Longmen Grottoes

Longmen Grottoes - were first excavated in the Northern Wei Dynasty and subsequently built over a period of more than 400 years, spanning the Eastern Wei, Western Wei, Northern Qi, Sui and Tang dynasties. Two-thirds of the Buddhist niches were built during the reign of Wu Zetian. The one-kilometer-long cliffs embody the wisdom and culture of the ancients.

Picture 3 is the only Scissorhands Buddha shrine in the country, it is so cute.

Due to four anti-Buddhist movements and the looting during modern wars, the Longmen Grottoes suffered serious damage, which is very heartbreaking to visit.

I don't even want to give it one star. The park was closed for no reason. Only two of the four scenic spots were open. Hundreds of tourists were stranded for hours. Elderly people and children fainted from the sun. No explanation was given. The last ticket was refunded for 20 yuan and you were sent away. The grottoes were also in tatters. There were few intact Buddha statues. The West Mountain Grottoes were barely ok. There was nothing at the East Mountain. Xiangshan Temple and Baiyuan were not open. Anyone who went there would be a fool. The things were very expensive and no one cared if something happened. In a word, anyone who went there would be a fool.

I've always wanted to go to the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang, and today I finally made my wish come true. On the morning of Tuesday, April 16, 2019, I took bus No. 81 from Luoyang Railway Station to Longmen Grottoes, which took about 1 hour and 10 minutes. The bus was very convenient and the fare was 1.5 yuan per person without change. Everyone should remember to bring change. When I arrived at Longmen Grottoes at 8 o'clock, there were already a lot of people queuing up to buy tickets for 80 yuan. I didn't queue up to buy tickets and directly scanned the WeChat QR code to pay 90 yuan per person. It was very convenient. It took about 10 minutes to walk to the entrance of the scenic spot. The order of the tour was Xishan Grottoes, Dongshan Grottoes, Xiangshan Temple, and Baiyuan. You have to check in at each scenic spot! The whole tour time is about 4 hours. Because the phone ran out of battery, Bai Yuan l didn't go in. It's a pity. The key points are: the most famous Buddha statues in the Xishan Grottoes are Binyang Three Caves (built in the Northern Wei Dynasty), Wanfo Cave, Huoshao Cave, Fengxian Temple, etc. Many small caves have no heads. Some are empty and stolen. Most of them have no heads because of human destruction. It's a pity. More than 80,000 of the more than 100,000 Buddha statues are incomplete, and there are very few complete ones. Wanfo Cave is considered to be a relatively well-preserved grotto! 4 of the 9 Buddha statues of the Vairocana Buddha in Fengxian Temple were cut off by humans, and the main Buddha Vairocana Buddha's hands have long been gone! ! But her beauty is still super shocking. The beautiful and exquisite craftsmanship of the ancients is unmatched! ! Now the Buddha in front of the Buddha is very tall, and looking up is like a dreamlike dream! ! ! It is a must-see attraction when going to the ancient capital of Luoyang Longmen Grottoes! ! ! The scenery is beautiful and the scenery is infinite! ! !

Take a taxi to the Northwest Service Center of Longmen Grottoes. Here is a special reminder that the taxi driver will take you to the Northeast Service Center of Longmen Grottoes by default, but the entrance to the scenic area is at the Northwest Service Center, and you still need to take a battery shuttle bus to the Northwest Service Center, so it is better to let the driver take you directly to the Northwest Service Center. If you come by car, there is no way, because the parking lot is at the Northeast Service Center.



The Longmen Grottoes, located on Longmen Mountain (West Mountain) and Xiangshan Mountain (East Mountain) on both sides of the Yi River in Luoyang, are known as one of the four major grottoes in my country, along with the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, Gansu, the Yungang Grottoes in Datong, Shanxi, and the Maijishan Grottoes in Tianshui, Gansu.



The Longmen Grottoes were first excavated around the time when Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty moved the capital to Luoyang (the Northern Wei royal family was a devout Buddhist and excavated the Yungang Grottoes when the capital was in Pingcheng. After the capital was moved, they also had to excavate grottoes to meet their needs for worshiping Buddha). Large-scale construction continued until the Northern Song Dynasty, spanning more than 400 years. The mountains on both sides of the Yi River are densely covered with grottoes, with a length of 1 kilometer from north to south.



The current Longmen Grottoes scenic area consists of several parts:

1. Xishan Grottoes: Binyang Cave, Fengxian Temple (Lotus Buddha)

2. Dongshan Grottoes

3. Xiangshan Temple: Chiang and Song’s Villa

4. Baiyuan: Tomb of Bai Juyi



The entire scenic area covers a large area. It takes 2 hours to see it in a hurry. If you want to see it carefully, it will take at least half a day. I saw it for more than 6 hours and I was already confused when I came out. Seeing Longmen Grottoes is a physical work!

The Longmen Grottoes are located on the cliffs of Longmen Mountain and Xiangshan Mountain in the southern suburbs of Luoyang City, Henan Province, China. After more than 400 years of excavation from the Northern Wei Dynasty to the Northern Song Dynasty, there are still more than 2,100 caves and niches, more than 100,000 statues, and more than 3,600 inscriptions on steles, most of which are on the west bank of the Yi River. The number of Longmen Grottoes is the largest among all the major grottoes in China. Among them, the "Twenty Pieces of Longmen" are the essence of Wei stele calligraphy, and the "Yique Buddha Shrine Stele" written by the famous Tang Dynasty calligrapher Chu Suiliang is a model of the art of regular script in the early Tang Dynasty. The surrounding environment is quiet and the scenery is pleasant, and it is listed as the top of the eight major scenic spots in Luoyang.

The transportation is very convenient. There are direct buses. The student ticket is 45 yuan. It is worth going in. When you come to the Lushe Giant Buddha, you will feel that the ticket is worth it. If you just want to see the Buddha and don't want to buy a ticket, you can go to Dongshan on the opposite side of the river. As long as you don't enter Bai Juyi Garden and Dongshan Grottoes, you don't need to pay the entrance fee. You can see the Buddha across the river.

