Puge Cliff Painting in Qiubei County, Wenshan
Chinese Name: 丘北县普格岩画
English Name: Puge Cliff Painting in Qiubei County, Wenshan
Overview
The Puge Cliff Painting is an ancient rock art site located near Puge Village, 3 kilometers west of Shuanglongying Town in Qiubei County, Wenshan Prefecture, Yunnan Province. The paintings are situated on a white stone cliff, which stands approximately 30 meters high and faces westward. The artwork itself is positioned about 7 meters above the ground and covers an area of about 50 square meters.
Description
The Puge Cliff Painting is composed of 24 discernible images, with an additional 10 that are faint and difficult to distinguish. The largest of these images measures 2.2 meters in height and 1 meter in width, while the smallest is about 20 centimeters tall. The paintings were created using red pigment and primarily depict scenes related to fertility worship.
Significance
The Puge Cliff Painting holds significant cultural and historical value, as it has been linked to the origins of the Wanjia Ba type bronze drums, an important artifact in the study of ancient Chinese culture. The discovery of these motifs on the Puge Cliff Painting has provided key insights into the origins of these drums and has contributed to ending the global debate on their birthplace. Additionally, the images on the cliff also include motifs representing the unity of heaven and man, which are crucial in the search for the “seal” of the legendary Yelang King, a significant figure in the ancient Southwest Yi cultural community. The site was designated as a protected cultural heritage site by the Wenshan Prefecture People’s Government in 1997.
