In the early days of Bingling Temple Grottoes, it was the Western Qin regime established by Qifu family of Xianbei nationality (AD 385- 431). The Western Qin regime was keen on promoting Buddhism, and the capital Maohan (Linxia) set up a translation field, which hired the famous monk Shengjian of the Eastern Jin Dynasty to translate Buddhist scriptures. At that time, the famous figures such as Xuangao, Xuanshao, Tanhong and the foreign great Zen master Tanmopi from the Western Regions gathered in the area of Western Qin regime, which made Buddhism in the Western Qin Dynasty unprecedentedly popular. Buddhism at that time was completely accepted on the basis of traditional Chinese culture. Although Bingling Temple Grottoes flourished in the Western Qin Dynasty, there was no obvious cultural symbol of Qifu family of Xianbei nationality. Among the many providers, the first are the meritorious masters with Han surnames from Nan'an (Longxi), Guangning (Zhangxian), Tianshui and Jincheng (Lanzhou). There is only one case titled "statue of Qifo-Luo Shi", which can be inferred from the surname as Xianbei Qifo (Fu), which belongs to the same clan as the rulers of the Western Qin regime, but wearing the similar wide-sleeved robes to Han costumes (Fig. 2). 

In 431 AD, the Western Qin regime demised. And now the area of Linxia is called Henan, as a part of Henan State established by Tuguhun. Tuguhun, a member of Murong’s family in Xianbei, began to believe in Buddhism in the 5th century. And its emperor Muliyan sent envoys and wealth to help Shi Hui, a famous monk in Jiuquan, to visit Shuli Zuojun Temple . In the period supervised by Liang Tian, Shi Yin set up a nine-storied Buddhist temple in Yizhou (Chengdu). The continuous building of Bingling Temple Grottoes after the Western Qin regime was also done by local meritorious masters and monks who traveled back and forth here. 

In the process of unifying the north in the Northern Wei Dynasty, Maohan Town was set up in 445 AD. Buddhism in the Northern Wei Dynasty has a strong color of the country and nation, with the degree of implementation of Buddhism even becoming the achievements of officials, so Bingling Temple Grottoes have become a part of Buddhism in the Northern Wei Dynasty that can not be ignored. Although Yungang and Longmen established by the royal family played a leading role in the sculpture activities of the grottoes in the Northern Wei Dynasty, the local grottoes also had some unique characteristics in taste and innovation. In the Tang Dynasty, because Bingling Temple was located on the busy Silk Road and the old road of Tibetan regime in ancient China, grotto statues developed rapidly again. There are not only contributions of ordinary civilians, but also active participation of officials at all levels. A large number of cave statues reflect the strong national strength of the Tang Empire. 

In the second year of Baoying Period (AD 763) after the An-Shi Rebellion, the Tibetan regime entered Dazhengguan, making regions such as Lan, Kuo, He, Shan, Tao, Min, Qin, Cheng, Wei occupied. It occupied Hexi and Longyou as much as possible until Wang Shao led his army to recover Hezhou in the sixth year of Xining Period under the leadership of Song Shenzong (AD 1073). During this period, it was the territory of the Tibetan regime first and then Shangfan branch. Various data show that the name of Bingling Temple was gotten during this period. It was called Tang Shu Cave in the Western Qin Dynasty, and Lingyan Temple in the Tang Dynasty. The name of Bingling Temple comes from the transliteration of Tibetan, meaning “one hundred thousand Maitreya Prefecture”. And in a broad sense, it means Qianfo Pavilion and Wanfo Gorge. This was formed in the process of long-term convention, which was extended to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, sometimes called as both Bingling and Lingyan. 

Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Bingling Temple has become a resort of Tibetan Buddhism, and monk houses have been expanded for lamas to live in. Many murals in caves have been redrawn into the contents of Tibetan Buddhism. 

  位于炳灵石窟北2.5公里处。炳灵上寺可以追溯到隋唐，上寺大佛洞内雕塑有4米高的弥勒佛像1 尊，神采丰满，形象端庄，不失隋代造像遗风。现上寺寺院东边山崖上，以及喜佛沟下层的山崖上，有唐代开凿、明代重修的窟龛两个。据《安多政教史》记述，文成公主当年过境时就居住在这里。元、明以来，这里一直是炳灵寺宗教活动的中心。明代，炳灵寺上寺曾建立密宗院，万历年间修建卓玛殿，以后因战乱频繁，卓玛殿屡毁屡建，清康熙十四年、民国二十六年、1986年都曾重塑卓玛佛像。现存卓玛殿绿度母塑像，高1.32米，头戴宝冠，秀发垂于两肩，面相清秀，手持莲花坐于莲座上，四层背光中第二层为二十个小度母。度母，藏语亦称"卓玛"，是观世音菩萨化身。

