Longman Caves
- Listed as UNESCO World Heritage site of "outstanding manifestation of human artistic creativity,” for its perfection of an art form, and for its encapsulation of the cultural sophistication of Tang China.
- Situated in a scenic natural environment, the caves were dug from a 1 kilometre stretch of cliff running along both banks of the Yi river.
- Patrons and donors included emperors Wu Zetian, members of the royal family and other rich families, generals, and religious groups.
- The Longmen Grottoes or Dragon's Gate Grottoes are one of the finest examples of Chinese Buddhist art contained in 1,400 caves.
- There are as many as 100,000 statues of Buddha and his disciples ranging from an 25 mm to 17 m in height
- The statues, many once painted, were carved into caves excavated from the limestone cliffs of the Xiangshan and Longmenshan mountains, running east and west.
- 30% date from the Northern Wei Dynasty and 60% from the Tang
- Located 12 km south of present day Luoyang city in Henan province, China.
- The Yi River flows northward between them and the area used to be called Yique ("The Gate of the Yi River"). The name of "Dragon's Gate Grottoes" derives from the resemblance of the two hills that check the flow of the Yi River to the typical "Chinese gate towers" that once marked the entrance to Luoyang from the south.
- “Forest of Ancient Stelae" contains nearly 2,500 Stelae and inscriptions, as well as over 60 Budhist pagodas.