Comprehensive Guide to Longmen Grottoes

✨Hey guys, today I want to share with you a super detailed guide to Longmen Grottoes. Let's explore this treasure trove of art and feel the charm of history! 📍Address: Longmen Avenue, Longmen Town, Luolong District, Luoyang City, Henan Province 🎫Ticket: Full price ticket CNY 90 🚗Transportation: 1. Bus: There are many bus routes from the city center to Longmen Grottoes, such as No. 53, No. 60, and No. 71. 2. Taxi: Just tell the driver that your destination is Longmen Grottoes. It's convenient and fast. 🗺️Tour route: West Hill Grottoes👉East Hill Grottoes👉Xiangshan Temple👉Bai Garden 🌟West Hill Grottoes: This is the essence of Longmen Grottoes. It was excavated in the Northern Wei Dynasty and built in the Eastern Wei, Western Wei, Northern Qi, Sui, Tang, and Five Dynasties, stretching for more than 1 km. The Buddha statues in the grottoes are of various shapes and are vivid and lifelike. From the slender and clear statues of the Northern Wei Dynasty to the plump and round statues of the Tang Dynasty, they reflect the artistic styles and aesthetic changes of different periods. Especially the Vairocana Buddha, with a total height of 17.14 m, a head height of 4 m, and ears as long as 1.9 m, has a plump and round face, crescent-shaped eyebrows, kind eyes, and a slight smile. It is an outstanding representative of Tang Dynasty Buddhist art, making people marvel at the wisdom and skills of the ancients. 🌟East Hill Grottoes: Compared with the West Hill Grottoes, it is smaller in scale, but it also has its unique charm. Most of the grottoes here were excavated in the Tang Dynasty, and the carving craftsmanship is exquisite, worth savoring. 🌟Xiangshan Temple: Located halfway up the East Hill of Longmen, it has a quiet environment and simple and elegant buildings. It is the place where Bai Juyi lived in seclusion in his later years, leaving many popular poems. 🌟Bai Garden: It is the cemetery of Bai Juyi, a poet of the Tang Dynasty. The garden is beautiful and full of cultural atmosphere. 📸Photography tips: 1. If you want to take a panoramic view of the Buddha, you can go to the viewing platform on the other side of the river, where you can see the majestic figure of the Vairocana Buddha. 2. Make good use of the soft light and shadow in the early morning or evening to take photos with a great atmosphere. 3. Pay attention to protecting cultural relics and do not use flash. 🍜Food recommendations: There are some snacks and restaurants in the scenic area, and there are also many Luoyang specialties around. 1. Luoyang Water Banquet: Mainly sour and spicy, with classic dishes such as Peony Swallow Dish and Sliced Meat in Soup. 2. Beef Soup: The soup is fresh and delicious, and the cake strips are endless aftertastes. 3. Bu Fan Soup: Mung bean cake with vermicelli, fungus, and other ingredients, sour and spicy. 💡Notes: 1. It is recommended to take sun protection and hydration measures in advance, and bring a hat and water bottle. 2. Wear comfortable shoes because you have to walk a lot. 3. Abide by the regulations of the scenic area, visit in a civilized manner, and do not touch or damage cultural relics. Come to Longmen Grottoes to feel the integration of history and art!💖