Longmen Grottoes 龙门石窟

About Longmen Grottoes

Small niches and inscriptions lead to compositions on a very different scale, especially the great seated Vairocana at Fengxian Temple. The caves also show changes between Northern Wei and Tang carving. Look beyond the largest figures to the surviving halos, attendants and inscriptions, which make the cliffs a layered record of patronage.

According to the Book of Wei, carving at Longmen began after that at the Yungang Grottoes, as Buddhism became a pillar of Northern Wei rule. Emperor Xiaowen moved the Northern Wei capital from Pingcheng to Luoyang in 494, and in 500 Emperor Xuanwu ordered the carving of stone images at Longmen, then called Yique. Further carving continued under later dynasties down to the Ming, with the Northern Wei and Tang periods together accounting for most of the work, over some 150 years.

On the east hill, carving dates mainly from the Tang Wu Zhou period to the Song; the rock strata there are thinner and more fractured than on the west bank, so statues in its larger caves have become loose over time. Binyang Cave (宾阳洞), on the west hill, is the oldest niche at the site and took 24 years to complete, while Fengxian Temple (奉先寺), the largest cave at Longmen, was carved between 672 and 675.

The site holds more than 2,100 niches, over 100,000 carved images and more than 3,600 inscribed stone tablets, the largest total among China's grotto sites. The 'Longmen Twenty' (龙门二十品) inscriptions are considered the finest examples of Wei-dynasty stele calligraphy. Longmen is counted among China's three great stone-carving art treasuries and was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000.

What to look for

• Fengxian Temple’s monumental Vairocana and its surrounding attendants.
• The Binyang caves and the smaller niches and inscriptions along the west cliff.

The surrounding area

A city base for Longmen, soup breakfasts, old-city food streets and contemporary hanfu visitor districts.

Location & getting there

Getting to Longmen Grottoes

Approach the scenic area at the southern end of Longmen Avenue in Luolong District. From Luoyang Longmen high-speed station, arrange a separate transfer to the attraction’s operating visitor entrance; the station and grottoes are distinct places.