The Longmen Grottoes

The Longmen Grottoes located 13 kilometers south of Luoyang. Longmen Grottoes, Yungang Caves and Mogao Caves are regarded as the three most famous treasure houses of stone inscriptions in China. Created over the course of approximately five centuries beginning in 493 CE, these grottoes, along with the statues and inscriptions carved within, provide a window into the political, cultural, and artistic circumstances of the late Northern Wei and Tang periods. The caves were carved into the steep limestone cliffs of Mount Longmen and Mount Xiang which face one another along a one kilometer stretch, forming a valley through which the Yi River flows. This site, with its appearance of a natural gate, was historically referred to as Yique or "Gate of the Yi River." The scenery area holds over 2,300 holes and niches, 2,800 steles, 40 dagobas, 1,300 caves and 100,000 statues.  Most of them are the works of the Northern Wei Dynasty and the flourishing age of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). These grottoes afford modern visitors the chance to take a step closer to the lives of people from a different era. A half day tour will be recommended.