The off-season ticket for Longmen Grottoes is 90 yuan. There are three main attractions: one, Xishan Grottoes, Dongshan Grottoes, two, Xiangshan Temple, and Sanbai Garden. The scenic area is very large and it is recommended to visit it for one day. It is best to bring your own water and snacks. Xishan Grottoes are the largest, and Dongshan is smaller. There are villas in Xiangshan Temple where Chiang Kai-shek and Soong Mei-ling lived, which are worth a visit. Bai Garden is the resting place of Bai Juyi, a great poet of the Tang Dynasty. Most tourists will consume a lot of energy when visiting Bai Garden, and the number of people who can go to Bai Garden is relatively small. Because the ticket office and parking lot are 3km away from the scenic area, it is recommended to take the electric car in the scenic area to save energy.

[Transportation] From the city to the scenic area, buses 53, 60, 71, 81, 99, etc. can all reach the Longmen Grottoes bus terminal, and then you can walk into the scenic area.

It costs 15-25 yuan to take a taxi to Luoyang Longmen High-speed Railway Station.

[Route] Xishan Grottoes 2-3 hours - Dongshan Grottoes 1 hour - Xiangshan Temple - Baiyuan, the latter two are about an hour in total

【Tour Tips】

TIPS 1: If you really want to learn something instead of just checking in, I strongly recommend you to ask! Explain! Although Longmen Grottoes

There are WeChat electronic explanations, but they are really different from the explanations given by the tour guides. I personally went to Mogao Grottoes five or six times before, went to Maijishan Grottoes in July, went to Gongyi Grottoes in August, and then came to Longmen Grottoes, so I have some knowledge of the grottoes. I also listened to the introduction on WeChat in advance, but when I arrived at the site, I still felt that it was just scratching the surface. Listening to the tour guides' detailed explanations and chatting with them more, I gained a lot. The levels of different tour guides are also quite different. I first found an ordinary tour guide. Although the beautiful teacher tried her best to explain, she was helpless because she was not as experienced as others. She could not answer many of my questions, but her attitude was very good. I added WeChat, went back to check the information, consulted colleagues, and finally solved my doubts. After finishing the first round, I went back to watch it again in detail. This time I met a gold medal tour guide (only 200 yuan per time, and if several people join together, it’s only a few dozen yuan). I listened to it for a while and found that a lot of the content was what I had not heard before. So I discussed it with the family who invited her, and listened to it again. We discussed with each other and benefited a lot.

TIPS 2: To get a panoramic view of Vairocana Buddha, you need to go to the East Mountain and take photos along the river. It is impossible to take a complete photo in the West Mountain Grottoes.

TIPS 3: You can’t go back after you come out of the Xishan Grottoes, so make sure you have enough time to visit before you leave.

TIPS 4: Keep your tickets safe, as you will need to check your tickets when entering Dongshan Grottoes, Xiangshan Temple, etc.!

TIPS 5: Bring some dry food. Water is sold in the scenic area. Nongfu Spring sports water is only 5 yuan per bottle, which is quite reasonable.

Located on the Longmen Mountain and Xiangshan Mountain on both sides of the Yihe River in Luolong District, Luoyang City. Longmen Grottoes are known as the four major grottoes in China together with Mogao Grottoes, Yungang Grottoes and Maijishan Grottoes. Longmen Grottoes were excavated during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty. After that, they were continuously built on a large scale for more than 400 years during the Eastern Wei, Western Wei, Northern Qi, Sui, Tang, Five Dynasties and Song Dynasties. It is 1 kilometer long from north to south. There are 2,345 caves and niches, more than 100,000 statues, and more than 2,800 inscriptions on the stele. Among them, the "Twenty Pieces of Longmen" is the essence of Wei stele calligraphy, and the "Yique Buddha Shrine Stele" written by Chu Suiliang is a model of the regular script art of the early Tang Dynasty.

Longmen Grottoes is one of the treasure houses of Chinese stone carving art. It is now a world cultural heritage, a national key cultural relic protection unit, and a national AAAAA-level tourist attraction. It is located on Longmen Mountain and Xiangshan Mountain on both sides of the Yi River in Luolong District, Luoyang City, Henan Province. Longmen Grottoes, Mogao Grottoes, Yungang Grottoes, and Maijishan Grottoes are known as the four major grottoes in China.

The Longmen Grottoes are very large, with countless large and small Buddhist niches. Follow the WeChat official account and buy tickets directly to enter the park. There are also audio guides on the official account, which introduce the artistic characteristics of each cave in great detail. If the Dazu Rock Carvings I have visited are characterized by rich storylines, then the Longmen Grottoes are large in scale and basically have no storylines. They mostly reflect the cultural and artistic characteristics of different periods of excavation.

The iconic Vairocana Buddha in Fengxian Temple is said to be carved according to the original image of Wu Zetian. It is spectacular!

There were so many people at Longmen Grottoes that it was almost impossible to move, which wasted a lot of time. Due to time constraints, I did not go to the Xiangshan Temple and Baiyuan later.

The most famous place in Luoyang is probably the Longmen Grottoes, which is only a ten-minute drive from Luoyang Longmen Station.

As a royal cave from the Tang Dynasty, even though it has been severely damaged over the years, the remaining statues are still exquisitely crafted and magnificent, especially the Vairocana Buddha statue and the disciple Bodhisattvas on both sides in the open-air Buddha shrine of Fengxian Temple. It is said that the Vairocana Buddha statue was carved based on the appearance of Wu Zetian at the age of 25. She also donated 20,000 guan of cosmetics money, and it took 25 years to complete.

In addition to the majestic Vairocana Buddha, there are many famous caves, such as Binyang Cave, Wanfo Cave, Lotus Cave, etc. The statues in the caves are also very exquisite and spectacular. Because the trail is very close to some small Buddha shrines, many of them have been rubbed smooth by tourists. Although some of the statues in the shrines are incomplete, it is still a pity.

