Bezeklik [monastery?], (near) Turpan, Xinjiang, CN

Raw data

"The Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves (Simplified Chinese:柏孜克里千佛洞; Hanyu Pinyin: Bózīkèlǐ Qiān Fó Dòng) are complex of Buddhist cave grottos dating from the 5th to the 9th centuries between the cities of Turpan and Shanshan (Loulan) at the north-east of the Taklamakan Desert near the ancient ruins of Gaochang in the Mutou Valley, a gorge in the Flaming Mountains, China.[1] They are high on the cliffs of the west Mutou Valley under the Flaming Mountains.[2]
There are 77 rock-cut caves at the site. Most have rectangular spaces with rounded arch ceilings often divided into four sections, each with a mural of Buddha." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bezeklik

"Bizalkik [should read Bizaklik - tmc] Thousand Buddha Caves stand high on the cliffs of west Mutou Valley under the Flaming Mountain, 45 km (28miles) east of Turpan. Of the 83 original caves, 57 caves currently remain. The murals cover an area over 1, 200 square meters (12,917 square feet) in more than 40 caves."
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/xinjiang/turpan/bizaklik.htm

"Turfan/Gaochang: Turfan is an oasis city surrounded by mountains. It flourished as a center of Buddhism in East Turkistan until the fourteenth century. […] In the outskirts of the city, in Bezeklik, Toyoq, and Murtuq, many cave temples with wall paintings were constructed."
(Kudara 2002a:100)

Input by: tmciolek, Dec 14, 2010

Final data (and their sources)

Last updated: 27 Dec 2012

Lat/Long coordinates' accuracy:
The monastery in question is assumed to be situated actually no farther than 200 m from the point defined by the coordinates below.

Location of Bezeklik monastery, CN.

General location of the Bezeklik monastery, CN.
Lat 42.958456 Long 89.533837
Mapping & images: Falling Rain Genomics (http://www.fallingrain.com), 2010.


Google Map link:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=42.958456+89.533837+(Approx.%20loc.%20of%20the%20Bezeklik%20monastery,%20CN)&ll=42.958456,89.533837&spn=05.0,05.0&t=k&hl=en


Final data - explanatory notes

1. Monastery's name

  • Bezeklik [monastery?]

2. Monastery's modern country & province

  • China:Xinjiang Uygur Zizhiqu

3. Monastery's alternative/historical names


4. Monastery's lat/long coordinates

  • Approx., Lat 42.958456 Long 89.533837 - based on the visual indetification of the site in maps.google.com/maps - tmciolek, 14 Dec 2010.

5. Other known nearby Buddhist monasteries

  • [missing data]

6. Modern name of the known nearest city, town, or village


7. The settlement's alternative/historical names


8. The settlement's coordinates


9. Monastery's major Buddhist tradition

  • [missing data]

10. Monastery's Buddhist sub-tradition

  • [missing data]

11. Date-early

  • MBM chrono-tag 0400-32p 0433-66p 0467-99p - tmciolek 27 Dec 2012
  • 0400-32p 0433-66p 0467-99p 0500-32c 0533-66c 0567-99c 0600-32c 0633-66c 0667-99c 0700-32c 0733-66c 0767-99c 0800-32p 0833-66p 0867-99p dated-el

12. Date-intermediate

  • [missing data]

13. Date-late

  • MBM chrono-tag 0800-32p 0833-66p 0867-99p - tmciolek 27 Dec 2012

14. Details of contacts with other monasteries

  • [missing data]

15. Type of evidence regarding the monastery

  • archaeological

16. Additional notes


17. Corrections & addenda to this page were kindly provided by

  • [missing data]

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