Longmen Grottoes

Background

The Longmen Grottoes were begun around the time Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei moved his capital to Luoyang (about 493) and carved over more than four hundred years through the Eastern Wei, Western Wei, Northern Qi, Sui and Tang; 2,345 caves and niches and more than 100,000 statues survive. The Vairocana Buddha at Fengxian Temple is 17.14 m tall, with a full, round face and gently lowered eyes, regarded as the pinnacle of Tang Buddhist art. The Longmen Grottoes became a World Heritage Site in 2000.

Local customs

• A Buddhist holy site: keep quiet and don't shout
• photography is banned in some caves, so follow the signs
• the East and West Hills face each other across the Yi River, and the best viewpoints are the square in front of Fengxian Temple on the West Hill and around Xiangshan Temple on the East Hill.

Religion & beliefs

• A sacred site of Buddhist sculpture. Don't touch the carvings
• keep your distance from monks and worshippers at prayer and don't block their way
• Xiangshan Temple and Bai Garden are a Buddhist cultural area, so dress modestly.

Rules that apply here

Travel tips

• Visit the West Hill caves → cross the low bridge → the East Hill caves → Bai Garden, about 3–4 hours in all
• in summer an evening on the Yi River shows the grottoes' light show
• the site is large, so wear comfortable walking shoes. Check tickets and opening hours on the official website.