Longmen Grottoes - Xishan Grottoes

The Longmen Grottoes scenic area is distributed on both sides of the Yi River, mainly including the West Mountain Grottoes, the East Mountain Grottoes, the Xiangshan Temple and the Baiyuan. If you visit in this order, you will not go back. In fact, the focus of the visit is the West Mountain Grottoes, and the focus of the focus is the Vairocana Buddha in Fengxian Temple. The ticket price has dropped compared to before, 90 yuan per ticket. There are more than 50 large and medium-sized caves on the cliffs of the West Mountain from the Northern Dynasties and the Sui and Tang Dynasties. Guyang Cave, Binyang Middle Cave, Lotus Cave, Huangfu Gong Cave, Weizi Cave, Putai Cave, Huoshao Cave, Cixiang Kiln, Road Cave, etc. are representative caves from the Northern Wei Dynasty; Qianxi Temple, Binyang South Cave, Binyang North Cave (the caves and cave ceiling decorations of the above two caves were completed in the Northern Wei Dynasty, and the Buddha statues were completed in the Sui and early Tang Dynasties), Jingshan Temple, Cliff Three Buddha Niches, Wanfo Cave, Huijian Cave, Fengxian Temple, Pure Land Hall, Longhua Temple, Ji Nan Cave, etc. are representative caves from the Tang Dynasty.

There are more than 50 large and medium-sized caves on the cliffs of Xishan Mountain from the Northern Dynasties and the Sui and Tang Dynasties. Guyang Cave, Binyang Middle Cave, Lianhua Cave, Huangfugong Cave, Weizi Cave, Putai Cave, Huoshao Cave, Cixiang Kiln, Lu Cave, etc. are representative caves from the Northern Wei Dynasty; Qianxi Temple, Binyang South Cave, Binyang North Cave (the caves and cave ceiling decorations of the above two caves were completed in the Northern Wei Dynasty, and the Buddha statues were completed in the Sui and early Tang Dynasties), Jingshan Temple, Three Cliff Buddha Niches, Wanfo Cave, Huijian Cave, Fengxian Temple, Jingtu Hall, Longhua Temple, Jinan Cave, etc. are representative caves from the Tang Dynasty.

The Xishan Grottoes are the essence of the Longmen Grottoes. The famous Vairocana Giant Buddha is located in the Xishan Grottoes. It has been preserved so well despite the wind, frost, rain and dew. It is worth visiting.

Yique West Mountain, in ancient times, was called Zhongshan Mountain and Tianzhu Mountain, commonly known as Kunjili Mountain. It is 263.9 meters above sea level, 116 meters higher than the river valley. There is Hongshigou in the north of the mountain, Lianggou, Chazigou and Shishugou in the south. East Mountain is named Xiangshan Mountain because of the abundance of fragrant kudzu in ancient times. It is 303.5 meters above sea level, 166 meters higher than the river valley. There is Qingshan Pipa Peak in the north of the mountain, Luoquangou, Wanfogou, Diaoqiaogou and Qianyuangou in the south, all of which are ridges from west to east.

The main and core grottoes of Longmen Grottoes are concentrated in Xishan, which is also the main scenic spot for tourists to visit and pay homage.

After entering the gate of Longmen Grottoes, the first place you come to is Xishan Grottoes. Looking around, the green water of Yi River divides the entire Longmen Grottoes into two banks like a jade belt. The thousand Buddha carvings on the huge rock walls on both sides are exquisite and breathtaking.



The Longmen Grottoes were excavated during the reign of Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty. From the Northern Wei Dynasty to the Song Dynasty, the Longmen Grottoes underwent a total of 400 years of repair and excavation. In order to combine religion and politics, the Longmen Grottoes reached its heyday during the reign of Empress Wu Zetian. Almost 2/3 of the grottoes we can see now were built during the reign of Empress Wu Zetian.



The Xishan Grottoes include famous caves such as Qianxi Temple, Wanfo Cave, Fengxian Temple, Guyang Cave, and Yaofang Cave. Among them, the most famous are the Vairocana Buddha in Fengxian Temple and the nineteenth of the "Twenty-four Figures of Longmen" in Guyang Cave.



I have to mention here that the caves have high requirements for equipment and light perception, because there is almost no light on the inner wall of the caves. So if you only bring a mobile phone to take pictures, you may only be able to show the original appearance of the stone statues in post-production. If you bring a professional camera such as a SLR camera, the effect may be slightly better.



In addition, for this kind of cultural landscape, it is actually more important to understand it than just to see it. However, the scenic spot is very considerate and provides free WiFi and explanations that can be obtained by scanning. So along the way, even if you are alone, you can understand and know the background and historical stories of these Buddha statues.

