Dazu Wheel of Life

Dazu was one of the stops on our fabulous month-long trip to China with China Focus Travel (San Francisco, CA; 800/868-7244, www.chinafocustravel.com) in August ’07.

The Dazu Rock Carvings have eluded the ravages of war, purges and treasure hunters, the vivid carvings still standing to relate stories culled from Taoist, Confucian and Buddhist beliefs.

Among the outstanding carvings is the Wheel of Life (pictured above; photo by Claude Hansen), in which a giant, toothy demon holds the gigantic wheel depicting the possible states of reincarnation.

JOAN HANSEN

Sacramento, CA