The Longmen Grottoes at 13 Long Men Zhong Jie in Luoyang, Henan, form one of China’s most spectacular and culturally significant Buddhist heritage sites. Stretching along both sides of the Yi River, this limestone cliff complex is home to more than 2,300 caves and niches carved over a kilometer, containing nearly 110,000 statues, more than 60 stupas, and over 2,800 inscribed steles. The sheer scale of the site is breathtaking; sculptures range dramatically in size from a few centimeters to towering Buddhas standing as much as seventeen meters tall. These works reflect a thousand-year artistic journey that began with the Northern Wei Dynasty in the late 5th century, flourished during the Tang Dynasty, and witnessed a gradual decline by the 12th century. Many of the carvings were commissioned by emperors, nobility, generals, and devout Buddhists, reflecting their aspiration for spiritual merit and their desire to contribute enduring legacies to the Buddhist faith. The craftsmanship displayed throughout the site is exceptional, showing a seamless fusion of Indian influences and evolving Chinese aesthetic ideals. Early caves, such as those on the West Hill carved during the Northern Wei, are characterized by serene, elongated figures, while later Tang-era sculptures capture tranquility with fuller, majestic forms and more intricate detailing. One of the most renowned highlights is the Fengxiansi Cave, where the colossal Vairocana Buddha is flanked by bodhisattvas, guardians, and heavenly kings, all carved with expressive faces and exquisitely detailed robes, symbolizing the pinnacle of Chinese Buddhist stone carving. These visual elements not only serve religious and artistic purposes but also reflect the wider development of politics, society, and culture in ancient China, as seen in the calligraphic inscriptions and medical texts etched into several grottoes. What truly elevates the Longmen Grottoes experience is the setting. The caves rise out of a lush riverside landscape in Luolong District, just south of Luoyang, the historic capital of thirteen Chinese dynasties. This harmonious blend of monumental stonework and tranquil natural surroundings creates an atmosphere that feels both majestic and contemplative. Visiting the Grottoes today immerses travelers not only in the profound artistic achievements of ancient China but also in a site that has been revered for centuries for its spiritual and historic resonance. Despite the passing of dynasties and occasional turbulence, the Longmen Grottoes endure as a testament to centuries of devotion, creativity, and cultural exchange, making them a truly unforgettable destination.

About 1 hour from Xi’an North (Xi’an Bei) Station, this destination makes for a perfect one-day trip. The high-speed train round-trip costs around 350 RMB from Xi’an. You can easily combine the visit with Guan Lin Temple (the Temple of Guan Yu) for a meaningful cultural and spiritual day tour. Be prepared for plenty of walking, as the site covers a large area with scenic routes both ways. On the return journey, you can choose to take a relaxing boat ride along the river, passing stunning Buddhist mountains and ancient cave carvings. This is truly a must-visit for history and culture lovers — where you can witness magnificent man-made Buddhist sculptures carved into the mountains, dating back to the Tang Dynasty.

This is an iconic site, of major importance as an illustration of Buddhist influence on the Silk Road. With 2,345 caves and tens of thousands of sculptures, it deserves its UNESCO listing and all the attention that comes with that. So expect crowds . . . loud, pushy, rude crowds. Combine that with lots of stairs and small electric shuttles and you have a recipe for disappointment and chaos. I still rate the Grottoes 4-star and I would have visited them anyhow. Just be warned it can be very unpleasant at times.

Absolutely worth the trip. Amazing place with rich history. We showed up at opening and good thing we did because by the time we left at mid-day, we could see the main area across the river was jam packed with tourists in huge numbers all pressing around the walkways with limited space in 40+ degrees heat (August 2024). So show up early, beat the crowds, and enjoy this jewel of Chinese cultural heritage.

You arrive expecting ancient wonder, and first thing you hit is — a shopping mall. Because every Chinese historical site needs one. Snacks, keychains, T-shirts, maybe even a Buddha-shaped popsicle if you’re lucky. Enlightenment apparently comes with receipts. Then you get in. Carved cliffs packed with thousands of Buddhas, some the size of your palm, others tall enough to make your chiropractor rich. You wander through them thinking, “yeah, nice,” and then you reach Vairocana — the main event. Seventeen meters of flawless stone calm. His face has that perfect balance between peace and authority, like someone who’s already forgiven you but still remembers what you did. The detail is insane, the scale humbling, and the atmosphere hits harder than any temple playlist. 5/5. Stone perfection with mandatory gift shop.

This is an amazing and stunning place. It is on UNESCO world heritage list. The place is hugh; prepare to walk, climb stairs. Thousands of Buddha statues carved on the cliff. Breathtaking scenery

A UNESCO Heritage site not to be missed. We took the high speed rail from Xi'an to Luoyang. Takes abt 1.5 hours. Not much shade so do bring a hat/cap and portable fan (depending on season you are visiting). Prepare to walk. You will need at least 2 hours or more to have a more leisure walk.

A temple to worship Guan Yin the respected and at his time feared by the enemies. The temple has the burial mount of the head of Guan Yin. Quite a large temple and crowded with people.

Mausoleum of guan kong

Nice and peaceful place to visit if you are in Luoyang. Ticket needed, walk-in ticket is available.

I love it here... but I am a martial artist so of course it is important to me. It’s generally a less busy temple to visit compared to so many places in China.

Not worth for RMB40

The most beautiful temple in China

Love the place.