The Yi River divides Longmen Grottoes into two parts, namely the West Hill Grottoes and the East Hill Grottoes. Longmen Grottoes is 1 kilometer long from north to south, with 2,345 caves and niches remaining today, of which the West Hill occupies more than 2,200.

It's very spectacular. In the scenic area, you have to rely on your own strength. I went there on Saturday, and the Buddha was lit up. My colleague went there on Thursday and said that the Buddha was not lit up. I guess it is only lit up on weekends.

I still have to come and see it once in my lifetime~

The Vairocana Buddha is so stunning. I am looking forward to the Yungang Grottoes.

The Xishan Grottoes Scenic Area is located on the banks of the scenic Taohua River in Guilin City. It has a long history and is a thousand-year-old natural cave that integrates Buddhist culture, history, and cultural landscape, and is mainly for sightseeing.

Feel the craftsmanship of the craftsmen, and don't touch the stone statues when visiting

The Xishan Grottoes are the largest grottoes in the entire Longmen Grottoes. The Xishan Grottoes include the earliest excavated Guyang Cave from the Northern Wei Dynasty, the Fengxian Temple from the Tang Dynasty, etc. The overall artistic value and scale are higher than the Dongshan Grottoes, but many statues in the grottoes have been lost or damaged, which is really a pity!

It is very spectacular and majestic, and the Vairocana Buddha makes one feel respect.

The Xishan Grottoes are a good place to take a look at slowly. There are many stories inside.

The Longmen Grottoes and the Xishan Grottoes have a long history and are magnificent. The Xishan Grottoes include the Qianxi Temple, the Binyang Three Caves, the Wanfo Cave, the Lotus Cave, the Fengxian Temple (Lotus Buddha), the Guyang Cave, the Yaofang Cave and other famous caves. They have different styles and are unparalleled in the world.

Photos cannot convey the shock of the Vairocana Buddha in person. The huge Tang Dynasty carvings on the stone walls and the sense of historical vicissitudes are difficult to appreciate unless you visit the site.

Needless to say, the stone statues are exquisite, but you need a good attitude and strong physical strength. Because the stone statues are densely packed and arranged along the mountain. The contents are all Buddha statues, and you will get tired if you look at them too much.

Xishan Grottoes is the core of Longmen Grottoes Scenic Area, where the famous Vairocana Giant Buddha is located.

The essence of the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang is the West Hill Grottoes, where the Vairocana Buddha is located. The East Hill has been severely damaged in history, but there are also Xiangshan Temple and Baiyuan on the other side of the river that can be visited.

The part of Longmen Grottoes listed as a world cultural heritage is the Xishan Grottoes, which is the most concentrated place for the royal nobles of the Northern Wei and Tang dynasties to make vows and build statues. It is the embodiment of the royal will and behavior, and has a strong national religious color.

2018.8.13 The two of us visited Longmen Grottoes. The Xishan Grottoes are the main scenic spot, and the Vairocana Buddha is here; it is very interesting.

Longmen Grottoes, Mogao Grottoes, Yungang Grottoes and Maijishan Grottoes are known as the four major grottoes in China. They are severely weathered and you will see less of them if you see them.

The entire wall of Xishan Mountain is covered with caves of various sizes, from the riverside to the top of the mountain. The big Buddha statues are more than ten meters high, and you have to crane your neck to see them. The small ones are only a few centimeters. You have to lean forward to look for a long time before you can say uncertainly, "That's probably it." The Buddha statues are of different sizes, styles, clothes, and appearances, but the same thing is the seriousness and piety when carving each stroke.

It is hard to imagine how the craftsmen at that time carved such an exquisite Buddha statue on such a steep cliff. When I stood on the bridge and looked back at Xishan, I was shocked. It was really amazing.

The sad thing is that many of the Buddha statues have their heads destroyed, and some niches even have no Buddha statues. I don’t know how much of this is due to natural weathering, and how much is due to continuous wars and unscrupulous antiquities dealers. If these Buddha statues were exposed to wind, frost, rain and snow, then many, many years later, what I saw today would probably become a permanent memory.

It is a very good choice to travel during the blooming season, as it is not too hot and the scenery is just right.

This is the first cashless scenic spot in the country.

Compared to the embarrassment of not having enough cash to buy tickets to the Hanging Temple a few days later,

It really highlights the difference in strength and care in the development and maintenance of the scenic area.



The three major cave art sites in China are the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang, and the Yungang Grottoes in Datong.

The Longmen Grottoes were first carved in the Northern Wei Dynasty. They probably began to flourish after the capital of the Northern Wei Dynasty was moved from Datong to Luoyang.

