Kunming, Yunnan Province

Dragon Gate on West Hill

The Western Hills (Xi Shan), a band of sheer cliff faces, rise 2,000 feet above the shores of Lake Dian. The Cliffside grottos---- originally cut out of sheer stone walls by Wu Laiqing and his band of daring monks over a 54-year-period starting in 1781--- begin in earnest. The walk is not for the faint of heart. The caves and niches along the way contain statues trimmed from rock, serving as shrines to Guanyin (Goddess of Mercy) and other Daoist deities.