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tang-period-caves-longmen-china-sept-2008-NIO-4

Longmen Grottoes 龍門石窟, China. Above = Tang period carving.

Nio Statues at the Longmen Grottoes 龍門石窟 in China,  plus a few others from different locations. Over the centuries, many of the statues were seriously damaged in domestic anti-Buddhism campaigns. In modern times (1907 to 1938), the caves suffered another wave of destruction together with massive looting by Chinese and foreigners alike. Many pieces are still at museums in Germany, France, England, America, and Japan. The Chinese government continues to petition these nations and their museums for the return of said artifacts, but to no avail. The Longmen complex is a wonder to behold, with many surviving pieces of unrivaled beauty stretching from the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534 AD) into the Tang period (618-907 AD).

Some of the main caves are listed below:

• Binyang Middle Cave (Northern Wei Dynasty 386-534 AD); statues carved between 500 AD to 523 AD.
• Binyang South Cave (Sui Dynasty 581-618 AD)
• Binyang North Cave (Tang Dynasty 618-907 AD)
• Wanfo Caves of 10,000 Buddha 万佛洞 (Tang Dynasty 618-907 AD)
  Leigutai Caves 擂鼓台; also known as Dawanwufo-dong 大万伍佛洞 (Tang Dynasty 618-907 AD)
• Lord Huangfu Cave 皇甫公窟 (Northern Wei Dynasty 386-534AD)
  Fengxian Temple Carvings 奉先寺 (Tang Dynasty 618-907 AD; carving began in 672, completed circa 672 - 675)