Longmen Grottoes is definitely an artistic treasure. It has a beautiful environment, two green mountains facing each other, and the Yi River flowing slowly. The West Mountain Grottoes and the East Mountain Grottoes are located on both sides of the river respectively. More than 100,000 Buddha statues are densely distributed here, which are vivid, detailed, and varied. Each statue embodies the faith and life of the ancients. In particular, the Vairocana Buddha in Fengxian Temple, which can be seen after climbing more than a hundred steps, is dignified and has both spirit and form, which can be called ingenious. Walking here, bathing in the ancient and peaceful atmosphere, the soul can also be released. The disadvantage of the scenic spot is that the parking lot is too far from the scenic spot. It costs money to take the battery car, both round trip and per person; it is too far to walk, and you will be tired before you arrive. In addition, many Buddha statues have been damaged, which is a pity.

My suggestion is that if you have a choice, don't choose to stay near Longmen Grottoes, as the conditions are average. Some entrances of Longmen Grottoes were under maintenance during the May Day holiday. From the ticket attractions, it includes Xishan Grottoes, Dongshan Grottoes, Xiangshan Temple (Jiang Song Villa) and Baiyuan. My actual tour route is also this itinerary.

Because the caves, big and small, are similar, and there is no difference. I made the only extravagant purchase of this trip: I hired a guide for 120 yuan, which was a bit painful, and I felt that I was getting a bargain for the tourists around me. The guide only said that we went to a certain place in Xishan, and the journey took about 1 hour.

In fact, the scenic spot's APP also has voice introductions to each grotto, but no one is that smart. I feel that if 4-5 people are traveling together, they can still hear clearly with one guide, which is much more economical. I blame myself for being alone and no one helps me to pay for it.

I started the tour at around 8:30 and finished at around 12:30. If you are a history buff or have a hard time walking, you may need to spend more time. If you are short on time, another option is to just visit the Xishan Grottoes and then take the electric car back (this is what most tour groups do), but it will also reduce the fun of exploration.

There were so many people during the National Day holiday that I was basically squeezed in to see the sights. I had a quick look at the main sites, including the Guyang Cave, the Lotus Cave, the Binyang Cave, the Wanfo Cave, etc.

After seeing the Vairocana Buddha, there are still many caves on the mountain in front, but few people go up. We crossed the bridge and went to the East Mountain Grottoes, but the East Mountain Grottoes were basically damaged. From there you can see the panoramic view of the West Mountain Grottoes.

In early March 2018, I visited Longmen Grottoes, one of the four major grottoes in China. It is magnificent and unparalleled in the world. Famous attractions include Guyang Cave, Binyang Middle Cave, Lotus Cave, Huangfugong Grottoes, etc. The ticket price is 90 yuan and the tour lasts for 1 day. The Buddha statues here are magnificent, with various styles and large numbers, which are rare in the world. In the 1930s and 1940s, the statues were stolen crazily. Many heads, inscriptions, and reliefs were bought by Japanese and American cultural relics dealers, resulting in the loss of national treasures.

The first point is that the natural scenery is very beautiful. November is the autumn season. When entering the park, the leaves on both sides of the walkway are yellow-green, and the wind blows, which makes people feel refreshed. In addition, because the scenic spot is by the river, there is wind blowing all the way, which makes people feel very comfortable. It is a little cold in winter, but it should be very cool in summer.

The second feeling is the exquisite craftsmanship and rich ideas of the sculptors. The grottoes in the scenic area are large and small, exquisite and simple. The large one is the representative work of the scenic area, the Vairocana Buddha, which is said to look a bit like Wu Zetian; the medium-sized representative work is the Scissor Hand Buddha; the small one is called the Prescription Cave, which is quite interesting...

The third feeling is that the park is very long, and in order to see the grottoes, you have to climb up and down, so it is very tiring after the trip!

To sum up, if you are a hiker, first of all, you should prepare your shoes, and it is best to wear light running shoes! Secondly, don't carry too many things in your backpack, climbing the caves is very tiring, and finally, you don't have to visit every cave, just watch some interesting ones.

Take bus No. 81 from Luoyang Railway Station, the bus fare is 1.5 yuan to Longmen Grottoes Station. Tickets are 100 yuan, and senior citizens can enjoy a 50 yuan discount. Walk along the Hexi Scenic Area of the Grottoes, then cross the bridge and climb the mountain to see the East Grottoes. There are many empty caves in the East Grottoes. The Xiangshan Temple in the East Grottoes is a summer resort for Chiang Kai-shek and Song Meiling. Bai Garden Bai Juyi's Tomb.

After the fun, you can still take bus No. 81 to Guanlin Station to visit Guanlin Temple. You need to walk about 700 meters to Guanlin Temple or take an electric wheel car for 5 yuan!

Longmen Grottoes is a famous treasure house of grotto art in China, with extremely high historical, artistic and scientific value.

The Longmen Grottoes were first carved when Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty moved the capital to Luoyang in 493 AD. In order to strengthen the control over the Central Plains and to promote Buddhism, Emperor Xiaowen chose to build caves and statues in the Yique Gorge of Longmen Mountain in the south of Luoyang. Since then, it has been built on a large scale and continuously for more than 400 years, through the Eastern Wei, Western Wei, Northern Qi, Sui, Tang, Five Dynasties, and Song dynasties.

The sculptures in Longmen Grottoes are extremely exquisite. The craftsmen used a variety of carving techniques, such as round carving, relief carving, and line carving, to depict the details of the Buddha's expression, posture, clothing, etc. vividly. The Vairocana Buddha is the best representative of Longmen Grottoes. Its facial expression is kind and solemn, and its eyes are deep, as if it is watching everything in the world, giving people a strong visual shock and touching the soul.

The Longmen Grottoes represent the pinnacle of sculpture art. There are indeed not many complete Buddha statues that have survived in the niches. One can marvel at the historical sculptures and feel sorry for the damaged statues.

Longmen Grottoes are located in the Yique Gorge, 6 kilometers south of Luoyang City. In 1961, the State Council announced Longmen Grottoes as the first batch of national key cultural relics protection units. In 1982, Longmen Scenic Area was announced as the first batch of national scenic areas. In November 2000, UNESCO listed Longmen Grottoes on the World Heritage List. In May 2007, it was rated as the first batch of 5A scenic spots in China by the National Tourism Administration.