It is the sequel to the Yungang Grottoes in Datong. Both of these grottoes were excavated in the Northern Wei Dynasty.

The worship of Buddhism must have been very prosperous at that time.



The grottoes began to appear in the Northern Wei Dynasty, but the largest Buddha statues generally date back to the Tang Dynasty.

During the heyday of the Tang Dynasty, the country was strong, so the Buddha statues were naturally tall and majestic.

There are many magical caves in Longmen Grottoes.

Including Binyang Cave, Wanfo Cave, Lotus Cave, etc.

Of course, the most iconic is the largest Buddha statue, Fengxian Temple.



I don't know how many times I've seen some historical museum introductions or TV documentaries.

When talking about grottoes, one will always mention or think of the Fengxian Temple of Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang.

This kind of scenic spot that has been imprinted in my mind since childhood will become the source of my dreams.

One day I will visit this place.



At the Xishan Grottoes, overlooking the Xiangshan Temple across the street,

After the snow, the sky cleared up and the roofs were covered with a layer of white, solemn and peaceful.

Suddenly I remembered going to Zhangye Mati Temple and seeing a lama sweeping snow in the wind and snow in the postcard.

The world was silent and the monk looked peaceful.

Temples and snow are also a very charming combination, ethereal and peaceful.



The big Buddha sitting in the middle of Fengxian Temple has kind eyes and is the image of Wu Zetian.

What I am most interested in is the pair of big earlobes. My wife said that people with thick earlobes are blessed.

I wonder what a blessing it is to be born with such big earlobes.

There are some small square holes behind the Buddha statue, which were dug by later generations in order to insert wooden pillars to cover the top and protect the Buddha statue.

But because the effect was not good, the roof was removed, so only these small black holes remained.

Xishan Grottoes is the highlight of the entire scenic area, so it takes more time. There is a QR code on the ticket, and you can listen to the detailed voice explanation by scanning it.

One of the four great grottoes in China that I have heard of since childhood, it is a real ancient monument. The fact that the ancients carved stones on the cliffs without high technology is already admirable, not to mention that this project lasted for more than 400 years from the Northern Wei Dynasty, and experienced so many dynasties and wars.

There are two internet-famous Buddha statues here, one with a down-to-earth expression - smiling happily (Binyang Middle Cave), and the other with a very trendy gesture - making a scissors hand gesture (Binyang North Cave).

After checking the ticket and entering the scenic area, the view is suddenly clear. A wide bluestone road stretches straight into the depths of the scenic area. On both sides of the road, on one side is the quiet Yishui River and the willows are swaying gently, and on the other side are red flowers and green grass. As mentioned earlier, it is the Peony Festival, so the peonies in the scenic area are blooming beautifully. Although it rains from time to time, after being washed by the rain, these peonies have a different kind of beauty.



Looking out from the railing on the bank of the Yi River, the Longmen Bridge spans the two banks, and the river flows under the bridge. I don't know how many years it has been flowing and how many historical years it has gone through.



There are more than 50 large and medium-sized caves on the cliffs of Xishan Grottoes from the Northern Dynasties and the Sui and Tang Dynasties. Guyang Cave, Binyang Middle Cave, Lotus Cave, Huangfugong Cave, Weizi Cave, Putai Cave, Huoshao Cave, Cixiang Kiln, Road Cave, etc. are representative caves from the Northern Wei Dynasty; Qianxi Temple, Binyang South Cave, Binyang North Cave (the caves and cave ceiling decorations of the above two caves were completed in the Northern Wei Dynasty, and the Buddha statues were completed in the Sui and early Tang Dynasties), Jingshan Temple, Three Cliff Buddha Niches, Wanfo Cave, Huijian Cave, Fengxian Temple, Jingtu Hall, Longhua Temple, Jinan Cave, etc. are representative caves from the Tang Dynasty.

There are so many people, I don't recommend going during this time period, it's so crowded that you can't squeeze in. Ahem, they're all in the video, no separate photos of the crowd were taken. The only one I took is a single photo, just look at the background behind 😄

During the Qingming Festival in 2018, I spent two days in Luoyang. On April 5, I visited the Longmen Grottoes in the rain.

The grottoes scenic area includes the Geological Museum, Xishan Grottoes, Dongshan Grottoes, Xiangshan Temple and Baiyuan. Of course, the most famous is the Xishan Grottoes. No matter the scale, number, exquisiteness, etc. of the grottoes, they are the best among all the attractions, especially the Vairocana Buddha in Fengxian Temple.

There are a lot of introductions to scenic spots on the Internet. It is recommended that you listen to the explanations when visiting, otherwise you will only see a large number of grottoes and Buddha statues.

