Longmen Grottoes

About this tour

Discovering the Longmen Grottoes

A Journey Through Ancient Art and History

The Longmen Grottoes have been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, providing a window into China’s rich Buddhist history. This site boasts over 100,000 statues and 2,300 caves, showcasing a stunning fusion of art, culture, and spirituality.

The Longmen Grottoes are not only treasures of Chinese Buddhist art but also a significant part of the world’s stone carving art. As a World Cultural Heritage site, these grottoes represent the pinnacle of Chinese Buddhist art during the Sui and Tang dynasties, reflecting the level of development in religious beliefs, cultural arts, language, writing, and architectural technology of that era. The numerous statues and murals in the caves exhibit artistic features from different periods and styles, making them of tremendous value for the study of ancient Chinese religion, art, and social history.

The Great Buddha of Luoyang, located in Fengxian Temple, is the largest and most famous Buddha statue in the Longmen Grottoes. This Buddha statue stands at a towering 17.14 meters, with a dignified and serene facial expression, serving as a masterpiece of ancient Chinese Buddhist art. The construction of the Great Buddha of Luoyang was ordered by Empress Wu Zetian of the Tang Dynasty, demonstrating her influence and reverence for Buddhism.

If your schedule allows, consider a one-day trip to Luoyang, covering multiple attractions including the ancient city of Luoyang, White Horse Temple, and the local street food scene.