A large group of cave temples from the Tang and Song dynasties has been preserved in Sichuan,the cave sculptures they contain being of particular interest to researchers and historians. Current academic research mainly focuses on the initial state of the caves while less attention has been paid to the subsequent renovations made throughout history, including the current state of the caves as they are today. Focusing on the Southern Niches at Bazhong repainted by Li Sihong, this paper discusses the artwork extant today and the historical process that brought it to this point. By combining these sculptures with repainted inscriptions, titles, and relevant cultural relics, the author not only matches the niches repainted by Li Sihong with other individual extant niches, but also conducts biographical research on the painter that includes information about Li Sihong’ s faith, official career, and family background. Through this case study, this paper concludes that specified discussion of historical renovations combined with comprehensive awareness of the entire series of niches at Bazhong can provide a new vision for the study of ancient belief and history in Sichuan through the research of cave temples.