Due to the cramped space on site, steep steps, slippery weather on rainy days, and dense crowds, please remember not to walk when taking pictures, and not to take pictures when walking.

The Longmen Grottoes were excavated when Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty moved the capital to Luoyang (493 AD). After that, they were built during the Eastern Wei, Western Wei, Northern Qi, Sui, Tang, and Five Dynasties, forming a 1-kilometer-long grotto site with more than 2,300 caves, more than 100,000 statues, and more than 2,800 inscriptions. It was the place where the royal nobles of the Northern Wei and Tang dynasties made vows to build statues. It is the embodiment of the royal will and behavior, and has a strong national religious color. The caves on the cliffs of the east and west mountains on both sides of the Yi River are dotted like honeycombs.

Enter from the west gate, pass through Longmen and Longmen Bridge, and you will officially enter the scenic area. Visit all the caves in order from the right side, then cross the bridge to see the attractions on the opposite side. It is a very convenient route to go around and cross the bridge back to the west gate.

The Xishan Grottoes were excavated during the Northern Dynasties and the Sui and Tang Dynasties, and are the most complete and essential part of the Longmen Grottoes.

Xishan Grottoes is the first scenic spot you will reach after crossing the Longmen Bridge and walking along the Yi River. The Longmen Grottoes are divided into two major grotto groups, Xishan and Dongshan, separated by the Yi River. Xishan Grottoes were excavated during the Northern Dynasties and the Sui and Tang Dynasties and are the most complete and essential part of the Longmen Grottoes. Xishan Grottoes include famous caves such as Qianxi Temple, Binyang Three Caves, Wanfo Cave, Lotus Cave, Fengxian Temple, Guyang Cave, and Yaofang Cave. The most famous of these are the Vairocana Buddha in Fengxian Temple and the 19th of the "Twenty Products of Longmen" in Guyang Cave.

Xishan Grottoes Route: North Gate - Yuwang Pond - Qianxi Temple - Binyang Three Caves - Three Cliff Buddha Niches - Wanfo Cave - Lotus Cave - Fengxian Temple - Guyang Cave - Yaofang Cave

The Xishan Grottoes are the most concentrated place for the royal nobles of the Northern Wei and Tang dynasties to make statues. They are the embodiment of the royal will and behavior, and have a strong national religious color. The statues of the two dynasties reflect very different styles of the times. The Northern Wei statues here have lost the rough, majestic and vigorous characteristics of the Yungang Grottoes statues, and the breath of life has gradually become stronger, tending to be lively, delicate and gentle. These Northern Wei statues have long faces, thin shoulders, straight chests, and the carving of the clothing lines uses a straight knife method, which is strong and simple. In the Tang Dynasty, people regarded fatness as beauty, so the faces of the Buddha statues of the Tang Dynasty are round, the shoulders are broad, the chest is bulging, and the carving of the clothing lines uses a round knife method, which is natural and smooth.

The bus stop for bus No. 81 to Longmen Grottoes is in the alley opposite Luoyang Bus Station. Turn left after exiting the train station and walk to the first intersection. Inside is bus No. 81. Cross the road to Luoyang Bus Station. One bus goes directly there, 1.5 yuan per person, one-way trip takes 1 hour. After getting off the bus, there are clear signs at the station, just follow them. The platform for bus No. 53 and No. 60 is diagonally opposite bus No. 81.

The half-price admission to Longmen Grottoes is 50 yuan. You can pay by credit card or scan the QR code via WeChat to purchase tickets.

Free WiFi is available in all areas. If you have enough free time, you can scan the QR code of the Longmen Lucky Drift Bottle. It is said that you can exchange small gifts after playing the game. I did see a sign of the exchange point in a store in the Xishan Grottoes. The paper map is very small, and the map on the official public account refreshes too slowly!

It is 800 meters from the ticket hall to the gate of the scenic area. There is no electric bus! The electric bus is a 2KM road to the Northeast Service Area.

The Longmen Grottoes are a single-loop tour route, which must be the Xishan Grottoes → Dongshan Grottoes → Xiangshan Temple → Baiyuan. The Xishan Grottoes take about 1 hour and 3 quarters of an hour to visit, the Dongshan Grottoes take about 3 quarters of an hour to visit, the Xiangshan Temple takes a little more than half an hour, and the Baiyuan takes half an hour to visit. Tickets need to be kept properly, and the four attractions of Xishan Grottoes, Dongshan Grottoes, Xiangshan Temple and Baiyuan are checked separately. If you are not very interested in the grottoes, but you must sign in, you can take a bus to the Dongshan side, stroll along the river without tickets, and you can also see the highlight of the highlights of the Xishan Grottoes opposite, the panoramic view of the large Vairocana statue niche group sculpture.

