Based on thorough archaeological and historical investigation, this paper presents a detailed introduction to the six newly discovered cave groups and cliff engravings from sites at Dingbianqu, Fengjiahe, Hujiagua, Nianping, Xiaoyayao, Luotuobozi, all located in Yongning Town, Danzhi County, Yan’an City, adding in addition a preliminary discussion about the dating of the caves, the themes of the images, and the various characteristics of different periods. The investigation results show that the cliff engravings in Hujiagua and Nianping date to the late Taihe era of the Northern Wei dynasty; those in Dingbianqu, Fengjiahe, Xiaoyayao and Luotuobozi date from the late Northern Wei to the Western Wei dynasty; and some of the engravings found in Dingbianqu and Fengjiahe likely fall between the period from the Northern Zhou to the Early Tang. The results of a pictorial analysis reveal that many of the images found at these sites have characteristics of the Northern Dynasties period of painting, while the image combinations and themes retain many features of tribal imagery.These pictures not only embody the regional features of north Shaanxi, but also exhibit a close relation to the Buddhist images from places as far away as Longdong and Guanzhong. As one of the most important early Buddhist grottoes and collections of engravings in north Shaanxi, these artifacts have enriched the physical evidence of Buddhist history during the period of the Northern Dynasties and are of important value for studying the distribution, content, and characteristics of pictorial art in north Shaanxi on the north route of the Silk Road.
