Daoist and Confucian figures cut into cliffs between the late Tang and Song dynasties, listed by UNESCO in 1999. Most visitors come for Baodingshan, about 15 km outside Dazu town. In the 2026 peak season (1 March to 30 November) it costs 115 yuan. Beishan, the second site, is 70 yuan, and a combined ticket for both on the same day is 140 yuan. Book through the 大足石刻 WeChat account. High-speed trains from Chongqing West or Shapingba reach Dazu South in 35 to 40 minutes, and a bus or the scenic-area shuttle covers the rest. It makes a full day out. For planning the rest of your stay, see the Chongqing travel guide.

Tickets and hours (2026)

Ticket	Peak (1 Mar to 30 Nov)	Off-peak (Dec to Feb)
Baodingshan	115 yuan	100 yuan
Beishan	70 yuan	50 yuan
Combined (same day only)	140 yuan	120 yuan

Baodingshan opens at 08:30 and closes at 18:00. In 2026 listings, tickets stop at 16:00 and entry at 16:10. Bookings are real-name, so have your passport number ready. Separate shuttle and electric-cart fares sometimes apply inside the site. Check both the price and the last entry on the WeChat booking page before setting out. Free days and discounts for some groups come and go.

Baodingshan: the main event

Baodingshan's carvings are arranged around a horseshoe-shaped ravine, the Great Buddha Bend (大佛湾), and were carved as a single programme, so the scenes read like a series of illustrated sermons. Things not to miss:

• The Thousand-Hand Guanyin, a gilded figure whose hands fan out across the whole cliff. It was restored between 2008 and 2015.
• The Reclining Buddha, Buddha entering nirvana, about 31 metres long. Only the upper body is carved, so it seems to rise out of the rock.
• The Wheel of Rebirth, a large carved wheel showing the six realms of reincarnation.
• The scenes of parental love, showing a mother and father raising a child. Among the most human carvings here.

Allow two to three hours. Walk the ravine slowly once, then go back to the scenes you liked. A guide or audio guide helps a lot, as most signs are brief.

Beishan: smaller and finer

Beishan, on a hill just outside Dazu town, was begun in the late Tang. Its niches are smaller and more delicate, with finely carved Song-dynasty bodhisattvas. Go if you have the energy after Baodingshan, or start there if you prefer detail to scale. The combined ticket is valid on the same day only.

Getting there and back

1. High-speed train from Chongqing West or Shapingba to Dazu South, 35 to 40 minutes. Book a morning train.
2. Bus or scenic shuttle from Dazu South to Baodingshan. In 2026 listings bus 205 and a direct tourist shuttle both run, with the last return shuttle at 18:00.
3. Taxi between Baodingshan and Beishan if you're doing both.
4. Train back in the evening. Book this in advance too, as Sunday evenings fill up.

Driving from central Chongqing is about 100 km each way, so the train is quicker.

How to plan the day

Time	Plan
08:00	Train from Chongqing West
09:30	Baodingshan, two to three hours
13:00	Lunch in Dazu town
14:30	Beishan, optional
17:00	Train back to Chongqing

Dazu or Wulong?

Choose Dazu for art and history, Wulong for landscape. Both take a day, and doing them back to back is tiring. In the city, keep the evening walk from Jiefangbei to Hongyadong for a different day, and the Yangtze Cableway and Ciqikou for another. If you're heading on to Sichuan, the carvings pair well with the Giant Buddha in Leshan.

Frequently asked questions

How long do you need at Dazu?

Two to three hours at Baodingshan, plus an hour and a half for Beishan. With the trains, it's a full day from Chongqing.

Is Beishan worth it after Baodingshan?

If you like sculpture, yes: its Song carvings are smaller but more refined. If you're tired, Baodingshan alone is still a complete visit.

Do I need a guide?

It helps. Most signs are brief and in Chinese. A guide or audio guide explains the stories behind the scenes, which is half the point of Baodingshan.

Before you go

• Book on the 大足石刻 WeChat account and check the season's prices.
• Check Baodingshan's last entry, around 16:10 in 2026.
• Check the times of the last shuttle and the last train back.
• Wear good shoes. The ravine paths have steps and can be slippery after rain.