Located in Longmen Grottoes, it is built beside the mountains and water, and the scene is very grand.

It exceeded my expectations, I must recommend it, it's worth watching, you will regret it if you don't watch it

It is very spectacular and worth a visit. The Xishan Grottoes are all large-scale grottoes.

The Longmen Grottoes are divided into two mountains, the East and the West, with the Yi River running between them. The grottoes are mainly located in the West Mountain, with fewer in the East Mountain.

The most important part of Longmen Grottoes is the Xishan Grottoes, which has the largest area, but there are many tourists and one-way traffic. There are free wives in the scenic area, and you can scan the QR code to listen to the explanation.

Self-driving tour, passing through Luoyang, we went to Longmen Grottoes to have a look. Unexpectedly, it was better than expected. We arrived near the grottoes at 2 pm, booked a nearby hotel, and then went to the grottoes. There is a parking lot at the entrance of the scenic area, but it is still a distance to the entrance of the grottoes. We need to take its tour bus for 20 yuan round trip. We took a taxi directly to a closer place, and then walked to the entrance of the grottoes. You can see the whole picture of Longmen Grottoes on foot. It is very beautiful. If you want to buy tickets, you can directly follow the WeChat public account and then scan the QR code at the door without exchanging for paper tickets, which saves time. The grottoes give people a very shocking feeling. It's a pity that a lot of them have been damaged. Generally speaking, it is worth seeing. First, the West Mountain Grottoes, then the East Mountain Grottoes, and finally the Xiangshan Temple and Baiyuan. It will take about two or three hours to see the grottoes. If you have time, you can see the last Xiangshan Temple and Baiyuan. You can finish the tour very quickly. The scenery is also good. You can also see the Chiang and Song villas inside

Longmen Grottoes are very close to Luoyang High-speed Railway Station. Friends who travel by high-speed rail can consider visiting Longmen Grottoes directly after getting off the high-speed rail, and then return to the city to live. The grottoes are distributed on both sides of the river, with the Xishan Grottoes as the representative. The Xishan Grottoes are most famous for the Vairocana Buddha, which is said to be built by craftsmen ordered by Wu Zetian based on herself.

Grand, spectacular and magical, it demonstrates the profoundness and breadth of Chinese culture over five thousand years.

Luoyang is the last stop of the Qingming Henan tour. I got up early in the morning and headed to the important Longmen Grottoes first.

I stayed at Luoyang Department Store, and there was a direct bus to Longmen Grottoes. It was not very close, and it took about an hour to get there.

The ticket price for Longmen Grottoes is 100 yuan, and the half-price ticket is 50 yuan. There are 4 scenic spots in total: Xishan Grottoes on the west side of the Yi River, Dongshan Grottoes on the east side of the river, Baiyuan (Bai Juyi's tomb), and Xiangshan Temple. The tour route is very standardized. Basically, you will first visit the most important Xishan Grottoes, go around the river and go out from the east to take the bus. However, the grottoes, cemeteries, and temples are all built on the mountain. Due to what happened a few days ago, I reluctantly gave up Xiangshan Temple and didn't go there (´ﾟдﾟ`).



The most famous statue of the Longmen Grottoes is the Vairocana Buddha in the Xishan Grottoes. This image is always included in all publications representing the Longmen Grottoes. It is said that this statue was sculpted based on Wu Zetian and is 17 meters high. Basically, many people come here to see this statue and can leave after seeing it, but, but, the ticket price is 100 yuan!



There are water, trees and grottoes here, and the scenery on the bridge is beautiful.

Longmen Grottoes is one of the four major grottoes in China, which are Mogao Grottoes (Dunhuang, Gansu), Yungang Grottoes (Datong, Shanxi), Longmen Grottoes (Luoyang, Henan), and Maijishan Grottoes (Tianshui, Gansu). Most of the stone statues in Longmen Grottoes are mainly concentrated in the Xishan Grottoes.

Highly recommended, the Vairocana Buddha far exceeded expectations

On the way from Kanjing Temple to Xiangshan Temple, you can see the panoramic view of Xishan Mountain. A few years ago, there was a program called Night Tour of Longmen, which was to watch the Xishan Buddha statue on the east bank with colorful lighting effects. Later, it was said that it was a great harm to the Buddha statue, so the program was cancelled.

From this angle, you can better appreciate the majesty of the Vairocana Buddha.