The Longmen Grottoes were excavated when Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty moved the capital to Luoyang (493 AD). They were subsequently built and constructed during the Eastern Wei, Western Wei, Northern Qi, Sui, Tang and Five Dynasties, forming a 1-kilometer-long grotto complex with more than 2,300 caves, more than 100,000 statues, and more than 2,800 steles with inscriptions.

In 1993, when I was 21 years old, I was backpacking alone and passed through Luoyang to pay homage to the Vairocana Buddha in the Longmen Grottoes. I was shocked, but I did not go to the White Horse Temple. This time, a few "old teammates" and I set off a day in advance just to come for these two attractions and the Luoyang Museum.

If you go to Luoyang, you must visit the Longmen Grottoes, especially the large group of Vairocana statues in the Fengxian Temple, which are exquisitely carved and magnificent.

I have never been to Dunhuang, but after a round of looking around, I found that compared with the Yungang Grottoes and the Maijishan Grottoes, the Longmen Grottoes are generally more severely damaged. The parts that have not been damaged by humans are also weathered or damaged to a great extent, which is a pity.

1. Tickets: 90 yuan/person. During holidays, you must make an appointment one week in advance to grab tickets. Even those who are exempt from tickets must make an appointment on the official account. No travel without an appointment.

2. Transportation: Very inconvenient.

Departure: You can take the subway and taxi to Longmen Grottoes, and the navigation end point is the Northwest Service Area. Note: To avoid being misled by the scenic spot and walking into the commercial street for no reason, remember to turn on the mobile phone navigation after seeing the tourist center and go straight to the ticket gate.

Return trip: It is difficult to get a taxi during holidays, and there are many illegal taxis. There are many tourists during holidays, but the scenic area canceled the scenic area shuttle bus for this reason. Xiaohongshu recommends that the safest and most reliable way is to take bus No. 81. After watching the night view of the grottoes, walk from the viewing platform to the No. 81 bus station on the east side, which is about 2-3 kilometers. Bus No. 81 goes directly to Yingtianmen, but the whole journey takes 1.5 hours (without traffic jams). It takes half an hour from the starting point of No. 81 to the Northwest Visitor Center of Longmen. We finally took bus No. 81 to the subway line 2 station and then transferred to the subway. It took an hour and a half to get back to Luoyi Ancient City from the start of the walk.

3. Visiting suggestions: Longmen Grottoes are built on the mountain and require walking up many steps. There are a lot of tourists during holidays, so remember to choose shoes that are convenient for walking and pay attention to safety.

4. Tour route: Enter from the Northwest Visitor Center, buy cultural and creative products at the entrance first (if needed. Avoid returning to the Northwest Visitor Center after viewing the night view, and avoid the cultural and creative shops being closed after viewing the night view), then walk to the nearby area to visit the Xishan Grottoes, and finally cross the bridge to enjoy the panoramic view of the Longmen Grottoes from the East Viewing Platform [the tour route is one-way, and you cannot turn back after crossing the bridge].

5. Visiting time arrangement: It is recommended to start watching around 16:00 in the afternoon, arrive at the east viewing platform at 18:30, find a good position and wait for the night view. The night show starts at 17:00, which will bring a new wave of tourists to the site. There will be congestion at around 18:00 at the Vairocana Buddha. The night view of Longmen Grottoes is worth it. The lights start to turn on at 19:00 during the Qingming Festival, and there will be a great blue effect around 19:15. Don't hesitate to leave the site as soon as possible after taking the night view. The later you leave, the more difficult the traffic will be.

6. The Longmen Grottoes are very physically demanding. It is recommended to save your energy before going there and not to arrange other trips after returning to the city.

To visit Longmen Grottoes, drive to the parking lot of the Northwest Service Area, which is the closest to the scenic area. It is recommended to find a B&B nearby to stay for one night and enter the scenic area early the next morning. You can perfectly avoid the crowds and quietly experience the Buddha's appearance from thousands of years ago.

This is the first time that the Vairocana Buddha appears as a group sculpture. The main Buddha is a kind and amiable Vairocana Buddha, with two attendants standing beside him, Kasyapa and Ananda, and next to them are two heavenly kings, and next to the heavenly kings are two strong men. The group sculpture is composed of 11 Buddha statues.

As the largest royal grottoes, Longmen Grottoes is worth a visit, but many Buddha statues are severely damaged and no Buddha heads are left. However, the Vairocana Buddha is worth a visit. It has been exposed to wind and sun for many years, but is still well preserved.

The outdoor stone wall carvings in Longmen Grottoes are very spectacular. Longmen, also known as Yique, is a place where two mountains in the east and west face each other, and the Yi River flows through it. From a distance, it looks like a natural gate, so it was called "Yique" in ancient times. "Both sides are broken mountains and cliffs, facing each other like a gate, and only a dragon can cross it, so it is called Longmen." The east mountain is full of caves and niches from the Tang Dynasty, including 20 large and medium-sized caves, such as the Erlianhua Cave, the Kanjing Temple Cave, the Dawanwu Buddha Cave (also known as the Leigutai Three Caves), and the Gaoping County King Cave. Longmen Grottoes have experienced cave openings and statues made by foreigners from Tianzhu (now India), Silla (now South Korea), Tocharia, Kangguo, etc. Now, foreign elements such as Western musical instruments, European patterns, and ancient Greek stone columns have been discovered. It is the product of the fusion of multiple civilizations such as Greece, Persia, India and China, and can be called the most internationalized grottoes in the world.

This is my third time to Longmen Grottoes and my baby’s second time, but this time should be the one with the most people.



We arrived at Longmen Grottoes at 3:30, and the crowd had not decreased much, so we didn't even consider the tour guide. As I had been here several times before and the weather was too hot, I simply gave up on listening to the tour guide.



Longmen Grottoes is still the same as before, you still need to take a battery car to enter, and then we chose to walk out. Many comments said it was too far, but it was not far. I looked at the walking navigation and felt that it was completely OK. I didn't have to waste time queuing for the battery car. Even though I was hot and tired, I still felt that it was not too far.



