The Longmen Grottoes, also known as the Longmen Caves, is a cultural site that was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2000. It is estimated that up to 100,000 statues were carved out of these caves. The site was designated by UNESCO as an important manifestation of “human artistic creativity” in Chinese art form.
The Longmen Grottoes house the most extensive and impressive collection of Chinese art from the late Northern Wei and Tang Dynasties (316-907). These works, which are entirely devoted to Buddhism, represent the pinnacle of Chinese stone carving. Buddha and his disciples’ images were carved into rock, which span the length of the Yi River’s limestone cliffs for a kilometer on either side. These exceptional stone carvings represent the Tang Dynasty’s advanced culture and sophistication, and played a pivotal role in the cultural evolution of this Asian region.
The beauty of the thousands of freshly finished carvings painted in a vivid rainbow of hues, is something that one can only fathom. Regrettably, a variety of natural and man-made induced issues has caused the weathering away of much of artists’ original works. Factors like acid rain corrosion, wind wear, and naturally occurring fissures in the limestone, which are exacerbated by plant growth and water seepage, play a role as some of the natural causes of damage. In an effort to prevent collapse and further water damage, the statues were reinforced, the original drainage channels were restored, roofs were built above the grottoes, and the statues were waterproofed.
Similar to the pilgrims of the past who traveled to Longmen to pray or to obtain merit, these grottoes allow modern visitors to get a glimpse into the lives of people from another era, leaving them in awe of the strength and tenacity of human mankind.
Sources:
https://everything-everywhere.com/unesco-world-heritage-sites-china/