Tickets can be purchased via WeChat for 100 yuan, which is also very convenient without queuing. You can ask the official tour guide for 80-200 yuan for the explanation. The special caves are charged separately, or you can download the scenic area software for 10 yuan. Search [Longmen Grottoes Explanation App] The explanation is also very detailed, not worse than the manual one. The scenic area's WeChat account can be listened to, but it is a bit troublesome and cannot be opened by many people. Longmen Grottoes is carved into the mountain, about 1 kilometer long from north to south. It is a huge project with magnificent momentum and is worth seeing. The whole tour takes 2 to 3 hours, but the scenery is beautiful, especially the Vairocana Giant Buddha, which makes you sigh at the wisdom of the ancients!

The Xishan Grottoes are the essence of the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang, especially the Vairocana Buddha at the back, which is the essence of the essence.

The service in Longmen Grottoes is very good. The scenic area is fully covered by wifi, and there is a WeChat QR code at each scenic spot. You can scan the code to listen to the audio explanation of the scenic spot. Xishan Grottoes is the core attraction of Longmen Grottoes. Looking at the grottoes and listening to the explanations along the way, I really felt the sense of history here. These weathered Buddha statues have witnessed the rise and fall of history from the Northern Wei Dynasty to the prosperous Tang Dynasty to the present. Going up the stairs below, you will see the most core attraction here, Fengtian Temple, which consists of nine large Buddha statues. The Vairocana Buddha in the middle is said to be built according to the face of Wu Zetian, and the Buddha statue here is also the largest in the entire Longmen Grottoes. I have to sigh at the high skills of ancient craftsmen!

After getting off the bus, follow the signs and walk about 800 meters to the Longmen Museum, which is the entrance to the Longmen Grottoes.

Adult ticket: 100 yuan (including: Xishan Grottoes, Dongshan Grottoes, Xiangshan Temple, Baiyuan, all ticket sales are unified);

Half-price tickets: primary and secondary school students (with valid student ID cards), seniors aged 60-69 (with valid ID cards);

Free: Minors under 1.4 meters; Elders over 70 years old (with valid ID card);

The Xishan Grottoes are the most complete and essential part of the Longmen Grottoes, and the Vairocana Giant Buddha is located on this line.

The most essential part of Longmen Grottoes is also the first part to be excavated. Some of the most famous grottoes are in the Western Hills Grottoes, such as the Vairocana Giant Buddha, the Ten Thousand Buddha Caves, the Binyang Three Caves, etc. It is recommended to start from the Western Hills when visiting.

A must-see attraction. The Vairocana Buddha is very majestic.

I think the main purpose of the grottoes is to see the largest Buddha statue. There are many people there and the grottoes are also very magnificent.

The best of Longmen Grottoes is the Xishan Grottoes, and the best of Xishan Grottoes is the Vairocana Giant Buddha.

The Xishan Grottoes are the most stunning, and you must climb up to visit them.

The essence of the Longmen Grottoes is all here, but it is a little disappointing. Except for the Fengxian Temple, the preservation status of other places is very worrying. Personally, I think that although it is larger than Yungang, it is not as good as Yungang in terms of preservation status.

The Longmen Grottoes are divided into two major grotto groups, the West Mountain and the East Mountain, separated by the Yi River. The West Mountain Grottoes were excavated during the Northern Dynasties and the Sui and Tang Dynasties and are the most complete and essential part of the Longmen Grottoes. The West Mountain Grottoes include the Qianxi Temple, the Binyang Three Caves, the Wanfo Cave, the Lotus Cave, the Fengxian Temple, the Guyang Cave, the Yaofang Cave and other famous caves. The most famous of these are the Vairocana Buddha in the Fengxian Temple and the 19th of the "Twenty Products of Longmen" in the Guyang Cave. The Vairocana Buddha was sculpted based on the image of Wu Zetian, and is more than 17 meters high. On both sides are the two disciples, Kasyapa and Ananda, as well as the Bodhisattva with a reserved and magnificent expression, the heroic and powerful Heavenly King, and the aggressive Hercules, a total of nine large statues. There are 15,000 small Buddhas neatly arranged on the north and south sides of the Wanfo Cave; there are more than 150 prescriptions carved on both sides of the Yaofang Cave, which is the earliest existing stone prescription in my country.

The Xishan Grottoes are relatively well preserved. From a distance, you can see grottoes of all sizes, which is very shocking.

The grottoes are relatively intact, and the statue of Vairocana Buddha is particularly stunning, which is really spectacular.

A corner of the Longmen Grottoes, a beautiful city with beautiful scenery everywhere

The most classic of the classics is here, where you should carefully experience the profoundness of Chinese Buddhist culture. The Vairocana Buddha in Fengxian Temple.

The Xishan Grottoes are relatively well preserved. From a distance, you can see grottoes of all sizes, which is very shocking.

The Longmen Grottoes are divided into two groups, the East and West. The most outstanding of the West Mountain Grottoes is the Vairocana Buddha. Kind and dignified, it remains unchanged after thousands of years. A great Buddha statue.

