Temple Complex Dafosi

The Buddhist temple complex Dafosi was built in 628 AD and is located 160 km west of Xi’an. It represents the first large complex of grotto temples in this region and is a national monument of the first order. There are close to 1,500 statues in hundreds of niches and caves, which were sculpted out of the rock. The surfaces were modelled in clay and painted. The largest statue measures about 20 cm.

Over time, the main grotto sustained significant damage, in part due to the ingress of water and salts. The heads of the figures partly showed deep cracks and fissures and were at extreme risk. Between 1989 and 1996 a suitable conservation strategy, which was based on geophysical and chemical studies and analyses of the soil mechanics, was prepared and carried out. The measures included:

1. Securing threatened rock sections using mortar anchors, steel clamps and pressure plates as well as supportive brick walls.

2. Removing the alluvial layers.

3. Consolidating the sandstone.

4. Draining the seepage water from the grotto.

5. Multiyear monitoring of the results.

 

Prof. Erwin Emmerling

Prof. Rolf Snethlage

Dr. Cristina Thieme

Angelika Borchert, MA, and Claudia Wenzel, MA, at that time: Institute for East Asian Art History, Universitaet Heidelberg (art historical studies)

The results are published in: The Great Buddha of Dafosi. Arbeitsheft 82 des Bayerischen Landesamts für Denkmalpflege // ICOMOS-Hefte des Deutschen Nationalkomitees XVII (German / English / Chinese), München 2001 (part 1) (part 2)