Luoyang Travel Guide: Longmen Grottoes and an Ancient Capital
Luoyang, in western Henan, was capital to thirteen orthodox dynasties and more than twenty regimes as an administrative center. It sits at the Heluo cultural core, once the eastern start of the Silk Road and a hub of the Sui-Tang Grand Canal. Today the city holds three World Heritage properties across six sites. The practical trip is stone and ruins: Longmen Grottoes, White Horse Temple, the Luoyang Museum, Guanlin, and the Sui-Tang Luoyang City ruins with Yingtian Gate at night. Three days cover the thread from Northern Wei carving to High Tang palace axes.
Places worth visiting
Longmen Grottoes
South of the city along both banks of the Yi River, niches fill the cliffs of Longmen Mountain and Xiangshan. Work ran from the Northern Wei through the Northern Song, leaving over 2,100 niches, more than 100,000 statues and over 3,600 inscribed steles. Inscribed as World Heritage in 2000, Longmen stands with Yungang and Mogao as one of China's three great grotto complexes.
The Vairocana Buddha at Fengxian Temple is the overwhelming stop: the main figure over seventeen metres tall, Tang-period, traditionally linked to Empress Wu Zetian's likeness or build. The western cliffs are the highlight and take the better part of a day. The Longmen Twenty are Northern Wei calligraphy treasures. Booking, night tours and the Binyang caves are on the Longmen Grottoes page. Wear shoes for steps; in summer bring sun protection and water.
White Horse Temple
Over twenty kilometres east of the old city, founded in AD 68 (Eastern Han Yongping 11), this is the first monastery built in China after Buddhism arrived, named for the white horse that carried the scriptures. Later Chinese monasteries took the name si from this pattern; the temple is still called the ancestral court of Chinese Buddhism.
Yuan-dynasty dry-lacquer statues (Buddhas of the Three Ages, heavenly generals, eighteen arhats) are among the precious holdings. Listed in 1961 among the first national protected sites. Half a day is enough; it pairs well with other points east of town. Founding story, Qiyun Pagoda and bus notes are on the White Horse Temple page.
Luoyang Museum
A national first-grade museum founded in 1958; the current Luolong District building opened in 2011 with more than 11,000 relics on display. The narrative follows Heluo culture from Yangshao and Longshan through Xia, Shang and Zhou down to Ming, Qing and Republican eras. Jade and Tang sancai (three-colour horses and camels) are strengths. Free with ID reservation; plan two to three hours. Booking and gallery highlights are on the Luoyang Museum page.
Guanlin
Traditionally the burial place of Guan Yu's head. After Maicheng, Sun Quan sent the head to Cao Cao, who buried it with princely rites south of Luoyang; a temple rose on the site. One of the three great Guan Yu temples, scaled up in the Ming Wanli reign, with ancient cypresses and continuous incense. Temple plus tomb take an hour or two and sit near Longmen for a shared south-of-city outing. Detail is on the Guanlin page.
Sui-Tang Luoyang City National Heritage Park
Eastern capital of Sui and Tang; Wu Zetian lived here for years after taking the throne and renamed it the Divine Capital. Palace-axis ruins, Mingtang, Tiantang and Yingtian Gate are protected as a national heritage park with reconstructions on original sites. See ruins by day and gate lights by night. An hour or two in the city centre. Ticket notes are on the Sui-Tang Luoyang City page.
Yingtian Gate and the old town by night
The rebuilt main gate of the Sui-Tang palace city is Luoyang's night cover image. Cross Street and the old town nearby hold stone-paved lanes, soup houses and water-banquet restaurants. Evening timing for the gate is on the Sui-Tang page.
When to come to Luoyang
April and October are the easiest seasons. April is peony season (China Luoyang Peony Culture Festival); Wangcheng Park and the Sui-Tang botanical garden fill with flowers and crowds, so book lodging early. October is crisp for grottoes and the old town with fewer people. Summer is hot at Longmen and the ruins parks, so start early. Winter is cold and quieter; snow changes the mood of Longmen and White Horse Temple. Spring winds can be strong.
Getting in and where to stay
Zhengzhou is the usual high-speed hub, about forty minutes east. Stay near the old town / Yingtian Gate for evenings, or south toward Longmen if you want an early grotto start. Kaifeng is a short hop further as the other Henan capital; Xi'an continues the old imperial line west; Sanmenxia adds Swan Lake season and Guo State Museum context without replacing Longmen.
Eating in Luoyang
The signature is the water banquet: twenty-four broth-based courses, sour and spicy, with peony swallow nest, sliced meat in broth and fried meatballs among the famous names. Morning means soup (beef, mutton or donkey) with flatbread or youxuan. Jiangmiantiao is local fermented-sour noodles that outsiders may need a second try to like. Peony cake appears in April. Follow queues into soup houses and banquet restaurants.
How to arrange the route
Day 1: Longmen Grottoes morning (Fengxian Temple and Vairocana first); Guanlin afternoon; return to the city.
Day 2: Luoyang Museum morning; White Horse Temple afternoon; Cross Street and Yingtian Gate lit at night.
Day 3: Sui-Tang Luoyang City (Mingtang and Tiantang), then anything missed. In April, fit a peony garden into any day.
What to cut if short on time
Keep Longmen as the non-negotiable half-to-full day. Cut duplicate mall viewpoints and a second peony garden first. If only two days, fold Guanlin into the Longmen outing and drop either White Horse or a leisurely museum morning.
Things to confirm before you go
- Longmen steps, summer sun and water; night-tour tickets if you want them.
- April peony festival lodging and popular garden arrival times.
- Luoyang Museum free reservation and closure schedule for the day.
- Shared south-city timing for Guanlin and Longmen without cutting too tight.
- Old-town queues at meal peaks; go slightly off-peak for soup and banquet.
Frequently asked questions
How many days for Luoyang?
Three is comfortable: Longmen one day, museum plus White Horse another, heritage park plus old town the third.
Is Longmen worth visiting?
Yes. World Heritage and one of China's three great grottoes; the Vairocana Buddha is among the country's finest stone carvings. Skipping it misses the reason for the stop.
When do Luoyang's peonies bloom?
April, centred on the peony culture festival. Mid to late April is full bloom and peak crowds.
What is the water banquet?
A Luoyang feast of broth-based dishes, sour and spicy at its core, best known for peony swallow nest and sliced meat in broth.
Sources
The facts in this article were checked against the following Chinese Wikipedia entries, retrieved August 25, 2025, and rechecked on October 19, 2026.
- Luoyang (city) https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/洛阳市
- Longmen Grottoes https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/龙门石窟
- White Horse Temple https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/白马寺
- Luoyang Museum https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/洛阳博物馆
- Guanlin https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/关林
- Sui-Tang Luoyang City ruins https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/隋唐洛阳城遗址
All photos are from Wikimedia Commons, used under CC licenses; re-use requires attribution.
- luoyang-longmen.jpg from File 27427-Luoyang (49067744628).jpg, by xiquinhosilva, CC BY 2.0
- luoyang-baima.jpg from File 27467-Luoyang (49085730123).jpg, by xiquinhosilva, CC BY 2.0
- luoyang-museum.jpg from File Exterior, Luoyang Museum 20240929.jpg, by Tim Wu, CC BY-SA 4.0
- luoyang-guanlin.jpg from File Guanlin.JPG, by 张骐, public domain
- luoyang-suitang.jpg from File 20230124 Tiantang and Mingtang.jpg, by Windmemories, CC BY-SA 4.0
- luoyang-city.jpg from File 20231119 Yingtian Gate 02.jpg, by Windmemories, CC BY-SA 4.0