The Longmen Grottoes in China

Have you ever been in a situation where some people in your travel group want to get out and explore the countryside, while some just want to hang out and tour a museum or other cultural locations? What if you could have both at once?

The Longmen Grottoes, just eight miles (13 km) south of the city of Luoyang in sunny eastern China, comprise a collection of over two thousand caves, each filled with priceless historical artifacts. Truly one of the wonders of both the natural and modern world, some of these caverns have remained essentially unchanged for over 1500 years. Buddhas are literally carved out of the stone inside the caves, and some rooms rival museums for the amount of painstaking care and artistry that went into the statues.

Also known as the Dragon’s Gate Grottoes because their overall formation resembles a heavenly gate, the caves dot a mountainside alongside the Yi River. From a distance, the caves look like a tiny village carved into the mountainside, reminiscent of the Anasazi in the Southwest U.S., but these caves were clearly sanctuaries for Buddhist devotees to sit, retreat from the world, and create beautiful artwork in homage to their beliefs.

When you visit, be sure to visit the Fengsian Xi (Ancestor Worshiping Temple) and look at the magnificent 56-foot tall Vairocana Buddha seated on a lotus flower. It is said that the wife of the emperor at the time, Wu Zetian, sacrificed her cosmetics budget in order to fund the construction of this statue. In homage to her, the Buddha’s face is modeled after hers, giving the statue a feminine beauty not found on many large Buddhist statues.

Also check out Wang Fo Dong (Ten Thousand Buddha Cave), which is, as you might imagine, filled from floor to ceiling with tiny bas-relief Buddhas carved into the walls. The main Buddha, carved from a reddish clay-colored stone, is surrounded by celestial dancers and disciples. There are actually over 15,000 Buddhas in the cave, and the smallest one is barely the size of a finger joint (just one and a half inches tall).

One of the most interesting little side-caves in the grottoes was excavated early on in the grottoes’ construction. Known as Yaofang Dong (Medical Prescription Cave), it contains sixth-century remedies of diseases such as diabetes and madness. With over one hundred twenty prescriptions scrawled into the stelae on the edges of the cave, watched over by a full-figured Buddha from the 6th century BC, this is one for history lovers. Yaofang Dong is just a little ways south of Fengsian Xi.

Some of the grottoes are open to sunlight; many are not. It is recommended that you bring a flashlight and plenty of water for exploring the interior of the caves. While the major rooms contain English-language descriptions, it is quite possible to miss some of the most stunning caves if you’re going by yourself. There are literally thousands of caves here, so you could spend weeks spelunking and not have the same experience twice. For a little over $15 USD (120 yuan), you can hire an English-speaking guide to show you through the most interesting retreats and tell you the stories of the artists who created them. Whether or not you end up hiring a guide, your experience wandering through these museum caves is sure to be enjoyable, and unlike anything you’ve ever done before!

Images courtesy of puresilk, drnantu, kevinpoh, zieak, kevinpoh, zieak, zieak, drnantu, drnantu, drnantu)

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