The Longman grottoes – one of the three most prominent cave structures of China, which can be counted in the caves of Yungang and Mogao. The caves stretch for over 1 km along the Yi river on both sides. On the East coast is a large number of small caves that served as residence for many groups of monks.

The Longman grottoes consist of approximately 1,400 caves, they are 100,000 statues of various sizes, from 25 mm height up to the big Buddha statue which amounts to 17 meters in height. There are also about 2,500 stelae and 60 pagodas. Fifty largest caves average size placed on the Western slopes, which belong to an earlier period of occurrence compared to the caves on the Eastern slope.

The abundance of caves, sculptures on the slopes allows you to catch certain changes in the style associated with the time of their creation. On the Western slopes abound with carved figures of Buddha statues and religious people, while on the East the figures already made more complicated, which includes the portrayal of women, as well as ships. The caves are numbered sequentially from North to South along the West Bank of the river Yi.

The largest grottoes with famous sculptures and inscriptions: Guang-Dong, the work which began in 493, Binyang-Dong 505 year, Lianhua Dong - 520 a year, Bling-si - 520 a year, Sisko - 520 a year, Yaofang-Dong - 570 year, Zaifu-Dong - 636 year, Faha-Dong - 650 a year, etc.

Guang-Dong, or the Old Cave of the Sun, is the oldest cave LUN carving in the style of the Northern Wei. Also this is the longest of the caves located in the Central part of the Western slope. The cave was carved by order of the Emperor Xiao Vienna. The earliest carvings in this cave made of limestone now dated 478 year, when Emperor Xiao Wei moved their capital from Datong to Luoyang. Here you can find 600 beautiful calligraphic inscriptions in the Northern Wei style.

In the cave there are 3 very large image. This is the Central image of the Sakyamuni Buddha with Bodhisattvas on either side. Very revealing of the Northern Wei style, which made these images - thin and emaciated bodies of the saints. Also in the cave is carved about 800 inscriptions on the walls and in the niches, which is a record number in China. The caves are located along two rows of niches, with the Northern and southern sides, which contain a large number of drawings with signatures of the artists.

For 4 centuries the artisans had carved in the Longman grottoes new sculptures and reliefs. Alas, in the years of the persecution of Buddhists in the IX century and the history of the destruction of the monastery. Then a devastating word said and erosion of soft stone, and predatory raids of Western collectors, and vandalism hunvejbinov during the "cultural revolution".

The Longman grottoes is a Testament to the creativity of Buddhist art. In them to this day preserved over 2100 Kyoto, 43 pagodas, over 100 thousands of images of saints, 3600 inscriptions on stone.