Longmen Grottoes

Infobox World Heritage Site
WHS = Longmen Grottoes


State Party =
Type = Cultural
Criteria = i, ii, iii
ID = 1003
Region = Asia-Pacific
Year = 2000
Session = 24th
Link = http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1003

The Longmen Grottoes (ch. 龍門石窟/ 龙门石窟, lóngmén shíkū; lit. "Dragon's Gate Grottoes") or Longmen Caves are located 12 km south of present day Luoyang in Henan province, China. The grottoes, which overwhelmingly depict Buddhist subjects, are densely dotted along the two mountains: Xiangshan (to the east) and Longmenshan (to the west). The Yi River flows northward between them. For this reason, the area used to be called Yique (The Gate of the Yi River). From north to south, the distance covered by grottoes is about one km. Along with the Mogao Caves and Yungang Grottoes, the Longmen Grottoes are one of the three most famous ancient sculptural sites in China. There are over 2100 niches, more than 100,000 statues, some 40 pagodas and 3600 tablets and steles in the caves of Guyang, Binyang and Lianhua.

tatistics

According to the Longmen Caves Research Institute, there are 2345 caves and niches, 2800 inscriptions, 43 pagodas and over 100,000 Buddhist images at the site. 30% of the caves date from the Northern Wei Dynasty, 60% from the Tang Dynasty, and caves from other periods less than 10%. It is the most impressive collection of Chinese art from these dynasties, and, dating from 316 to 907 CE, represents the zenith of stone carving in China.cite web
year=
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url=http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1003
title=Longmen Grottoes
publisher=UNESCO
accessdate=2007-09-06 ]

History

During the Warring States Period, the general Bai Qi of Qin (state) once defeated the allied forces of Han (state) and Wei (state) at the site.

Construction of the grottoes themselves began in CE 493.

The area was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in November 2000.According to the inscription the Longmen Grottoes are an illustration of "...the perfection of a long-established art form which was to play a highly significant role in the cultural evolution of this region of Asia."

Individual grottoes by dynasty completed

Northern Wei

*Guyang Cave
*Middle Binyang Cave (140)
*Lotus-flower Cave
*Weizi Cave
*Huangfugong Cave

ui

*South Binyang Cave (159)

Tang

*Fengxiansi
*10,000 Buddha Cave
*Hidden Stream Temple Cave (20)
*Kanjingsi
*Dawanwufo Cave
*North Binyang Cave (104)

Visiting

The Longmen area is open to the public, and although the grottoes cannot be entered most of the artwork can be seen from the exterior. Standard tickets are 80 RMB. Half price tickets (40 RMB) are available to students.

Footnotes