大足石刻是中国晚期石窟艺术的代表作，始建于初唐、至两宋鼎盛，拥有5万余尊造像[1]。1999年12月，大足石刻被联合国教科文组织列入《世界遗产名录》[1]，并被誉为"世界石窟艺术史上最后的丰碑"[1]。这处文化瑰宝获得"石窟版《清明上河图》"的称号，在于其充满世俗化、生活化特色的造像内容，以生动立体的方式记录了公元9至13世纪的中国社会生活[1]。宝顶山中保存着诸多南宋社会生活场景的石刻，包括养鸡女、吹笛女、行乞孝子等形象[1]，其中《牧牛图》共分十二组，曲折起伏地刻在近30米长的岩面上[1]。
近年来，大足石刻的保护工作取得显著成果。大足石刻研究院开展了与国际机构的合作项目，2019年至2021年与意大利威尼托文化遗产集群合作开展"舒成岩摩崖造像保护"项目[1]，2022年与日本奈良文化财研究所建立合作关系[1]。同时，数字化建设也得到推进，游戏《黑神myth：悟空》1:1还原了宝顶山的千手观音、西方净土变、地狱变相等石窟造像[1]。此外，"五山联动"新游径新开放了南山、石门山、石篆山三处造像点[1]。迄今公布为各级文物保护单位的石刻达75处[1]。
Dazu Stone Carvings represent the pinnacle of late-period Chinese grotto art and have earned the distinction of being called a "grotto version of Along the River During Qingming Festival" due to their rich secular and everyday life imagery [1]. The site contains over 50,000 Buddhist statues and was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in December 1999 [1]. These carvings, which flourished from the early Tang Dynasty through the Song Dynasty, vividly document Chinese social life from the 9th to 13th centuries in three-dimensional sculptural form [1].
The stone carvings at Baodingshan Mountain showcase numerous scenes of Southern Song society, including depictions of chicken-rearing women, flute players, and filial sons begging for alms [1]. Among the notable works is the "Herding Cattle" series, comprising twelve groups carved across nearly 30 meters of rock face in a winding, undulating composition [1]. Today, 75 stone carving sites across various levels of cultural heritage protection have been catalogued [1].
The Dazu Stone Carvings Research Institute has undertaken extensive preservation efforts in recent years. Between 2019 and 2021, the institute collaborated with Italy's Veneto Cultural Heritage Cluster on the "Shugenyan Rock Carving Protection" project [1]. In 2022, the institute established a cooperation agreement with Japan's Nara Cultural Properties Research Institute [1]. Digital preservation initiatives have also been implemented, with the video game "Black Myth: Wukong" featuring 1:1 recreations of iconic carvings including the Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara, the Western Pure Land transformation, and scenes of hell [1]. Additionally, the "Five Mountains Coordinated" tourism route has opened three new carving sites at Nanshan, Shimen Mountain, and Shizuan Mountain [1].