  康熙年间，炳灵寺上寺又修建了藏经楼、文殊殿、观音殿、护法堂、十六尊教堂、尊音神堂等。清康熙二十一年(1682年)敕封上寺嘉杨隆珠为护法禅师呼图克图(即转世活佛)，是康熙册封的十八个活佛之一，已传世八代，其弟子喇嘛十余人现居上寺行管理之职。

  炳灵寺上寺内还存有清康熙二十二年(1683年)刊印的大藏经一部60余卷，为佛教经典中的主要经典，是由骆驼运到炳灵寺的。寺内现存的唐卡画，有绿度母、千手千眼观音、坛城图、文殊菩萨等画卷，制作精美，色泽绚丽，具有浓郁的宗教色彩和独特的艺术风格。其中绿度母唐卡画是九世班禅赠送给上寺的。

  吧咪山位于永靖县三条岘乡东部,西距刘家峡15公里，是陇上名山,马衔山脉的尾段。原名黑山，传说清光绪年间大旱饥馑，满山忽生巴糜，味美能食,百姓赖以度过了荒年,故称“吧咪宝山”。吧咪山神庙建筑在群峰环抱、石岩争奇的小谷间。庙前古树参天，溪流潺潺,景色奇丽。民间传说兰州井儿街民女金花为反对包办婚姻逃到吧咪山，成仙显灵。据清光绪十八年(1892《重修皋兰县志》记载:“考核遗碑,金花出生于洪武二十二年(1389)，坐化于永乐三年(1405),建庙于成化四年(1468)”“光绪五年八月十一日，兰省曹炯奏禀皇帝旨饬礼部准加封号,列入祀典。……敕赐封号已定,敕建神祠,官民致祭,应毋庸议。”由陕甘总督左宗棠加“灵感”二字,是为“灵感神祠”。建造了大殿三间，厢房五间,后由乡民建百子宫、转阁楼等。同时，有左宗棠手书的“金花神祠”铜制匾，刘尔炘书“慈航广渡”、鲁大昌书“泽被群生”等匾额多块。庙院有井泉,东西有三石窝,水从石窝渗出,善信士誉谓“龙口”，建筑毁于1958年。1982年由远近信士募捐修复,重建金花殿及厢房六七间。

  岗沟寺石窟位于永靖县太极镇孔家寺村东南约5千米处深山沟内向阳的岩壁上，该石窟为一自然生成的洞穴，宽约100米，深25米，高15米，大体呈平顶，窟内依次建有专用经堂和娘娘殿、坐佛殿、菩萨殿三座大殿。

  据1995年出版的《永靖县志》和相关资料记载，元末明初时，在车珂、小沟、寺滩、小拐、罗旋湾建有佛寺5处。  明成化二年(1466年)五寺统一，扩建寺院，共事佛礼，清同治年间被焚。光绪年间，在长72米，深36米，高18米的自然石窟内重建大佛殿、五华楼、大经堂、睡佛殿、百子宫等建筑68间，在石窟前面的崖壁上，开凿经堂1座及长15米、高3米、宽6米，直径1米的石柱2根。各殿堂雕梁画柱，斗拱飞檐，有僧数10名。1958年所有建筑均被拆除。1979年在原址重修殿宇，开始佛寺活动。

  “一轮白塔辉宇宙，三月善会歌盛事。”传说很早以前，天竺有名高僧，作了108个佛塔，经释迦牟尼沐浴开光，自动飞翔宇宙太空，寻觅有佛缘信徒的地方飘落，其中的一座塔偏偏落在中国永靖的黄河岸边，起名“白塔寺”。这块宝地因此得名白塔寺。

  白塔拔地而立，高有18米。塔座占地面积180平方米。飞檐挑角，具有藏汉建筑风格。四周画有石佛1000多身，亦名千佛塔。四面还有观世音菩萨，绿卓玛和释迦牟尼佛，院内的大经堂，位于白塔中轴线之后，占地面积216平方米。正面塑有燃灯、释迦牟尼、弥勒古佛。左右两厢为护法神，缧子天王和九勰护法。院东建有三间百子宫，占地60平方米。宫内塑有三霄娘娘，她们依次是老大云霄娘娘，老二碧霄娘娘，老三琼霄娘娘。院西建有三间刚锁堂，占地60平方米，内挂许多护法唐卡。