Longmen Grottoes is one of the three famous stone carving art treasures in China, and is also known as one of the world's greatest classical art treasures. The carvings are very exquisite and the Buddhist culture is vast. (The Vairocana Buddha is shaped in the image of Wu Zetian and is the most artistic in the Longmen Grottoes. Anyone who has been to the Longmen Grottoes will be shocked by the vastness and magnificence of the Vairocana Buddha.)

The Longmen Grottoes are divided into two major grotto groups, the West Hill and the East Hill, separated by the Yi River. The West Hill Grottoes were excavated during the Northern Dynasties and the Sui and Tang Dynasties and are the most complete and essential part of the Longmen Grottoes.

The Xishan Grottoes include Qianxi Temple, Binyang Three Caves, Wanfo Cave, Lotus Cave, Fengxian Temple, Guyang Cave, Yaofang Cave and other famous caves. The most famous ones are the Vairocana Buddha in Fengxian Temple and the 19th of the "Twenty-four Figures of Longmen" in Guyang Cave.

The Vairocana Buddha is built based on the image of Wu Zetian. It is more than 17 meters high, with two disciples, Kasyapa and Ananda, on both sides, and a Bodhisattva with a reserved and elegant expression, a heroic and powerful king of heaven, and an aggressive warrior, a total of nine large statues. There are 15,000 small Buddhas neatly arranged on the north and south sides of the Ten Thousand Buddha Cave; there are more than 150 prescriptions carved on both sides of the Prescription Cave, which is the earliest existing stone prescription in my country.

The Xishan Grottoes, which concentrate the essence of the area, are worth a closer look. If you have enough time, you can spend most of the day there.

I was traveling by car. I drove to the old city of Luoyang the night before and stayed at Le Siyuan. The environment was pretty good! I was with my girlfriend! The next day, I drove to the Dongshan Grottoes parking lot! The locals tricked me into going to Guanghua Temple for 20 yuan, and the ticket was 30 yuan. I checked and found out that Guanghua Temple was a scam! I felt a little unwilling, and then I was taken to the Xishan Grottoes private parking lot! I want to explain here that everyone should park their cars at the Dongshan parking lot! The charge is only 10 yuan, and the Xishan private parking lot costs 20 yuan. You don’t have to go to Guanghua Temple! At the Dongshan Grottoes, you can take a bus to the Xishan Grottoes intersection to start visiting the Longmen Grottoes! Tickets can be bought on both sides! After a walk, I came back! It’s done! Avant-garde, don’t believe what the locals say!

Different from the bad impression that the city of Luoyang gave me, the standardization of the Longmen Grottoes Scenic Area is eye-catching. Wi-Fi covers the entire scenic area. You can listen to the explanation by entering the tag number on WeChat. There are also voice prompts in the scenic area to remind tourists of precautions. All route signs and signboards are placed just right. It is really a model of scenic area management. The Longmen Grottoes are extremely majestic. After thousands of years of wind and rain, they can still shock me so much, not to mention that thousands of years ago, the entire grottoes were magnificent and emitting magnificent Buddha light on the river bank. How spectacular it would be. After visiting the main Xishan Grottoes, you can just take a rough tour of the rest of the attractions. Interestingly, I saw the Chiang and Song villas on the mountain. I just came down from Mount Li, Lao Jiang, haha

Longmen Grottoes are divided into two main parts: Dongshan Grottoes and Xishan Grottoes, and there are two small garden scenic areas, Baiyuan and Xiangshan Temple. Among them, Xishan Grottoes is the largest and has the most beautiful scenery. The most reasonable tour order is recommended: starting from Longmen Bridge ① Xishan Grottoes - ② Dongshan Grottoes - ③ Xiangshan Temple - ④ Baiyuan

After self-driving tourists navigate to the ticket center to buy tickets, it is recommended to take a 10 yuan/person battery sightseeing car to the scenic area. Don't trust the lobbying of idle solicitors. The roads they lead are not regular routes and parking is risky. Enter the scenic area and go to the right. The Longmen Bridge is wide and has a great view. Walk to the right after crossing the bridge. There is no fork in the road. Tourists can be guided to the Longmen. After Longmen, you will see the first scenic spot, the Xishan Grottoes. At this time, don't think that the caves you see are enough. There will be more countless surprises later. The road ahead is long. Be patient and walk the whole way. You will not regret it.

Here I would also like to advise visitors that, since you have arrived at the Longmen Grottoes, do not be stingy with your physical strength, try to walk through all the corridors and caves, savor each stone statue carefully, and give yourself a journey to cleanse your soul.

