Longmen Grottoes: Difference between revisions

[[File:27407-Luoyang, Longmen-grottoes-longmen-mountain-from-a-distance Grottoes.jpg|thumb|Mt. Longmen as seen from Manshui Bridge to the southeast. May, 2004.]]

[[File:Longmen27427-Luoyang Grottoes 2(49067744628).jpg|thumb|View of the West Hill Grottoes from the east bank of the Yi River.]]

During the [[Warring States period]], the general [[Bai Qi]] of [[Qin (state)|Qin]] once defeated the allied forces of [[Han (stateWarring States)|Han]] and [[Wei (state)|Wei]] at the site. The site was subjected to significant vandalism at several points in its history. Major artifacts were removed by Western collectors and souvenir hunters during the early 20th century. The heads of many statues were also destroyed during the [[Cultural Revolution]]. Two murals taken from the grottoes are reported to be displayed in the [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]] in [[New York City|New York]] and the [[Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art]] in [[Kansas City, Missouri]].<ref name=Sacred /><ref name=Lonely />

Guyangdong, or Guyang Cave, or Old Sun Cave, is recorded as the oldest Longmen cave with carvings in the [[Northern Wei]] style. It is also the largest cave, located in the central part of the west hill. It was carved under the orders of [[Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei|Emperor Xiaowen]]. The earliest carving in this limestone cave has been now dated at 478 AD, during the period when Emperor Xiaowen is thought to have been moving his capital from Datong to Luoyang. The Buddhist statues in the niches of this cave are very well sculpted. Also found here are 600 inscriptions in fine calligraphy of writings in the Northern Wei style.<ref name=Sacred /> Many of the sculptures inside the cave were contributed by royalty; religious groups supported this activity. The cave has three very large images – the central image is of [[Sakyamuni Buddha]] with [[Bodhisattva]]s on either side. The features of the images are indicative of the Northern Wei style, typically of slim and emaciated figures. There are about 800 inscriptions on the walls and in the niches inside the cave, the most in any cave in China.<ref name=Evaluate /> There are two rows of niches on the northern and southern walls of the cave, which house a very large number of images; the artists have recorded their names, the dates, and the reasons for carving them.

Binyangzhongdong ({{zh|c=宾阳中洞}}) or the [[Middle Binyang Cave]], is carved in the DatangDatong style on the west hill, on the northern floor. It was built by [[Emperor XuanwunXuanwu of Northern Wei|Emperor Xuanwu]] to commemorate his father Xiaowen, and also his mother. It is said that 800,000 workers created it over the period from 500 to 523. In the main wall of this cave, five very large Buddhist statues are carved all in Northern Wei style. The central statue is of Sakyamuni Buddha with four images of Bodhisattvas flanking it. Two side walls also have Buddha images flanked by Bodhisattva. The Buddhas, arranged in three groups in the cave, are representative of Buddhas of the past, the present, and the future. The canopy in the roof is designed as a [[Nelumbo nucifera|lotus flower]]. There were two large [[Relief#Bas-relief or low relief|bas-reliefs]] of imperial processions, that included Emperor Xiaowen, Empress Dowager Wenzhao, and the emperor's late parents in worship. The reliefs were stolen completely in the mid-1930s. The emperor's procession is now in the [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]] in New York and two thirds of the empress's is in the [[Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art]] in Kansas City. While a few statues are sculpted with "long features, thin faces, fishtail robes and traces of Greek influence", others are in Tang period natural style and heavily built.<ref name=Evaluate /><ref name=Sacred />

The Lianhua or the Lotus Flower Cave ({{lang|zh|莲花洞}}), dated to 527, belongs to the Northern Wei period. The Grotto has a large lotus flower carved in high relief on its ceiling. Several small Buddhas are carved into the south wall. Also seen are shrines in the south and north wall in the niches.<ref name=Sacred />{{dead link|date=May 2024}}[[File:Lotus Flower Cave.jpg|thumb|Lotus Flower Cave]]

There are the several temples at Longmen Grottoes. Some important ones include Xiangshan Temple, Bai Garden temple, and the Tomb of [[Bai Juyi]].<ref name=Guide /> Others are Tongle temple, begun under Emperor Mingyuan; Lingyan and Huguo temples, under Emperor Wencheng; Tiangong temple, under Xiaowen; and Chongfu temple, under Qianer.<ref name="McNair2007" />