A boat tour offers great views of the Bingling Stone Forest in Linxia, Gansu. [Photo provided to China Daily]

As the yacht glides through this narrow stretch, the waterway tightens, leading deep into the gorge. Upon disembarking, visitors discover a surprising cultural treasure: the Bingling Temple Grottoes, carved into the cliffs and housing a rich collection of Buddhist art. The site contains 216 caves, hundreds of statues and numerous murals spanning multiple dynasties.

As visitors walk deeper into the cliffside complex, the true marvel reveals itself: the main statue of Bingling Temple — a 27-meter-tall Buddha carved into the mountain during the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

The sheer scale of the statue, framed by weathered sandstone grottoes, stops travelers in their tracks. Sunlight filters into the canyon, illuminating the Buddha's serene countenance, which has gazed upon the Yellow River for over a millennium.

High in the cliffs, the caves overlook the Buddha statue from a vantage point 40 meters above the riverbed. Visitors reach them via a series of wooden staircases climbing alongside the statue.

The Bingling Temple Grottoes house a collection of Buddhist sculptures and murals. [Photo provided to China Daily]