Longmen Grottos

Longmen Grottos
introduce
Longmen Grottoes is listed in the World Cultural Heritage List and is a scenic spot in Luoyang, Henan Province. With the Yihe River as the boundary, the grottoes are divided into two parts: Xishan Grottoes and Dongshan Grottoes. Dongshan Grottoes are mostly works of the Tang Dynasty, while Xishan Grottoes were excavated in the Northern Dynasties and Sui and Tang Dynasties, which are the essence of Longmen, including the Buddha statue of Lushena in Fengxian Temple and the "Longmen Twenty Products" in Guyang Cave.

N reasons to go to Longmen Grottoes

1. Punch in the World Cultural Heritage

As a world cultural heritage, Longmen Grottoes has a long history and profound cultural heritage. Since Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty moved the capital to Luoyang and dug the Guyang Cave in the West Mountain of Longmen, it took more than 400 years and seven dynasties to build it, and then the epic cliff group sculpture-Longmen Grottoes was formed.

There are 2,345 caves in Longmen Grottoes, with more than 2,800 inscriptions, more than 70 pagodas and more than 100,000 statues. Stepping into Longmen, you will be in a thousand-year-old art treasure house, and the beautiful carving art will shock your soul and give you a visual feast.

2. See the power of faith from Buddhist grotto sculptures.

Grottoes sculpture is a precious relic of Buddhist art. A Buddha and Bodhisattva sculpture in Longmen Grottoes, which is compassionate and kind, has turned the cold grottoes into a solemn, warm and quiet temple in the pious worship of believers and the wonderful craftsmanship of craftsmen, bringing hope to the believers to the pure land world of Buddhism.

3. Pray for family and friends to be safe

Longmen Grottoes has been a holy place for praying for blessings since ancient times. No matter the relatives of the emperor and the country, or the common people of Li people, they all pray for their great wishes in Longmen Grottoes. In the face of these two mountains and 100,000 buddhas, calm down and pray sincerely. Maybe in the near future, your beautiful wishes will come true.

4. Indulge in the beauty of the mountains and rivers

"Longmen Mountain Color" has been the first of the eight scenic spots in Luoyang since ancient times. Bai Juyi once said: "The four rivers in Luoyang win, and the Longmen is the first." Here, the scenery is beautiful and the pines and cypresses are green. Between the two mountains, the Yi River is rippling, and the satin-like water surface is rippling, which is beautiful.

Travel dry goods

tourist route
The whole scenic spot of Longmen Grottoes has planned a fixed tour route, from Xishan Grottoes-Dongshan Grottoes-Xiangshan Temple-Baiyuan, along one direction, it will take about half a day to visit. You don't have to go back and forth to take the wrong road, and you won't get lost.

Xishan Grottoes: The colorful part of Longmen Grottoes.
The Xishan Grottoes, excavated in the Northern Dynasties and Sui and Tang Dynasties, are the essence and complete part of Longmen Grottoes. Among them, the famous Buddha statue of Lushena in Fengxian Temple and the "Longmen Twenty Products" in Guyang Cave. Lushena Buddha statue is said to be shaped according to the image of Wu Zetian, which is more than 17 meters high. There are 15,000 small buddhas carved in the north and south sides of the Ten Thousand Buddha Cave, each of which is about the size of a fist, and its shape is realistic.

Boating on the Yi River: Looking at the beautiful scenery on both sides of the east and west
From the Xishan Grottoes, you can reach the Dongshan Grottoes in the east by crossing a bridge across the Yi River. It's a good idea to stand on the bridge and look at the Longmen Bridge in the distance and enjoy the grottoes on the east and west sides. In addition, you can take a cruise ship at Fengxian Temple Pier and Lifotai Pier in the scenic spot, and you can enjoy panoramic views on both sides of the strait by boating on the blue waves.

Dongshan Grottoes: Look at the Western Hills across the Yi River.
Compared with Xishan Grottoes, Dongshan Grottoes are slightly inferior in scale and have fewer tourists. If you feel a little tired after walking through the Xishan Grottoes, just have a rough look here. From the Dongshan Grottoes, you can see the panoramic view of the West Mountain on the other side, especially the Lushena Buddha.

Free WIFI coverage: scan the code to listen to the voice explanation
Longmen Grottoes is a cashless scenic spot. Everything you can think of, such as buying scenic spot tickets and battery tickets, taking a cruise, making an appointment to explain the scenic spot, buying souvenirs, paying parking fees, etc., Longmen Grottoes has completely realized cashless payment, just scan the code directly on WeChat.

There is also free WiFi coverage in the scenic spot, and almost every scenic spot can scan the QR code to listen to the voice explanation, which is very convenient.

