Baodingshan is the main reason most travelers come to Dazu. The carvings sit in and around a natural valley, with large Song dynasty scenes arranged almost like a moral theatre: punishments in hell, the wheel of life, a huge reclining Buddha, and the famous Thousand-Hand Guanyin.
The site was created under the direction of the monk Zhao Zhifeng, whose long project gave Baodingshan an unusual unity. Start at the visitor centre, take the shuttle, and allow enough time to look closely; the best panels are dense with small figures and carved inscriptions.