Buddhist Caves/Grottos - China

Buddhist Caves are the most remarkable example of the early Buddhist architecture throughout China. A number of cave shrines dot the land of China. These Caves or Grottoes are an outdoor art museum of stone carvings and have significant value for buddhism.

The Longmen Grottoes near Luoyang, the Mogao Caves near Dunhuang and the Yungang Grottoes near Datong, are known as the three greatest stone sculpture treasure houses in China. They record the culture of Buddhism, which is a very important religion in China and one of the three major schools of thought along with Confucianism and Taoism. The three noted grottoes and other Buddhist sites also reflect political, economic, and cultural states in ancient China.

They give us historical data for the researching of ancient religion, arts, architecture, calligraphy, music, dress, and medicine, and can be called a large scale stone-carved art museum. For any Buddhist tourist to China, a visit to these caves is a must in order to get a comprehensive view of Buddhism in China.