The scenic spot is also marked with a photo point for the reference of friends who like to take photos.

Decoding Buddha statue

Lushena Buddha: A Millennium Smile
Fengxian Temple is a representative cliff niche in Longmen Grottoes, and the Lushena Buddha in Fengxian Temple is the essence of the essence. Anyone who has been to Longmen Grottoes will be shocked by the solemnity of Lushena Buddha. This giant Buddha is plump, dignified and serene. If you look closely, you will find that the Buddha statue is kind and modest with a smile, so it is also known as the "Mona Lisa of the East". There is a legend that Lushena Buddha was carved according to the appearance of Empress Wu Zetian of the Tang Dynasty.

Nowadays, when looking at the giant Buddha, many people have a question. Most of the Buddha statues are well preserved, and I don't know why only the bergamot has disappeared. In fact, in 1934, Allen Pu, a director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, came to China to search for literary treasures. This is a so-called "cultural relic scientist" who collects and steals China's ancient cultural relics, stealing a large number of Buddha's heads and grottoes in Longmen and Yungang all the way. When he saw the giant Buddha in Lushena, he was intoxicated by the exquisite and superb artistic level of the giant Buddha, and suffered from the fact that the Buddha statue was too big to steal, so he stole the palm of the Buddha statue. Nowadays, if you want to visit bergamot, you can only go to the Metropolitan Museum in America.

"Scissorhands" Bodhisattva: Super cute Buddha statue in history
In 2014, there was a report of "super cute Buddha statue in history" all over the Internet, which was about a thousand-year-old Buddha statue in Binyang North Cave of Longmen Grottoes. The movements of this Buddha statue were strange, and the index finger and middle finger of the right hand were set up, which was exactly the same as the modern popular scissors hand, so it was also called the "scissors hand" bodhisattva. Some netizens joked that the masters of art thousands of years ago were far-sighted and knew that scissorhands would definitely be popular all over the world after thousands of years.

In fact, this posture is actually a kind of Buddhist handprint. When practicing, Buddhist practitioners will make various postures with their hands and recite Buddhist scriptures, so as to achieve the goal of successful practice more quickly. The gesture of the Buddha statue called "Scissorhands" by netizens is a rare Buddhist handprint, which may have something to do with tantric practice in the Tang Dynasty, symbolizing the strong will to seek dharma in practice.

Small science:

Q: What is a grotto?

A: Grottoes are temples built on rocks and cliffs, which originated in ancient India.

Q: Why should the Buddhist practice place be located between the stone cliffs?

A: (1) Due to the humid climate and long rainy season in India, these factors are not conducive to spiritual practice. So in the early days, Indians chose to live and meditate in natural caves that are warm in winter and cool in summer to exercise their body and mind;

(2) In Buddhist culture, Mount Sumi is considered as the center of the universe, and all gods live on the mountain. Therefore, opening caves in the mountains and practicing in caves have a sacred symbolic significance.

