Longmen Grottoes

Overview
 

Location

The grottoes are located on the banks of Yihe River, 13 kilometers south of Luoyang.

History

The Longmen Grottoes are one of the four treasures of grotto art in China. Work on the Longmen Grottoes began in the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534) .On the cliff face and inside the grottoes and niches, 70 pagodas were built or carved in relief and 100,000 Buddhist statues were carved.

Attraction

The largest of the grottoes is the Fengxian (Ancestor Worshiping) Temple, built in 675. The sculptures in the temple are vivid, lifelike, and aesthetically arranged, and represent a major achievement in the art of sculpture during the Tang Dynasty. The Longmen Grottoes provide important references for the study of ancient sculpture and Buddhism. In 2000, the grottoes were included on UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage list.

Features
Providing important references for the study of ancient sculpture and Buddhism Being included on UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage list