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Mati Temple Grottoes
Introducing Mati Temple Grottoes (from tsemrinpoche.com)
Mati Temple, also known as Horse Hoof Temple, is located deep in the heart of Gansu province in northwestern China. It is a magnificent Buddhist temple complex consisting of a large group of caves that stretches up to 30 kilometres (18.64 miles) long. Mati Temple was first built in the Jin (266－420) Dynasty, with the first cave dug about 1,600 years ago by a man named Guo and his disciples. It was originally a school and later it was converted to a temple when the Buddha statues were made. The unique name of the temple derives from a legend that a dragon horse (Chinese Pegasus) descended from the heavens and left a hoof print on the place where the temple was established. The legendary hoof print is preserved and visible up to this day in the Mati Hall in Puguang Temple. Mati Temple, together with Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang and Yulin Grottoes in Anxi, is regarded as one of the Three Artistic Treasured Grottoes of Hexi Corridor Buddha Holy Land.
Mati Temple Grottoes Fast Facts
• Chinese Name: Ma Ti Si 马蹄寺
• Best Time to Visit: April, May, Sept & October
• Recommended Visiting Hours: About 3 to 4 hours
• Type: Buddhism, grottoes
• Opening Hours: 08:30-18:30
• Entrance Fee: CNY 73
• Address: Matisi, Sunan Yugu Nationality Autonomous County, Zhangye, Gansu
What to expect at Mati Temple Grottoes
The entire Mati Temple is divided into different attractions such as the South Temple, North Temple, Golden Pagoda Temple, Pagoda Forest, and Thousand-Buddha Temple. The main temple of the whole complex is the Thirty-Three Heavens Grottoes. It is a pagoda-shaped temple that climbs up over 60 metres (197 feet) of a sheer cliff face, consisting of seven floors that houses 21 grottoes in total. The entire interior of the cliff face consists of elaborate tunnel mazes, steps and caves, which house many Buddha statues that were carved over hundreds of years ago. On the top floor of the grottoes, there is a Tibetan altar with a statue of Green Tara as its main image of worship.
Thirty-Three Heavens Grottoes
The cluster of Thirty-Three Heavens Grottoes is a pagoda-shaped temple that climbs up over 60 metres (197 feet) of a sheer cliff face, consisting of seven floors that houses 21 grottoes in total. The entire interior of the cliff face consists of elaborate tunnel mazes, steps and caves, which house many Buddha statues that were carved over hundreds of years ago. On the top floor of the grottoes, there is a Tibetan altar with a statue of Green Tara as its main image of worship. According to the legend, a monk saw a light emitting from the top of the cliff where the Thirty-Three Heavens Grottoes are located. He risked his life by climbing the cliff and discovered the source of the light: a three-inch malachite Green Tara statue. Then, he commissioned a one-metre-tall Green Tara statue in the image of the statue he found and inserted the malachite Green Tara statue into it. After that incident, Green Tara became the main deity of worship at Mati Temple. The grotto adjacent to the Green Tara altar houses a White Tara statue. White Tara is known as the Child-giving Bodhisattva by the locals. According to local custom, couples who wish to have their own children must come to pray to this statue.
Golden Pagoda Temple
The Golden Pagoda Temple is located in the southeast of the Thirty-Three Heavens Grottoes. It is 60 meters (197 feet) from the ground and only has two grottoes in it. However, it contains the best relics and cultural artefacts, including 200 precious statues and sculptures carved in the Northern Liang (397-460), Northern Wei (386-534), Sui (581-618), Tang (618-907), and Western Xia (1038-1227) dynasties. Among the sculptures, the apsaras sculptures in this temple are one-of-a-kind and known as the Eastern Essence of Apsaras with their lifelike postures and expressions.
Thousand-Buddha Grottoes
The Thousand-Buddha Grottoes are smaller and newer. They were constructed during the Yuan Dynasty in 1271–1368. These grottoes are carved out of a cliff face and consist of only two floors. There is a large number of shrines in grottoes, with a staggering number of 500 shrines.
Pagoda Forest
There are dozens of pagodas in different shapes and sizes, densely carved into the cliff wall and they form a holy forest. Most of them were built in the Yuan (1279-1368) Dynasty and many of them still possess their bright colours and shapes even though they were built a long time ago. The carving techniques applied in these pagodas are rarely found in the other grottoes in China.
King Gesar’s Palace
There is a single grotto in Mati Temple that is dedicated to King Gesar, a famed ancient ruler who vanquished all evil from the land. The grotto contains statues of King Gesar and his 36 generals on horses and bearing weapons, ready to fight off any impending evil forces. The ancient story of King Gesar can be found in the grotto.
How to get to Mati Temple Grottoes
• Mati Temple is located 65 kilometres (40.39 miles) away from Zhangye.
• Bus departs Zhangye to Mati Temple from Zhangye South Bus Station.
• Rent a car/bus from GGC to enjoy a hassle free private transfer from hotels in Zhangye to Mati Temple.