CRI reporters admire well preservation of Longmen Grottoes

Updated: 2015-09-25

A team of foreign language reporters of China Radio International (CRI) visited the Longmen Grottoes on Sept 19 to have a close encounter with China's ancient Buddhist grotto art.

The Longmen Grottoes (or Longmen Caves) located on both banks of the Yihe River, stretches around 6 kilometers south of the historic city of Luoyang, central China's Henan province. They are known at both home and abroad for their large numbers, massive scales, variety of subjects, delicate carving and profound meaning. The Grottoes are an outstanding manifestation of human artistic creativity and prove how marvelous a place can be made by pursuit of excellence and dedicated hard work.

CRI journalists Mohammad Khalid and Balaraman Shakthivel talk over the preservation condition of Losana Buddha in Longmen Grottoes, Sept 19, 2015. [Photo by Ning Jingjiang/cri.cn]

While visiting a grotto built in the northern Wei Dynasty (AD 386-534), Mohammad Khalid, a journalist from Afghanistan commented with admiration that the Buddha statues are indeed old and valuable. "Although they are more or less damaged over more than one thousand years' weathering and man-made sabotage, it does not deter people's passion to visit the great work of art," said Khalid.

CRI reporter Sidal Utkucu from Turkey takes pictures of the Losana Buddha in Longmen Grottoes, Sept 19, 2015. [Photo by Ning Jingjiang/cri.cn]

Balaraman Shakthivel, a reporter from India, said that there is similar grotto art in Hinduism, which has also suffered weathering and human sabotage. But he was surprised with the good preservation of the Losana Buddha, especially its face part.

The Losana Buddha in Longmen Grottoes [Photo by Chen Shuai]

On November 30, 2000, the Longmen Grottoes were approved by the 24th UN Heritage Commission to be put on the List of World Cultural Heritage. The Grottoes, together with Yungang Grottoes in Shanxi province and Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes in Gansu province are known as the three most famous grottoes in China.

CRI reporter Mohammad Khalid reads his notes of Longmen Grottoes trip to his colleagues. [Photo by Ning Jingjiang/cri.cn]