加载中…LuoYang
No ancient capitals had witnessed the rise and fall of so many
dynasties for so long a time span as Luoyang, the oldest capital in
Chinese history. For over 1,200 years, Luoyang was the capital of
13 dynasties, including Xia, Shang, Western Zhou, Eastern Han, Sui,
and Tang. Major attractions: Longmen Grottoes, White Horse Temple,
and Museum of Ancient Tombs. Luoyang, which produces the best
peonies China has to offer, is the venue of a yearly peony festival
which lasts from April 15 to 25. Twelve km to the east of Luoyang
Monastery is White Horse Temple, China's oldest Buddhist temple
established in 68 AD, or the 11th year of Yongping reign of the
Eastern Han, but its buildings were rebuilt during the Ming and
Qing dynasties. Construction of Longmen, one of the three major
grottoes in China 12 km south of Luoyang, began in 494, but it was
not until the Sui and Tang dynasties that is acquired the scale as
we see today. Among Longmen's wealth of world-famous treasures are
flying Apsaras as well as fine works of Chinese calligraphy
represented by the "20 Longmen Calligraphic Samples". Enshrined in
a total of 2,100 cave-temples are 3,600 stone inscriptions and
100,000 large and small Buddhist statues. The 17-metre-high statue
of Vairocana in Fengxian Temple is the most representative of the
trove. Seven km south of Luoyang is Guanlin, or Temple of Lord
Guan, where the head of the celebrated Shu general is said to have
been buried. Gleaming amidst rich piles of foliage of more than
1,000 ancient cypresses are the rooftops and walls of memorial
buildings erected during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The Museum of
Ancient Tombs in the northern suburb of Luoyang is the only one of
its kind in China, featuring 25 ancient tombs found in the Mangshan
area of Luoyang.
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