Ah-ai_Grotto
Ah-ai Grotto
Buddhist rock-cut cave in Xinjiang
The Ah-ai Grotto (Chinese: 阿艾石窟; pinyin: Ā ài shíkū) is a small, standalone Buddhist rock-cut cave located in the Kyziliya Grand Canyon, Kuqa, Xinjiang. The area is under the administration of Ah-ai Town, hence its name. The grotto was discovered by a young Uyghur shepherd named Tudi Azze (吐地阿孜) in April 1999, while on his way to collecting medicinal herbs.[1]
Compared with other famous sites in Xinjiang, such as Bezeklik Caves or Kizil Caves, the small Ah-ai Grotto is not widely known. The cave murals have suffered from vandalism.[2]