Yao Chong’s attitudes towards Buddhism were very complex. Throughout his life, he had been always hovering between religious beliefs and restrictions religious. As a loyal minister，he had been actively involved in statues of prayer activities for Wu Zetian which was organized by the bureaucracy.As a filial son, he participated in statue cave activities, which were hosted by his mother.As a politician, he regarded restrictions on Buddhism as a national policy. When there were conflicts between the inner beliefs and the external political needs，he made decisions in favor of the country without hesitation. As a parent, on the one hand he accused Buddha sutra, statues, and charity etc.To warn his children did not adhere to vulgar posterity, inviting monks, do the useless thing, to chase happiness empty talk in his will. On the other hand, he stressed that “Buddha in the heart, as long as mercy for the bosom, do charity and abandon evil, we will reach the realm of the Buddha”. The above behaviors reflected his complex attitudes towards Buddhism. Therefore, we should not evaluate his antiBuddhist to post “materialist” label simply. We should analyse and evaluate of his specific words and deeds in an objective and sensible way.

Yao Chong； Buddhism； statues in the grottoes