The Longmen Grottoes, Henan Sheng, China
The Longmen Grottoes, aka Longmen Caves, are between Mount Xiang and Mount Longmen and face Yi River. Longmen Grottoes, Yungang Caves and Mogao Caves are regarded as the three most famous treasure houses of stone inscriptions in China.
Who built the Longmen Grottoes? Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei Dynasty firstly directed the construstion around the year 493 when he moved the capital to Luoyang. After that, the Longmen Caves were continuously built during the 400 years until the Northern Song Dynasty.
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. Lots of historical materials concerning art, music, religion, calligraphy, medicine, costume and architecture are kept here.
Epic China Culture & Adventure Route © Monika Newbound
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