Unlike a few years ago, the Buddha statues can now be lit up. If you can wait until 7 or 8 in the evening, you can see the spectacular lighting scene on the other side of the river. However, it is said that the lights are not lit every day, depending on the arrangement of the scenic spot, so you can only try your luck.

Longmen Grottoes, located in Luoyang, Henan Province, is the world's largest treasure house of stone carving art with the most statues. It was rated as "the highest peak of Chinese stone carving art" by UNESCO and ranks first among all major grottoes in China. It is now a world cultural heritage, a national key cultural relic protection unit, and a national AAAAA-level tourist attraction.

Longmen was dug by Dayu during his flood control, and the legend of the fish leaping over Longmen also took place here. Its grottoes were first dug during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty, flourished during the Tang Dynasty, and ended in the late Qing Dynasty. It was built over a period of more than 1,400 years through more than 10 dynasties, making it one of the longest-built grottoes in the world. There are 2,345 existing cave niches and more than 110,000 statues. A large number of colored paintings were used during the construction, but most of them have faded now.

Most of the statues in Longmen Grottoes were built by royal nobles, and they are the only royal grottoes in the world. The main ones include the Vairocana Buddha carved by Wu Zetian according to her own appearance, the Guyang Cave carved by Emperor Xiaowen for Empress Dowager Feng, the statues made by the grandson of Lanling Wang Yu in the Wanfo Cave, the Binyang South Cave built by Li Tai for Empress Changsun, the Jingshan Temple carved by Concubine Wei, and the Amitabha Buddha made by Gao Lishi for Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. The caves were also opened and statues were made by foreigners from India, Silla, Tocharias, Kangguo, etc., and European patterns and ancient Greek stone columns were found. It can be said that it is the most internationalized grotto in the world.

The Longmen Grottoes have made grotto art present a trend of Chineseization, and are a "milestone" in Chinese grotto art. They have not only had an important impact on the excavation of other grottoes in China (such as the Tian Tan Buddha in Hong Kong), but also have had an impact on countries as far away as North Korea, South Korea, and Japan in East Asia. For example, the Todaiji Temple in Nara, Japan, and the Seokguram Grotto in South Korea were all influenced by them.

As one of the four major grottoes in my country, it is still necessary to check in. The Longmen Grottoes are still seriously damaged. Many Buddha statues have no Buddha heads, and there are not many intact ones. You can finish the tour in one or two hours. You can rent an interpreter, but I personally feel it is useless.

The Longmen Grottoes were first carved during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty, flourished during the Tang Dynasty, and ended in the late Qing Dynasty. They were built over a period of more than 1,400 years through more than 10 dynasties, making them the longest-built grottoes in the world.

As the only royal grotto in the world, the largest statue of Vairocana Buddha was carved by Wu Zetian based on her own appearance and demeanor.

You can buy a smart tour guide for a few dollars on a travel app. It will automatically tell you the stories of nearby attractions based on your location.

The grottoes are spectacular, with holes of all sizes filled with Buddha statues.

However, the Longmen Grottoes have been severely damaged by human theft since their construction. The anti-Buddhist movement during the reign of Emperor Wuzong of Tang Dynasty caused the grottoes to suffer. Travel records in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China recorded that the statues in the grottoes were severely stolen at that time. In 1932, the government of the Republic of China moved the capital from Nanjing to Luoyang and built a road under the West Mountain of Longmen, which also destroyed a large number of Buddhist niches at the foot of the mountain. From the 1930s to the 1940s, due to the lack of management due to war, the statues in the Longmen Grottoes were frantically stolen, and many heads, inscriptions, and reliefs were purchased by Japanese and American cultural relics dealers.

Most of the Buddha statues have had their heads cut off or have been dug out entirely... It's a pity that we can't see the original appearance of the caves.

It was so beautiful when the lights came on. I suggest you go to the other side and wait in advance. Otherwise, you will be like me and it will be dark before you can take two pictures.

There is a 3D light show outside the door at night. You can search for it on a short video, and it looks very beautiful. But I went back before night, so I didn't see it.

Many Buddha statues have been stolen or damaged, either in their entirety or in their heads. Protecting cultural relics is everyone's responsibility, so go see it as soon as possible.

We navigated directly to Longmen Grottoes, and after getting off the highway, we had a rich lunch at a cost-effective restaurant recommended by Dianping.com.



I heard that Luoyang is famous for its water banquet, which is perfect for me who doesn't have much to chew! But for the Guangdong guys, water banquet is just soupy and tastes a bit bland, so we ordered a few stir-fried dishes to fill our stomachs and drove to the Longmen Grottoes on the banks of the Yi River.



After parking the car, follow the crowd and walk to the entrance of the scenic area. For historical and cultural attractions, you must hire a tour guide. Following the explanation of the tour guide, go south on the west bank of the Yi River, with willow trees swaying on both sides and a green bridge. Longmen Bridge has been an important transportation hub for a long time after its liberation. Now it has been liberated as an internal bridge of the scenic area, which is also highly harmonious with the environment.



The Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang are later than the Yungang Grottoes in Datong. In addition to the Buddha statues from the late Northern Wei Dynasty, there are more works from the Tang Dynasty when Buddhism was prevalent during the reign of Wu Zetian. Compared with the Yungang Grottoes, which are hidden in the caves, the Longmen Grottoes are more displayed outside the mountain. The most classic is of course the Shanxi Grottoes, with open spaces and huge Buddha statues quietly watching for thousands of years. Deep in the center of the square, under the Buddha's eyes, you will really feel small.



The advantage of hiring a tour guide is that you can learn many stories about the Buddha statues in the grottoes. For example, there are more than 150 kinds of prescriptions carved on both sides of the Prescription Cave entrance, which is the earliest existing stone-carved prescription in my country; the Internet celebrity Buddha who makes the "yeah" gesture; and 15,000 small Buddhas carved in neat rows on the north and south sides of the Ten Thousand Buddha Cave. They are all very classic and must be seen in person.



I looked for information about Longmen Grottoes when writing my travelogue. It turns out that on holidays in non-epidemic years, the stairs of the Xishan Grottoes are packed with people, so it is recommended to travel during off-peak hours.



