Luoyang Museum: A Millennium at a Glance, a Cross-temporal Dialogue with Cultural Relics

Luoyang Museum was established in 1958 as one of the first batch of national first-class museums. It houses over 20,000 cultural relics, among which more than 5,000 are precious artifacts. The 'Heluo Civilization,' 'Treasure Exhibition,' 'Tang Tri-color Exhibition,' and 'Han and Tang Dynasties Terracotta Exhibition' are some of the must-see galleries. From the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties to the Sui and Tang dynasties, it has witnessed the ancient capital of thirteen dynasties and the transition from the Bronze Age to the era of exquisite carvings. The smile of the Northern Wei Dynasty, the white jade cup of Cao Wei, the tri-colored camels, the hand-holding maidservants, and the various eye-catching 'internet-famous' bags, each cultural relic is a story, a cross-millennial dialogue that will not disappoint any time-traveling visitor. It is recommended to visit the galleries on the second floor first and then proceed to the first floor to avoid missing more fascinating stories. The Longmen Grottoes were carved during the Northern Wei Dynasty, flourished in the Tang Dynasty, and ended in the late Qing Dynasty, spanning over 1,400 years with more than 100,000 stone statues. As the 'pinnacle of Chinese stone carving art' and the foremost of the four major grottoes, the Longmen Grottoes are undoubtedly astonishing. The scenic area is divided into four parts: West Hill Grottoes, East Hill Grottoes, Bai Garden, and Xiangshan. Among them, the West Hill Grottoes are the essence of the tour, which has the most niches, and it is recommended to enter from the northwest visitor center to ensure enough time for a thorough visit. Representative caves include: Binyang Three Caves, Ten Thousand Buddha Cave, Lotus Cave, and Guyang Cave. The Lushena Buddha niche is the essence of the entire grottoes, with the main Buddha Lushena looking down upon all beings. It is said to be carved by Empress Wu Zetian based on her own appearance and is known as the 'most beautiful statue in the East.' Especially the night tour of Longmen, standing on the opposite bank of the Yi River, the West Hill Grottoes light up like stars, giving the feeling of being in the world of gods and Buddhas, which is extremely shocking. Unfortunately, the lighting of the Great Buddha is random, and whether one encounters it or not is entirely up to fate. Luopu Park is definitely the best place to watch the sunset in Luoyang city. On the banks of the Luo River, near the city museum, in the evening, find a spot to sit and quietly watch the sunset glow like a painting, and you can better appreciate the charm of this city.