LONGMEN CAVES

Longmen is one of three sets of Buddhist caves in China with Yungang (Datong) and Dunhuang. These caves are the city's main attraction today. They are - not surprisingly - classified as UNESCO World Heritage. Take the time to visit them during your stay, both the site is exceptional.

History

Their construction is in fact the result of a major historical change during the period of the North and South Kingdoms. The Emperor Xiaowen of the North Wei (386-534) extended his power on the central plains and decided to transfer the capital of Datong to Luoyang. He veiled that this unique Buddhist art, developed in Datong in the Yungang caves, is perpetuated, decreing Buddhism of state religion, following the custom of the Han. These large sets of imperial caves take place on the cliff over one kilometer on both sides of the Yi River. Formerly named Yi Que (the two guard towers of the Yi River), caves were renamed Longmen (door of the Dragon) under the Sui, then southern gate of the capital, and Seat of the Dragon's Court (symbol of the Imperial Court).

The cave of Guyang was the first to be excavated in 488, opening an era of large-scale construction extending to the end of the Tang. The result is impressive: over 2,100 caves and niches, some 100,000 images and statues of Buddha, 400 performances of pagodas and 3,600 stalls and inscriptions. All survived the weather and other ravages of history, and only the obscene vandalism of some warned collectors took away fragments of the wonders of rock art during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Irony of history (and that is so much better): Caves remained virtually intact during the Cultural Revolution.

The layout of the cellars shall adopt a more or less identical pattern: an effigy of Buddha in the center surrounded by two disciples and bodhisattva. Tang's glaring and physical opulence contrasts with the starchy and statism of the North Wei figures: Longmen is a true panorama of the history of Buddhist art, of its arrival in China at the end of the Tang until the beginning of persecution against foreign religions, Buddhism in mind.

Visit

The caves are located on the west bank of the Yi River, north of the western hills along which the main structures take place. Then cross the river Yi to continue the visit of caves and the temple of the scented Hill. Here is the tour (which can only be done in this order…)

Just after the entrance, the Qianxi Temple (underground source temple) erected at the beginning of the Tang, which contains a Buddha of 7.40 m high, surrounded by two disciples, two bodhisattgo and two generals.

Binyang Caves (¶ ╩): they are in fact three caves (south, central and north), the most important of which is the center. Built under Emperor Xuanwu (500-516), in honor of his father (Emperor Xiaowen) and his mother (the Empress Wenzhao), they were conceived on the model of Lingyan Temple in Yungang (Datong).

The ensemble asked for more than 24 years of work carried out by more than 800,000 workers. At the entrance to the center cave, two Buddhism guards protect the three Buddhas: that of the Past (Mahakasyapa), Present (Sakyamuni, center) and Future (Maitreya). In the middle of the ceiling, one can see a lotus flower around which 10 apsaras fly (celestial dancers assimilated to daughters of joy).

The walls of the cave also contain four low-profile banners, which are now widely deteriorated. The third, representing two scenes from Emperor Xiaowen and Empress Wenzhao performing Buddhist rituals, is currently located at the Metropolitan Museum in New York and Kansas Nelson Art Gallery. Still visible, the first blindfold describes scenes of Buddha's life, the second of the representations of Buddhist philosophy and the fourth 10 carved Buddhist deities and flanked by two disciples and bodhisattvas. Between the central cave of Binyang and that of the south, the Yique tree with a height of 1.90 m high commemorates the construction of the Binyang caves.

Grotto to the ten thousand Buddha (Slovenia): This cubic structure of 5.90 m wide, 6.50 m deep and 5.80 m high, built in the life century, has over 15,000 Buddhist statues. In the center, the main statue is an Amitabha of 4 meters high on a pedestal shaped pedestal in eight petals (Sumeru), behind which is a bas-relief representing 54 bodhisattvas sitting on lotus leaves. On either side of Buddha there are four imposing warriors. The walls are covered with miniature representations of the main Buddha. The ceiling is decorated with a lotus flower around which an inscription indicates that the cave was completed in 680. The cave at Ten Thousand Buddhas is the only structure of Longmen with the date of construction, the destination, the names of the benefactors and the masterpieces. The cave was once flanked by two «guardian» lions who were stolen.

Grotto of the lotus flower (♀ ╩): It's one of the last caves excavated under the North Wei in 527. The high relief of the lotus flower flourishing at the center of the ceiling finally gave its name to the cave. Its provision is similar to the other Longmen structures: Buddha at the center flanked by two disciples and bodhisattgo. Its particularity lies in the treatment of the disciples who are this time bas-reliefs and not high reliefs. The walls of the cave are covered with performances of Buddha, the smallest of Longmen (2 cm at most).

Temple of the Ancestors' Cult (¶ ╩): built on a mid-height platform of the hill, it is the largest structure of Longmen, it represents Buddhist art at its peak. Wooden structures, including the roof, no longer exist today, exposing statues to the wind and rain, even if the authorities put forward front roofs on the edge of the cliff. Built in 672, the temple would have been commissioned by Empress Wu Zetian to increase his aura. It would have invested the budget for a year of beauty products to build this place. The Losana Buddha, in the center, with its 17.14 m height, is the largest statue of Longmen: Its head is 4 m long and its ears 1.90 m. Despite its gigantic proportions, inner sweetness and beauty emanate from it, producing a feeling of rare kindness and humanity in the Buddhist style. The artist would have realized a Buddha with feminine delicacy in tribute to Empress Wu Zetian. On either side of the Losana Buddha, two disciples, two bodhisattas, two celestial kings, two warriors and two apsaras, this succession form a sort of replica of the imperial court of the Tang.

Grotto of the medical pre-registration (♀ ╩): The cave dates from the life of the century. It is famous for its 140 medical formulas that adorn the entrance to the cave: an incomparable document for the history of Chinese medicine. More than a hundred of them correspond to herbal recipes and the rest to acupuncture treatment methods.

These remedies helped to treat all types of diseases including certain cancers.

Grotto of Guyang (♀ ╩): It's the oldest set of Longmen. The work began before the transfer of Datong capital to Luoyang, but its development, commissioned by Emperor Xiaowen, began in 494. The beauty of Guyang is the result of impressive imperial patronage: Following the Emperor Xiaowen, his mother and brothers, as well as his uncles, aunts and cousins and subsequent generations became important Benemen's benefactors. This natural horseshoe-shaped cave houses a statue of Sakyamuni of 4.80 m high, sitting on a podium, legs crossed and dressed in traditional kasaya (monk clothing). Buddha is surrounded by two bodhisattles preceded by a lion statue whose body seems unfinished. Of all Longmen caves, Guyang is the one with the largest number of jatakas (bas-reliefs retracing the life of Buddha). 19 of Longmen's 20 most beautiful calligraphies accompany the sculptures of the cave of Guyang.

Temple of Stone Cave (│): This is the last structure of the western hill.

Then we cross the Manshui bridge to the eastern caves. In order and by climbing the steps: the Guanyin with arms and thousand eyes, the cult of the cult of pure land, the cave of Lord Gaoping, the cave of the reading of the sutras and finally a large panoramic terrace to have an overview.

Finally, the Xiangshan Temple and the tomb of Bai Juyi closed the visit.