Longmen Grottoes, in addition to the West Hill, also has grottoes on the east bank of the Yi River. The tour guide only took us to visit and explain the West Hill Grottoes. The East Hill Grottoes need to be visited by ourselves, which takes about an hour. First, I thought that the tour guide did not take us to explain the East Hill, so the quality should not be as good as the West Hill. Second, my parents also wanted to go to the Jiang Song Villa on the east bank, but it was already past four o'clock. Third, we have been traveling for more than a week and have begun to be aesthetically fatigued by the attractions, so we gave up the East Hill Grottoes and went to the Jiang Song Villa.



There is a sign at the entrance of Chiang and Song's villa, and no photos are allowed. So there are no photos of the interior, but I am not very interested in the former residence of this period. Next to the villa is the Xiangshan Temple. In the evening, you can relax and overlook the green water and stone Buddha halfway up the mountain. The scenery is beautiful and the mood is good.

Luoyang Longmen Grottoes was the first stop of our trip. We went to Luoyang Bus Station from Pingdingshan. Since the bus station is quite far from Longmen Grottoes, it would be troublesome to go to the grottoes after getting to the bus station. After telling the driver on the bus, we got off at the nearest intersection in advance and took a taxi directly to Longmen Grottoes, which saved a lot of time.

Luoyang Longmen Grottoes is a must-visit attraction when visiting Luoyang. It is very spectacular and magnificent.

Longmen Grottoes are located in Luoyang, Henan Province. They are the world's largest stone carving art treasure house with the most statues. They were rated as "the highest peak of Chinese stone carving art" by UNESCO and are the best among all the major grottoes in China. They are now a world cultural heritage, a national key cultural relic protection unit, and a national AAAAA-level tourist attraction. Longmen was dug by Dayu during his flood control, and the legend of the fish leaping over Longmen also took place here. The grottoes were first dug during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty, flourished in the Tang Dynasty, and ended in the late Qing Dynasty. They were built over more than 1,400 years through more than 10 dynasties, making them the longest-built grottoes in the world. A large number of colored paintings were used during their construction, but most of them have faded now.

Opening hours: February 1st - March 31st 08:00-18:00; April 1st - October 7th 08:00-18:30; October 8th - October 31st 08:00-18:00; November 1st - January 31st of the following year 08:00-17:00

Ticket price is 90 yuan. People over 60 years old are free of charge. Please bring your ID card.

transportation:

You can take bus No. 81 from Luoyang Railway Station, which takes about 40 minutes, or a taxi costs about 35 yuan. You can also take bus No. 53 and No. 60 from other parts of the city.

There are also shuttle buses running between Longmen Grottoes and Shaolin Temple.

Longmen→Shaolin: Ticket price 130, the earliest departure time is 10:00 am and the latest departure time is 14:30 pm

Shaolin → Longmen: Ticket price is 110, the earliest departure time is 11:30, the latest departure time is 4:00 pm. The ticket price includes tickets, bus fare, and tour guide service fee, and there are four trips per day.

Tips: If you want to visit both during the day and at night, you can choose to enter the park around 4 or 5 pm. The ticket sales time during the day is 18:00, and the venue is cleared until 20:00 at night. The Longmen Grottoes are lit up around 7 pm. If you want to visit Longmen at night, enter the park later in the afternoon and you don’t need to buy tickets for the night tour.

Tour route: Xishan Grottoes - Dongshan Grottoes - Xiangshan Temple - Baiyuan.

You must wear comfortable shoes when visiting Longmen Grottoes, as the walk is quite long. After visiting Xishan Grottoes, after crossing the Grotto Bridge, there is a scenic area battery car that can reach the exit. 10 yuan per person.

My parents are old and have limited physical strength, so they can't walk too far. Taking the battery car back home saves a lot of time and energy. I recommend it!



Most of the statues in Longmen Grottoes were built by royal aristocrats, making it the only royal grottoes in the world.

The beautiful Yi River flows slowly in front of the thousand-year-old Vairocana Buddha. Time stands still and the scene is as beautiful as a painting.



The stairs are quite steep, and my mother didn't have enough energy to go up. But you can still see the full view of the Vairocana Buddha on the other side of the river.

Longmen Grottoes are famous for their innumerable caves filled with exquisitely carved stone statues. Unfortunately, most of the statues have been damaged by human activities and natural erosion, and are incomplete. However, you can still feel its grandeur. Because you need to go up and down stairs to visit the grottoes, it will be crowded during holidays when there are many tourists. It is recommended to visit during off-peak hours. The essence lies in the West Mountain Grottoes. If you have enough time, you can also walk to the East Mountain Grottoes (no need to take a boat, it only takes about ten minutes to walk).

Before coming here, I specially watched a documentary about the Longmen Grottoes. In addition to talking about its great historical and cultural value as a world cultural heritage, it also mentioned that in the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China, Chinese and foreign cultural relics dealers began to destroy and steal it on a large scale. "Most of the Buddha heads carved in the caves were removed and sold to foreigners."

Longmen Grottoes is one of the three famous stone carving art treasures in China. It was built when Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty moved the capital to Luoyang. After about 400 years of excavation, there are 2,345 caves and nearly 110,000 statues. Longmen Grottoes are carved on the cliffs on both sides of the Yi River in Luoyang, about 1 kilometer long from north to south. It is a place with beautiful scenery and two green mountains facing each other in the east and west. The scenic area is also a 5A scenic area, a world document heritage and a national cultural heritage site, consisting of four scenic spots: Xishan Grottoes, Dongshan Grottoes, Xiangshan Temple and Baiyuan.

One of the four major grottoes in China, it was carved on the cliffs along the banks of the Yi River. The most spectacular is the Vairocana Buddha in the West Grotto, which is best viewed from the east bank of the river. The Xiangshan Temple and Baiyuan on the east bank are also included in the grotto ticket and are also worth a visit. The WeChat public account not only allows you to buy tickets but also provides free audio guides.

As one of the four major grottoes in China, Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang are well-known both at home and abroad. Listed as a World Cultural Heritage Site, a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit, and 5 Longmen Grottoes were first excavated around the time when Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty moved the capital to Luoyang (493 AD), and then continued to be built on a large scale for more than 400 years during the Eastern and Western Wei, Northern Qi, Northern Zhou, Sui, Tang, and Song dynasties.

