After visiting Yungang Grottoes in Shanxi many years ago, I wanted to also visit the other renowned Buddhist grottoes in China. The UNESCO Longmen Grottoes (龙门石窟) in Luoyang traces back to Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei Dynasty in 493 AD when he moved the capital from Datong to Luoyang. Henan has long been regarded as one of the cradles of Chinese civilization. The fertile plains in the area led to economic prosperity and its location in the middle of China made it the capital for several dynasties. Longmen Grottoes are located about half an hour south of modern day Luoyang. Carved over 400 years until the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), they are a Buddhist Art Treasure filled with over 2,300 caves, 100,000 Buddhist statues, and hundreds of inscriptions. The caves were dug from a 1 km stretch of cliff on both sides of the Yi River and made up of 4 main sections: the West Hill Grottoes on the West Hill or Longmen Hill along the west bank of the Yi River (伊河), and the East Hill Grottoes, Xiangshan Temple, and Baiyuan all situated on the East Hill or Xiangshan Hill on the east bank of the Yi River. Most of the significant Buddhist carvings and statues ranging from 2cm to 17m are found in the West Hill Grottoes such as the Vairocana Buddha and Binyan Cave. The statues from the Tang Dynasty seem to be more three-dimensional and natural than the Northern Wei ones.
Entrance to the Longmen Grottoes complex
West Hill Grottoes
Qianxi Temple (潛溪寺), the first large cave you will come across on the western side, was built about 1,300 years ago in the early Tang Dynasty. It is more than nine meters high and wide and nearly seven meters deep. On the ceiling of the cave is a shallowly carved large lotus. Seated in the center on a platform is Sakyamuni Buddha flanked by his two disciples, two Bodhisattvas, and two heavenly kings.
Qianxi Temple (潛溪寺)
Next is the Three Binyang Grottoes (宾阳三洞), formerly known as Lingyan Temple, made up of 3 sections: Binyang Middle Cave, Binyang North Cave, and Binyang South Cave. It is the first royal cave commissioned to commemorate the historical achievements of Emperor Xiaowen, in particular in the relocation of the capital to Luoyang and spearheading the Sinicization reform. Over 800,000 craftsmen helped build the cave over 24 years but only the middle Binyang Cave was completed during the Northern Wei Dynasty. The south and north caves were later finished during the Sui and Tang Dynasties. The statues here display the characteristic benevolent Northern Wei style expressions. The most famous Buddha statue here is that of Amitabha in the south cave with a raised right hand often mistaken for “a victory sign”. The gesture is actually a mudra (a symbolic hand position used in Buddhist art), this one representing the granting of wishes or fearlessness.
Binyang Middle Cave
Binyang Middle Cave
Amitabha in the south cave with a raised right hand often mistaken for “a victory sign”. The gesture is actually a mudra (a symbolic hand position used in Buddhist art), this one representing the granting of wishes or fearlessness.
Binyang South Cave
Many visitors like to pose with the victory sign here
Binyang North Cave
Binyang North Cave
Vajrapani, the protector of Buddha, pointing into the cave.
West Hill Grottoes
A well preserved Vajrapani
The Moya Three Buddhas Cave was created during Empress Wu Zetian’s time. There are actually seven statues in the cave, and they represent the past, present and future Buddhas. The Maitreya Buddha, the Buddha of Future, sits in the center of all seven, which is quite rare in Chinese Buddhist expressions. The cave, however, was never finished as construction stopped after Wu died.
The Moya Three Buddhas Cave was never finished, however it shows us how the caves and statues were carved from the mountain.
The Moya Three Buddhas Cave
Wanfo Cave (万佛洞) or Ten Thousand Buddha Grotto dates from 680 in the Tang Dynasty and houses over 15,000 small bas-relief Buddhas adorning its south and north walls. In the center is Buddha Amida sitting on the lotus Sumeru throne and behind him are 54 lotus carvings, each cradling a different Bodhisattva. On the southern wall outside the cave is the carving of a 85-cm Guanyin statue.
Wanfo Cave (万佛洞)
Wanfo Cave (万佛洞)
On the southern wall outside Wanfo Cave (万佛洞) is the carving of a 85-cm Guanyin statue said to be one of the most beautiful in Longmen Grottoes.
West Hill Grottoes
West Hill Grottoes
Lotus Cave, on the north side of Fengxian Temple, is so named after the massive lotus relief adorning its ceiling. The lotus symbolizes purity in Buddhism with three apsarases facing and honoring it. Underneath the lotus relief is a 5-meter-tall Gautama Buddha delivering a sermon to his standing students, surrounded by a multitude of smaller Buddha statues.
Lotus Cave
West Hill Grottoes
Fengxian Temple (奉先寺), constructed during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), is the largest grotto in Longmen Grottoes featuring the 17.14 meter high Vairocana Buddha sitting cross-legged on the eight-square lotus throne. Vairocana means supreme enlightenment. This Buddha is said to be modeled after Tang empress and Buddhist patron Wu Zetian (武则天), the only female emperor in Chinese history. Flanking the Buddha are his two disciples, two bodhisattvas, two heavenly kings, and two warriors according to the traditional layout of Chinese Buddhism.
Fengxian Temple (奉先寺)
Fengxian Temple (奉先寺)
This Buddha is said to be modeled after Tang empress and Buddhist patron Wu Zetian (武则天), the only female emperor in Chinese history.
From the West Hill, we cross the Manshui Bridge to the East Hill. Directly opposite Fengxian Temple is the Buddha Worship Platform (礼佛台) which provides a panoramic view of the Vairocana Buddha and the expansive West Hill grottoes. East Hill is much smaller in scale than the West Hill, dating solely from the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). There are about 20 large and medium caves together with a bunch of smaller ones. The most famous caves here are Two Lotus Cave (二莲华洞), Kanjingsi Cave (看经寺洞) or Reading Sutra Grotto, and Leigutai Three Caves (擂鼓台三洞). I did not visit these caves as I was told that many of the statues here were destroyed or stolen.
Xiangshan Temple (香山寺), originally built in 516 AD during the North Wei Dynasty, was later rebuilt in 687 AD during the Tang Dynasty. The stone tower here was said to be a favorite haunt of Empress Wu Zetian. The renowned Tany Dynasty poet Bai Juyi (白居易) found solace and moved here and adopted the title “Hermit of Xiangshan”. There is a lovely garden built around his tomb. In the 20th century, Statesman Chiang Kaishek (蒋介石) and his wife sought refuge here and their villa with its original furnishings can still be visited.
Longmen Grottoes is open at night until 11pm where all the caves and statues are elegantly lit up.
Longmen Grottoes is open at night until 11pm where all the caves and statues are elegantly lit up.
Longmen Grottoes is open at night until 11pm where all the caves and statues are elegantly lit up.
Longmen Grottoes is open at night until 11pm where all the caves and statues are elegantly lit up.
Next post will be on some of the other highlights in Luoyang. Stay tuned!
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3 Responses
What an amazing site. We visited something similar in India, although this site looks much larger. Maggie
I think you are talking about Ajanta and Ellora Caves in India? There are 4 famous buddhist grottoes in China and Longmen Grottoes is one of them.
Yes, they are impressive, and the ones you presented look even more spectacular. Maggie