Longmen Grottoes: The Peak of Chinese Stone Carving Art
In the southern suburbs of Luoyang, Henan Province, there is a magical mountain called Longmen Mountain. Legend has it that when Yu the Great was controlling the floods, he split this mountain in two, allowing the often flood-prone Yi River to flow through the middle, thus eliminating the flood disaster. Later, the emperors who established their capitals in Luoyang saw this mountain shaped like a gate and, in their capacity as "true dragon emperors", named it Longmen (Dragon Gate) Mountain. The story of the carp leaping over the Dragon Gate in Chinese legends also took place here, and the Qin general Bai Qi defeated the enemy here... Countless legendary stories have been played out here, but today, it is only known for one scenic spot, that is, the Longmen Grottoes.
The Longmen Grottoes are one of the four major grottoes in China (the other three being the Mogao Grottoes, the Yungang Grottoes and the Maijishan Grottoes). They were built on the cliffs of the Longmen Mountains on both banks of the Yi River, and construction began in the Northern Wei Dynasty (493 AD). The construction history spans over 1,400 years. There are currently more than 2,300 grottoes, 2,800 inscriptions and steles, over 60 pagodas and nearly 110,000 statues. The grottoes and niches showcase the most extensive and outstanding plastic arts in China from the late Northern Wei Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty (316 - 907 AD).
After being built through the successive dynasties, the Longmen Grottoes have formed a grotto heritage stretching one kilometer from north to south. The stone carvings of each dynasty have their own unique features. The Vairocana Buddha is widely recognized as the most representative statue. According to experts' research, her nose is a typical example of ancient Greek sculpture, reflecting the exchange and mutual learning between Eastern and Western civilizations during the prosperous Tang Dynasty. Besides the statues, the stone carving art of the Longmen Grottoes is also reflected in numerous stone carvings and murals. Ancient craftsmen used their superb skills to endow each statue with profound emotions through the flowing lines and multi-perspective planar composition. Overall, the statues of the Northern Wei and Tang Dynasties in the Longmen Grottoes are elegant and refined, with the Buddha's faces tending to be round and delicate, reflecting the aesthetic preferences and moral standards of the people at that time: a wise heart and a transcendent demeanor. The Vairocana Buddha is regarded as the "image" of Wu Zetian, embodying the enlightened, open and grand atmosphere of the prosperous Tang Dynasty.
Nowadays, Longmen Grottoes is the top tourist destination in Luoyang and even the entire Henan Province. Countless people come here to listen to the magical stories of this land from the time of the Great Yu to the present, to seek the serenity and inspiration of a thousand years ago, and to purify their souls before the Buddha.
