石窟寺是中华文明同其他文明交流互鉴的历史见证，其中数量庞大的中小型石窟长期面临系统性保护不足的困境，是我国石窟寺保护利用体系的薄弱环节。本研究选取大足石刻中小型石窟为实证样本，通过对大足石刻中小型石窟的多维价值体系进行详细阐释，结合当前这类石窟面临的主要问题，提出其保护与利用工作需遵循的五点基本原则。此外，系统梳理了大足石刻研究院近年在中小石窟保护领域开展的创新实践，强调系统化策略不仅能有效应对中小型石窟本体脆弱性与管理碎片化等核心矛盾，更在价值阐释与社会功能激活层面产生积极影响。

Grotto temples stand as historical witnesses to the mutual exchange between Chinese civilization and 
other civilizations. Among them, the vast number of small and medium-sized grotto temples have long faced 
systematic inadequacies in conservation, representing a vulnerable segment in China's cave temple conservation and utilization system. This study employs the small and medium-sized grottoes of the Dazu Rock Carvings as empirical cases and through a detailed interpretation of their multidimensional value system and an analysis of current challenges, it proposes five fundamental principles for their conservation and utilization. Furthermore, this study systematizes the innovative practices recently implemented by the Academy of Dazu Rock Carvings and it not only highlights that a systematic strategy effectively tackles core issues like structural vulnerability and management fragmentation, but also positively influences value interpretation and social function activation.