These priceless artifacts encapsulate the creativity and aesthetic sensibilities of ancient Eastern culture, preserving diverse historical memories and reflecting the brilliance of Luoyang as a thousand-year imperial capital. The ongoing Luoyang Cultural Relics and Treasures Exhibition showcases some of the finest relics from the city’s vast collection, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the profound history and culture of this ancient metropolis. Through these exhibits, one can trace the footsteps of Chinese civilization’s evolution, experiencing the ancient glory that once defined this historical center.

I loved this museum! Collection is huge and well-organized in a chronological format. You could spend several days here. Lots of people dressed up taking photos, but didn't distract too much. You can only reserve tickets via WeChat. Though when I arrived, they only took a picture of my passport, they didn't verify ticket status. Toilets are squat-only and some didn't have toilet paper.

Beautiful museum, rich in artifacts and history. Everything is well organized and easy to navigate. Although having tickets ahead of time, we had to wait outside and over 30 minutes to get in (August 2024). But inside didn't feel too crowded despite the amount of people pouring in, so crowd management seems decent. There were lots of young people dressed up with their own photograph, but they weren't too much in the way and honestly it kind of adds to the charm of any visit in Luoyang. Overall, an absolute must when visiting this city.

One of the world's great museums. Covers the history and prehistory of China back several thousand years with artifacts from within 100km of the important ancient city of Luoyang. Well organized and well laid out, though I can't vouch for there being English labels. Good shopping area as well.

Plethora of precious collections here. Worth a visit if you visit Luoyang.

A very spacious and modern museum with lots of exhibits dating back thousands of years.

A spacious and modern museum with exhibits dating back several thousand years. Lots of Buddhist art as well as traditional Chinese archaeological finds from the area. Strict security on entering. Very clean toilet facilities and a few places to sit, though not much in the way of refreshments.

A beautiful and relaxing environment. Few facilities other than a café selling snacks and ice-creams, but worth visiting on a summer day.

The most incredible Peonies I have ever seen. Don't miss the blooming.

(Translated by Google) It is a very large botanical park, and my feet are almost broken when I walk around. The entire park is very cool and rarely gets exposed to the sun. Unfortunately, the peonies bloomed too quickly this year, and we only saw one peony that was about to wither when we arrived. However, there is also a kind of rose flower that is quite luxuriant in the park. (Original) 站地非常大的植物公園，走得腳都快斷掉了，整個園區非常的涼爽很少會塞到太陽。可惜今年的牡丹花花期太快了，我們到來只看到一朵快凋謝的牡丹花。不過園區還有一種月季花還蠻茂盛的。

(Translated by Google) 4 May 2024 Take the electric train and go down to this park. Let me tell you that this part is very large. In front, there are shops selling things. Let's come. During the fire festival, but unfortunately The day we arrived, they had all picked it up and I thought that there would have been a beautiful illumination before. The garden is very expansive. Walking around makes us tired. There are various flower corners for us to take photos here. We intended to take photos of the peonies here, but they are already fading but there are still some to see. There are a lot of activities here, so come take a walk and see. If anyone is too lazy to walk, there are golf carts available and bicycles for 4-5 people available as well. (Original) 4 May 2024 นั่งรถไฟฟ้ามันลงถึงสวนนี้ได้เลยนะครับ บอกเลยว่าส่วนนี้กว้างใหญ่มหาศาลมากด้านหน้าก็มีขายของนะครับเรามา ช่วงเทศกาลไฟแต่เสียดายที่ วันที่เรามาถึงเขาเก็บกันหมดแล้วคิดว่าก่อนหน้านี้คงมีการประดับไฟสวยงามกันเลยทีเดียวสวนกว้างใหญ่ไพศาลมากนะครับเดินกันเมื่อยเลยแล้วมีมุมดอกไม้ต่างๆให้เราได้ถ่ายรูปกันนะที่นี่ เราตั้งใจมาถ่ายดอกโบตั๋นที่นี่แต่มันถึงเวลาที่ร่วงโรยแล้วล่ะแต่ก็ยังพอมีให้เห็นนะครับ ที่นี่ กิจกรรมเยอะมากมาลองเดินดูกันนะจ๊ะ ถ้าใครขี้เกียจเดินเขาก็มีรถกอล์ฟไว้บริการแล้วมีปั่นจักรยานสำหรับ 4-5 คนไว้บริการด้วยนะ

(Translated by Google) April 9, 2024 Luoyang peonies are the best in the world! Life is filled with flowers, wealth blooms, and everyone who sees it has happiness, longevity and health🙏🏻🧧 (Original) 2024年4月9日 洛陽牡丹甲天下！ 花滿人生 花開富貴 見者福壽康寧🙏🏻🧧

(Translated by Google) The flowers and trees are sparse and the planning is exquisite. It is very beautiful when the peonies are in full bloom. It is quiet in the bustle. There are fewer tourists than the National Garden, so you can enjoy the tranquility of the forest garden! (Original) 花木扶疏，規劃精緻，牡丹盛開時期非常美麗，鬧中取靜，比起國花園遊客較少，更可享受林園之幽靜！

(Translated by Google) A pleasant park for a stroll (Original) 散布很舒服的公園

Henan University of Science and Technology (HAUST) is located in Luoyang, well-known as the thousand-year ancient capital and the peony flower city, which is also the sub-center of the city cluster in central plains of China. MY UNIVERSITY The most beautiful university campus in China.

Great experience

I really really miss our school hope will be back soon. China welcome me🇨🇳❤️❤️

I often come to the library here to study, the environment is great!

good

(Translated by Google) Good universities for exchanges with Taiwan (Original) 與台灣交流好學府

Is there anyone from Bangladesh in this university?