Luoyang, one of the four ancient capitals of 13 dynasties, is also the starting point of the Silk Road. I thought that the prosperous and splendid ancient capital had a profound historical and cultural atmosphere, but it was just such a pity. The continuous rain and fog for two days made this thousand-year-old ancient city even more desolate.

But the Longmen Grottoes are well worth a visit. They have been severely damaged due to wars, thefts and a long history. The thousands of Buddha heads that you can see have almost disappeared or drifted to other places. The originally gorgeous and colorful Buddha bodies have also been washed away by years of rain and time, and are now in ruins. You can only look up at the Vairocana Buddha. It's a bit of a pity.

Longmen Grottoes is one of the treasure houses of Chinese stone carving art. It is now a world cultural heritage, a national key cultural relic protection unit, and a national AAAAA-level tourist attraction. It is located on Longmen Mountain and Xiangshan Mountain on both sides of the Yi River in Luolong District, Luoyang City, Henan Province. Longmen Grottoes, Mogao Grottoes, Yungang Grottoes, and Maijishan Grottoes are known as the four major grottoes in China.

The grottoes are mainly located on the West Mountain. The scenic area is not large. It is very good to go there to learn about history. However, many Buddha statues in the niches have been lost, which is probably inseparable from the war of that year. There are relatively few grottoes in the East Mountain. Baiyuan is the purpose of Bai Juyi. It depends on your preference whether to go there or not.

I admire the wisdom of the Chinese people. Among the numerous statues in the Longmen Grottoes, one can clearly see the inheritance and evolution of sculpture and painting art, as well as the styles of different eras.

The Longmen Grottoes are also located in the urban area. If you come to Luoyang, you must visit the Longmen Grottoes, a world cultural heritage. The Buddha statues on the hillside are spectacular. Some of the Buddha statues with broken hands and arms were destroyed by thieves.

Longmen Grottoes is one of the treasure houses of Chinese stone carving art. It is now a world cultural heritage, a national key cultural relic protection unit, and a national AAAAA-level tourist attraction. It is located on Longmen Mountain and Xiangshan Mountain on both sides of the Yi River in Luolong District, Luoyang City, Henan Province. Longmen Grottoes, Mogao Grottoes, Yungang Grottoes, and Maijishan Grottoes are known as the four major grottoes in China.

The Longmen Grottoes were excavated during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty. After that, they were continuously built on a large scale for more than 400 years during the Eastern Wei, Western Wei, Northern Qi, Sui, Tang, Five Dynasties, and Song Dynasties. It stretches 1 kilometer from north to south. Today, there are 2,345 caves and niches, more than 100,000 statues, and more than 2,800 inscriptions. Among them, the "Twenty Pieces of Longmen" are the essence of Wei stele calligraphy, and the "Yique Buddha Shrine Stele" written by Chu Suiliang is a model of the regular script art of the early Tang Dynasty.

The Longmen Grottoes have a long history and span many dynasties. With a large number of physical images and text materials, they reflect the development and changes in many fields of ancient China, such as politics, economy, religion, and culture, from different perspectives, and have made significant contributions to the innovation and development of Chinese grotto art. In 2000, they were listed as a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.

The first sight of the Vairocana Buddha was truly stunning. There are electric cars at the visitor center that go back and forth between the caves, and the one-way trip costs 10 yuan, which is a bundled consumption (if you don't buy a ticket, you have to walk a long way to enter the scenic area). There are four ticket checkpoints in the scenic area. The West Cave is the essence of it, and the Buddha statues are exquisite and well preserved. The other three small attractions can be visited selectively, but there are no significant highlights, and the physical exertion is even greater.

In front of the ancient capital of thirteen dynasties, should I call it Zhenxun, Xibo, Luoyi or Luoyang? The brilliant and glorious history is exactly why I am attracted to it.

The flight was in the evening, and we arrived in Luoyang around 8pm. We stayed at Sanyou, opposite the Sui and Tang Luoyang City Ruins Park. After putting down our luggage, we took a few pictures of the night view of heaven and then went to rest.

The next day, we went to the first stop: Longmen Grottoes (I think this is one of the must-see attractions in Luoyang)

There are buses from where I live to Longmen Grottoes, and there are many other buses to Longmen Grottoes, which is very convenient. However, Longmen Grottoes is relatively far away, so the bus time is about an hour, and the price is very cheap, only one dollar and fifty cents.

The Longmen Grottoes scenic area is very large, consisting of the West Hill Grottoes (where the main Vairocana Buddha is located), the East Hill Grottoes, the Bai Juyi Cemetery and other major attractions.

As you enter the scenic area, the first thing you see is the Yi River, which looks like the blue Milky Way opposite the grottoes, and is breathtakingly beautiful.

Before the Vairocana Buddha, you will see many different kinds of niches and small Buddha statues. If you are interested, you can take a look. Of course, if time does not allow, you can go directly to the main attraction, the Vairocana Buddha, which can also save time and energy. The Vairocana Buddha was carved according to the prototype of Wu Zetian. It is the epitome of Tang Dynasty cave Buddhist art and the pinnacle. It is a must-see.

The Dongshan Grottoes are smaller in scale than the Xishan Grottoes, but they are similar in general. However, you can see the entire Xishan Grottoes from the Dongshan Grottoes, which is a good place to take photos. There are also Chiang and Song villas above the Dongshan Grottoes, which you can see.

The entire scenic area is quite large. If you don't want to walk down, you can take an electric car for 10 yuan. After leaving Bai Juyi's cemetery, the entire scenic area is finished. I looked at the bus stop sign on Gaode Map and almost doubted my life when I walked there... It went around the entire viaduct... I suggest that you turn right after leaving the scenic area, get on the main road first, and then consider taking a taxi or bus, otherwise it will be very tiring.

The one-kilometer-long cliff embodies the wisdom and culture of the ancients.

Due to four anti-Buddhist movements and the baptism of wars in modern times, the Longmen Grottoes have suffered serious damage, which is very heartbreaking to visit them along the way.

