Luoyang was the capital of China for 13 dynasties — longer than any other city in Chinese history. It sits in the western part of Henan province at the confluence of the Yi and Luo rivers, and for roughly 1,500 years (from the Eastern Zhou Dynasty through to the Tang), it was one of the most important cities in Asia. The Silk Road passed through here. Buddhism arrived here. The first Chinese dictionary was compiled here.
Today it’s a city of about 7 million, and while much of the ancient city has been replaced by modern development, what remains is extraordinary: a UNESCO World Heritage cave art complex that rivals Yungang, the oldest Buddhist temple in China, and a peony flower culture that takes over the city for weeks every April.
Table of contents
Open Table of contents
Longmen Grottoes (龙门石窟)
The Longmen Grottoes are one of the three great Buddhist cave art complexes in China (alongside Yungang in Datong and Mogao in Dunhuang), and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Over 100,000 Buddhist statues have been carved into the limestone cliffs of the Yi River gorge over a period stretching from the late 5th century through the Tang Dynasty.
Opening hours: 7:30am–6:30pm (summer), 8:00am–5:30pm (winter)
Entry fee: ¥100 per person (includes both east and west banks)
Location: 13km south of Luoyang city centre; Bus 71 from the city, or taxi (¥25–35)
Time needed: 2.5–4 hours
The Key Sites
Fengxian Temple (奉先寺): The crown jewel of Longmen. Commissioned by Empress Wu Zetian in 672 AD, this open-air complex contains nine giant figures carved into the cliff face. The central figure — the Vairocana Buddha (卢舍那大佛) — is 17.14 metres tall, with a face widely believed to be modelled on Wu Zetian herself. The serenity and scale of the expression is genuinely moving, and the views of the Yi River valley spread below.
Guyang Cave (古阳洞): The oldest major cave at Longmen (494 AD), with dense layers of votive niches carved by thousands of donors over generations. The cave contains the famous “Twenty Pieces of Longmen” — a group of stele inscriptions considered masterpieces of Northern Wei calligraphy.
Binyang Cave Group (宾阳三洞): Three connected caves, the central one commissioned by Emperor Xuanwu as a memorial to his parents. The reliefs of the imperial procession (now partially removed — some panels are in American museums) were among the finest narrative sculptures at Longmen.
East Bank: Often skipped by visitors, but the Xiangshan Temple (香山寺) and the Bai Juyi Memorial Garden are here — Bai Juyi, one of Tang Dynasty China’s greatest poets, retired to the east bank of Longmen in his old age. Quieter than the west bank and worth the extra half-hour.
White Horse Temple (白马寺)
The White Horse Temple, about 12km east of Luoyang, is traditionally considered the first Buddhist temple in China, established in 68 AD during the Eastern Han Dynasty. According to tradition, the Emperor Mingdi dreamed of a golden being flying in the west; his envoys went to India and returned with Buddhist sutras carried on white horses, and the temple was built to house them.
Whether the origin story is exactly accurate is debated. What’s undeniable is that the temple has been a functioning Buddhist monastery for nearly 2,000 years.
Opening hours: 8:00am–5:30pm
Entry fee: ¥50 per person
Getting there: Bus 56 from central Luoyang, or taxi (¥25–30)
The main temple complex contains five Han-style halls; in the grounds at the back, tombs mark the resting places of the two Indian monks who (according to tradition) brought the sutras. Adjacent to the main Chinese monastery, India, Thailand, and Myanmar have built their own national-style Buddhist temples in the grounds — an interesting juxtaposition.
Luoyang Peony Festival (牡丹文化节)
Luoyang has been the peony capital of China since the Sui Dynasty (6th century AD), when imperial gardens here cultivated the flower as a symbol of aristocratic refinement. Today the city has over 300,000 peony plants across multiple gardens, and the annual Peony Festival in April is a massive event.
Festival dates: Usually April 10 – May 10 (varies by year based on bloom timing)
Best peony gardens:
- Luoyang National Peony Garden (洛阳国家牡丹园): Largest collection, over 1,000 cultivars. Entry ¥60 (festival period) or ¥30 (off-season).
- Wang Cheng Park (王城公园): Central location, good variety, often the main festival venue. Entry ¥60 during festival.
- Sui Tang Imperial Gardens (隋唐城遗址植物园): Combines peony gardens with archaeological remains from the Sui and Tang dynasties. Entry ¥50.
Crowds warning: The Luoyang Peony Festival is one of the most crowded events in Henan. Weekends during peak bloom can see 200,000+ daily visitors. Weekday morning visits are strongly recommended.
Luoyang Museum (洛阳博物馆)
The Luoyang Museum is one of the best local history museums in central China, with a comprehensive collection spanning from Neolithic cultures through to the Tang Dynasty. The bronzeware collection is exceptional — Luoyang was the bronze-casting centre of the Zhou Dynasty for 500 years.
Opening hours: 9:00am–5:00pm, closed Mondays
Entry: Free
Location: In the northern new district; Metro Line 2 to Museum station
The Tang Tri-coloured Glazed Pottery (唐三彩) collection on the third floor is remarkable — Luoyang produced the finest sancai figures during the Tang Dynasty, and the horses, camels, and merchant figures recovered from local tombs are extraordinary.
Old Town and Tang-Era Culture
Luoyang’s Old Town (老城区) near the Drum Tower is a pedestrianized area with Qing and Republican-era buildings, good street food, and a genuine neighbourhood feel.
Zhongzhou Road antique market: Weekend mornings, decent selection of old ceramics, bronzes, and curios (due diligence required on authenticity).
Luoyang Water Banquet (洛阳水席): The city’s famous banquet tradition, which uses a great deal of soup and gravy in almost every course. It dates to the Tang Dynasty and is still served in traditional form at restaurants in the old town. Full banquet ¥80–150 per person.
Where to eat: Zhen Bu Tong Restaurant (真不同饭店) on Zhongzhou Road — over 100 years old, the best place for the traditional water banquet. Reasonably priced at ¥60–100 per person.
Getting to Luoyang
From Xi’an: High-speed train, about 1.5 hours, ¥100–130. Luoyang and Xi’an make the natural pairing for ancient capital visits.
From Zhengzhou (Henan capital): High-speed train, about 40–55 minutes, ¥55–80.
From Beijing: High-speed train via Zhengzhou, about 3 hours, ¥180–250.
From Shanghai: High-speed train, about 4–5 hours, ¥230–320.
Luoyang has two high-speed stations: Luoyang Longmen Station (洛阳龙门站) (main high-speed hub, near the Longmen Grottoes) and Luoyang Station (洛阳站) (older station, in the city centre for regular trains). Most high-speed trains use Luoyang Longmen — budget time to get from there to the city centre (20–30 minutes by taxi).
Suggested Itinerary
Day 1: Longmen Grottoes (morning, 3 hours), lunch in the area, Luoyang Museum (afternoon), Old Town evening food walk
Day 2: White Horse Temple (morning), Peony Gardens or Sui Tang Imperial Gardens (afternoon), Drum Tower area for dinner
Day 3 (optional): Day trip to Shaolin Temple (1.5 hours away) or Kaifeng (1 hour by HSR)
When to Visit
April: Peony Festival season — the main event, but very crowded.
May–June: Good weather, flowers still blooming in parks, reduced crowds.
October: Autumn colours, comfortable temperatures, manageable visitors.
Winter: Cold (0°C to 10°C) but the Longmen Grottoes have almost no crowds and a different, stark beauty.