opening hours
01/01-09/20 08:00-21:00; 09/22-12/31 08:00-21:00; 09/21 closed all day
Preferential treatment policy
Old people: Old people over 60 years old (inclusive) can enter the park directly with the original valid identity documents or foreigners' permanent residence identity cards. , free of charge
Tour guide: Tour guide, who holds his electronic tour guide card within the validity period, cooperates with the delegation or itinerary to enter the park. , free of charge
Children: children under 1.4 meters (inclusive) enter the park directly; Children under the age of 12 (inclusive) can enter the park directly with the original valid identity documents or foreigners' permanent residence identity cards. , free of charge
Soldiers: active servicemen and retired military cadres, with the original military officer's card, sergeant's card, conscript's card, student's card, officer's retirement card and sergeant's retirement card. Survivors of martyrs, soldiers who died in the line of duty and deceased soldiers will receive free tickets at the ticketing center with the original discount card and ID card, and will enter the park through the free ticket channel after being verified by the ticket inspectors in the scenic spot. , free of charge
Police: People's police, with the original "People's Police Card" and ID card, go to the ticketing center and get a free ticket after being verified by the ticket inspector in the scenic spot, and then enter the park through the free ticket channel. , free of charge
Advanced figures: model workers at or above the provincial or ministerial level, outstanding national experts, winners of the National May 1st Labor Medal, national March 8th Red Flag Bearers, national outstanding teachers and national moral model advanced figures. After the original certificate of honor and ID card issued by the administrative department are verified by the ticketing staff, they will receive free tickets, and they will enter the park through the free ticket channel after being checked by the scenic spot ticket inspectors. , free of charge
Firefighters: The personnel of the national comprehensive fire rescue team will go to the ticketing center with the original cadre card, fireman card, student card and retirement card issued by the emergency management department of People's Republic of China (PRC), and receive free tickets after being verified by the ticket inspectors. After being checked by the ticket inspectors in the scenic spot, they will enter the park through the free ticket channel. , free of charge
Reporter: Reporter, holding a press card issued by the State Press and Publication Administration. Journalists from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan should hold a press card or work permit stamped with the official seal of the unit, and use it together with the original Pass for Hong Kong and Macao Residents to and from the Mainland or the original mainland travel permit for taiwan residents. After being verified by the ticketing staff at the ticketing center, you will receive a free ticket, and you will enter the park through the ticket-free channel after being checked by the ticket-checking staff in the scenic spot. , free of charge
Disabled persons: with the original People's Republic of China (PRC) Disabled Persons' Card and ID card issued by China Disabled Persons' Federation; Holders of the People's Republic of China (PRC) disabled soldiers Certificate, the People's Republic of China (PRC) Disabled People's Police Certificate, the People's Republic of China (PRC) Disabled Fire Rescue Personnel Certificate and the People's Republic of China (PRC) Disabled Reserve Personnel and Disabled Militia Migrant Workers Certificate issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the original documents and ID cards; Those who hold the "People's Republic of China (PRC) Disabled State Organs Staff Card" issued by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the original certificate and ID card will be verified by the ticket clerk at the ticket center, and they will receive free tickets. After being checked by the ticket inspector in the scenic spot, they will enter the park through the free ticket channel. Note: Among them, persons with visual and intellectual disabilities and persons with physical disabilities can be exempted from the ticket of an escort, and they need to enter the park together with the accompanying disabled persons. , free of charge
Ex-servicemen: Ex-servicemen of Henan Province, with the original "People's Republic of China (PRC) Ex-Servicemen's Preferential Card" issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs of Henan Province and their ID cards, go to the ticketing center and get a free ticket, and then enter the park through the free ticket channel after being checked by the ticket inspectors in the scenic spot. , free of charge
Faculty: All kinds of schools in Luoyang (including in-service faculty in universities, party schools, vocational schools, primary and secondary schools, kindergartens, special education schools, technical schools, etc.) go to the ticketing center with the employment certificate of teachers' professional and technical personnel issued by the People's Social Welfare Department of Henan Province or the work permit stamped with the official seal of the education administrative department, and receive free tickets after being verified by the ticketing staff. After being checked by the ticket inspectors in the scenic spot, they enter the park through the free ticket channel. , free of charge
Minors (China nationality only): Minors aged 13 (inclusive) -17 (inclusive) will buy half-price tickets at the ticketing center or purchase tickets through the Internet with valid identification documents such as the original ID card or the original household registration book, and enter the park after being checked by the scenic spot ticket inspector. Half price
Students (China nationality only): Full-time students with bachelor's degree or below, with the original student ID card and ID card, go to the ticketing center to buy half-price tickets or purchase tickets through the Internet, and enter the park after being checked by the ticket inspector in the scenic spot. (Adult students, self-taught students, advanced students, online education and foreign students from China do not enjoy preferential treatment), half price.
People's teachers (China nationality only): People's teachers buy half-price tickets at the ticketing center or through the Internet with the original teacher qualification certificate and ID card, and enter the park after being checked by the ticket inspectors in the scenic spot. Half price
Supplementary note: The above range of free tickets is limited to China citizens, except for minors under 1.4m in height.
service facility
Parking lot: [northeast service area of Longmen Grottoes] Reference price: 10.0; Address: northeast service area of Longmen Grottoes on both sides of Yihe River, Luolong District, Luoyang City, Henan Province; Location: 1000
WIFI: account number: LMSK；; Password: No password; Scope: Full coverage
Mobile phone charging: the scenic service center provides sockets, but does not provide charging cables and plugs.
Luggage storage: Address: Northeast Service Area and Northwest Service Area
Explanation of scenic spots: For 120 yuan with less than 5 people, the 10 yuan will be increased for each additional person, with a maximum of 20 people.
Transportation in the park: reference price: 20 yuan/person; Address: the exit of the ticket office of the scenic spot; Run from the ticket office to the ticket gate of Xishan in Longmen Grottoes.
Interpreter rental: reference price: 20 yuan/person; Address: Tourist Center of Scenic Spot
Baby carriage rental: reference price: free; Address: Northeast Service Area and Northwest Service Area
Toilets: There are many toilets in the scenic spot, which are distributed in the scenic spot and near the tourist center, and marked with eye-catching signs.
Convenience store: There are convenience stores in the scenic area, and the specific guidelines shall be subject to the site.