Matisi Grottoes (Chinese: 馬蹄寺石窟) is located in Sunan Yugur Autonomous County (肅南裕固族自治縣), Zhangye (張掖), Gansu (甘肅) Province, China. Matisi Grottoes cover about 100 square kilometers, the landscape around is beautiful and splendid.
Yugurs (裕固族) or Yellow Uyghurs, are a Turkic and Mongolic group live primarily in the middle part of Hexi Corridor (河西走廊), they are mostly Tibetan Buddhists.
The first cave of Matisi Grottoes was dug around the 4th century, which was over 1,600 years ago.
Some of the caves in Matisi Grottoes were carved into a cliff over 100 meters high; tourists can climb up to enjoy the panoramic view.
‘Mati’ (馬蹄) means ‘horse hoof’ and ‘si’ (寺) means ‘temple’ in Chinese, it is believed that a horse from heaven visited here long time ago and left a print of its hoof.
Unfortunately, Matisi Grottoes were devastated during the Cultural Revolution, only rocks were left in most of the caves.