There is a parking lot at Longmen Grottoes, and the car costs ten yuan. When I bought the ticket, I used my student ID, but it turned out to be fake. I had no choice but to buy the full price. I have to say that Henan people have a strong ability to distinguish! There is a shuttle bus after entering the scenic area, and it costs ten yuan per person to take you to the entrance of the scenic area. There is free wireless network in the scenic area, but the speed is very slow. You can use WeChat to scan the QR code of the scenic area, which contains explanations of the scenic spots, which is still very good. However, there are many attractions, and it will take a lot of time to listen to each one. If you want to have a deep understanding of this kind of cultural attraction, it is recommended that you learn about it in advance, or find an explanation directly, which will be faster. Because we have to return in the afternoon, we don’t have time to listen to each one carefully, which is a bit regrettable, but after scanning the QR code, we can take it home and listen slowly.

Longmen Grottoes are divided into four scenic areas: West Hill Grottoes, East Hill Grottoes, Xiangshan Temple and White Garden. The scenic area is a rectangle with only one tour route, namely: West Hill Grottoes - East Hill Grottoes - Xiangshan Temple - White Garden. So from West Hill Grottoes you can only go out from White Garden and cannot go back. West Hill Grottoes is the place full of Buddha statues as we know it.

For tourists and the elderly who are short on time, it is better to visit the Xishan Grottoes, which only takes 2 to 3 hours. The three famous Northern Wei Grottoes: Binyang Cave, Guyang Cave, and Lianhua Cave are worth a closer look, but many of the exquisite Buddha statues, Buddha heads, reliefs, etc. in the caves have been stolen by foreign antiquities dealers.

The moment I saw the Vairocana Buddha, I felt an urge to worship him from the bottom of my heart. It was an excitement that went straight to my soul.

Walking along the wooden plank road, the cliff walls are carved with Buddha statues of various sizes and shapes, but they are all severely weathered. I wonder how long these stone statues can stand. From Laolong Cave all the way to Fengxian Temple, the cliff walls are covered with caves like honeycombs. The exquisite Buddha statues are like bright pearls inlaid among them, which make people feel infinite admiration and piety.

The package I bought on Ctrip is very cost-effective, the transportation connection is convenient, and the scenery is amazing

It is said that the East Mountain Grottoes were more prosperous originally, but now the West Mountain Grottoes are better preserved. Although many of them have been lost, and too many of the preserved Buddha statues have lost their heads, the large and small Buddha statues also show the exquisite carving skills of the artists.

You can see many staff on the road, and they will answer you enthusiastically when you ask for directions~

The ticket price for the Longmen Grottoes scenic area is 120 yuan per person (including: Xishan Grottoes, Dongshan Grottoes, Xiangshan Temple, and Baiyuan). The Vairocana Buddha is located in the Fengxian Temple of the Xishan Grottoes of the Longmen Grottoes. The Xishan Grottoes are the most representative grottoes of the Longmen Grottoes. The Dongshan Grottoes are severely damaged, and very few of them are preserved, and most of them are incomplete. The most important thing to go to the Longmen Grottoes is to see the Vairocana Buddha, and the Buddha is in the Xishan Grottoes. After entering the Longmen Grottoes scenic area and crossing the Longmen Bridge, the grottoes that can be seen from afar are the Binyang Three Caves. The Buddha cannot be seen at this time, and you need to walk around the mountain for several mountains to see the Buddha.

The West Hill Grottoes are the most central grottoes in the Longmen Grottoes Scenic Area and the first grottoes you enter when you enter the Longmen Grottoes Scenic Area. Compared to the East Hill Grottoes, this grotto is better preserved and has more caves. Among them, Fengxian Temple, Lotus Cave, and Ten Thousand Buddha Cave are all in the West Hill Grottoes. It can be said that the West Hill Grottoes are the backbone and essence of the Longmen Grottoes. If you don't come to the West Hill Grottoes, it is equivalent to having been to the Longmen Grottoes. The essence of Longmen, the Great Buddha, is also in the West Hill Grottoes.

If you enter from the main gate, you will first cross the Longmen Bridge and then the Yuwang Pond. If you continue walking, the entire grotto is the Xishan Grottoes. It is on the west side of the Yi River. The entire Yi River divides the Longmen Scenic Area into the East Mountain and the West Mountain. There are really too many people in the peak season. It is really difficult to take a photo without tourists. These small Buddhas are also very delicate. Everyone can appreciate the greatness of the ancients. You can only go to the East Mountain after visiting the West Mountain, and you cannot return.

In addition, you can view the entire Xishan Grottoes from the East Gate of Yi River. Especially at sunset, the Xishan Grottoes are simply too beautiful.