Longmen Grottoes

Published: July 11, 2026 · Updated: July 11, 2026

493–8th century

The Longmen Grottoes are Buddhist grottoes carved into limestone cliffs along the Yi River south of Luoyang, begun in 493 under the Northern Wei. More than 2,300 caves and niches hold some 100,000 statues, crowned by the great Vairocana Buddha of Fengxian Temple.

Longmen Grottoes — Author: Gary Todd CC0 Source

Overview

The grottoes are carved into the limestone cliffs on both banks of the Yi River south of Luoyang in Henan. Carving began in 493, when Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei moved his capital to Luoyang, and reached its peak under the Tang in the 7th and 8th centuries.

Description

More than 2,300 caves and niches contain some 100,000 statues. The largest ensemble, Fengxian Temple, centres on a 17-metre seated Vairocana Buddha completed in 675, and an inscription records that Empress Wu Zetian contributed funds to the project.

History and legacy

Carved from the Northern Wei into the 8th century, the statues of Longmen document the transition from the blockier Northern Wei style to the fuller, more naturalistic manner of the Tang, making the site a touchstone for the history of Chinese Buddhist sculpture. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.

Periods

Jin and the Northern and Southern dynasties 265–589
Tang dynasty 618–907

Regions

China