We left Longmen Grottoes at about 9 o'clock. The original plan was to take a taxi directly to Longmen's West Mountain Grottoes and enter instead of taking the scenic area battery car. As a result, I asked the taxi driver last night and found out that taxis, self-driving cars, and buses can only stop at Longmen East Mountain Grottoes. (Covering face, bee) (The taxi driver wanted to break in and drive directly to Longmen West Mountain Grottoes in the morning, but was stopped) After getting off the car, I went to the scenic area ticket office to buy the scenic area battery car ticket (10 yuan/person/one way). The scenic area ticket office is about 200 meters away from the scenic area battery car departure point. (Covering face, bee) Friends really have to go early, otherwise they will be like me, squeezing with the tour group and waiting in a long line to take the battery car.

Longmen Grottoes is one of the treasures of Chinese stone carving art. It is now a world cultural heritage, a national key cultural relic protection unit, and a national AAAAA-level tourist attraction. It is located on Longmen Mountain and Xiangshan Mountain on both sides of the Yi River in Luolong District, Luoyang City, Henan Province.

Longmen Grottoes are known as one of the four major grottoes in China, along with Mogao Grottoes, Yungang Grottoes and Maijishan Grottoes.

There are so many people that it is difficult to appreciate it carefully, and you also need to know something about it in advance so that it will be interesting to watch it.

A must-go place to understand Chinese history, the overall feeling is very good.

The most classic scenic spot in Luoyang, the night view is particularly beautiful

It is highly recommended to visit Longmen Grottoes. It is recommended to park your car at the west service area of the scenic area, especially Fengxian Temple, which is the statue of Wu Zetian.

Longmen Grottoes need no further explanation, it is a must-see, even if only the few statues of Vairocana Buddha are left, it is still worth going.

After 24 years, I can finally see the Longmen Grottoes again. They are still as spectacular and culturally rich as ever.

Thousands of niches in the two mountains of Yique

The statues are as beautiful as nature

Longmen is not a check-in place

Look closely at each place

The tour route is one-way, enter from the west gate and exit from the east gate. Half a day is enough.

The famous grottoes are now in a serious state of disrepair. Before visiting, I just watched the TV series "The Game Within the Game".

Due to the war, a large number of precious stone carvings were damaged.

There are many grottoes along the Yishui River. The statues have been there for thousands of years. All of them are ancient relics with various shapes and sizes. They remind us of the spirit of the Tang Dynasty and we sigh at the preservation of art.

The important place of Buddhist culture in the Central Plains. As a Buddhist, I will definitely go there to worship Buddha when I pass by Henan.

The Longmen Grottoes are well worth a visit, but it's a quick tour and there are few places for cultural interpretation. When there are a lot of people, they are not very noticeable.

The 5A scenic spot is well-deserved and well-received. I am just confused about the classic division of China-TravelNote. I don’t know if this and the Big Buddha should be considered as one scenic spot?

After visiting the Yungang Grottoes, I came to the Longmen Grottoes. The Buddha statues have their own unique shapes, and the large and small caves are scattered around, which is worth a visit.

Very shocking. The ancients were so great...

One of the largest grottoes in China, the famous Longmen Grottoes, is a must-see when you come to Luoyang. I won't say much about the others.

Don't go when it's crowded, as it'll be so crowded that you can't move... But the cave art is worth seeing, and you must listen to the explanations, otherwise it will be a waste of your trip.

Longmen Grottoes, a Buddhist holy place, has been admired for a long time!

There are many tourists. The tourist service center sells boxed lunches. The battery car is 10 yuan one way. Except for the main Buddha area, most of the other Buddha caves are severely weathered and damaged, and it is difficult to recognize their shapes. The Vairocana Buddha is probably kept relatively intact because of years of maintenance, especially the delicate face.

It is worthy of being one of the three major grottoes, it is very spectacular. Don't take the scenic area tour bus at the entrance, there is not much road at all.

Longmen Grottoes is one of the treasure houses of Chinese stone carving art. It is now a world cultural heritage, a national key cultural relic protection unit, and a national AAAAA-level tourist attraction. It is located on Longmen Mountain and Xiangshan Mountain on both sides of the Yi River in Luolong District, Luoyang City, Henan Province. Longmen Grottoes, Mogao Grottoes, Yungang Grottoes, and Maijishan Grottoes are known as the four major grottoes in China. Longmen Grottoes were excavated during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty. After that, it was continuously built on a large scale for more than 400 years during the Eastern Wei, Western Wei, Northern Qi, Sui, Tang, Five Dynasties, and Song Dynasties. It is 1 kilometer long from north to south. There are 2,345 caves and niches, more than 100,000 statues, and more than 2,800 inscriptions on the stele. Among them, the "Twenty Pieces of Longmen" is the essence of Wei stele calligraphy, and the "Yique Buddha Shrine Stele" written by Chu Suiliang is a model of the regular script art of the early Tang Dynasty. The Longmen Grottoes lasted for a long time and spanned many dynasties. With a large number of physical images and text materials, they reflected the development and changes in many fields such as ancient Chinese politics, economy, religion, and culture from different aspects, and made a significant contribution to the innovation and development of Chinese grotto art. In 2000, it was listed as a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. The ticket price for the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang is 90 yuan per person. I personally think that the Longmen Grottoes are not well preserved. Except for the shocking Vairocana Buddha, the other caves are the Lotus Cave and the Binyang Cave. Most of the other Buddha statues are not well preserved. Not as exquisite as the Yungang Grottoes.

The most recommended scenic spot in Luoyang, choose a good weather to visit, you can spend almost half a day there. The grottoes in the West Hill are still well preserved, especially the stone statue of the Vairocana Buddha is so exquisite and vivid.

The Longmen Grottoes are located on Longmen Mountain and Xiangshan Mountain on both sides of the Yi River in Luolong District, Luoyang City. It is one of the treasure houses of Chinese stone carving art and is now a world cultural heritage and a national key cultural relic protection unit.

Feel the wisdom of the ancients and appreciate the Buddhas, not bad 😊