Emperor Xiaowen and making of Longmen Grottoes

Updated: 2016-01-04

The early history of the creation of Longmen Grottoes is traced to the reign of Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei Dynasty (AD 386-534) when he had moved the capital to Luoyang from Pingcheng (modern Datong, Shanxi province) in AD 493.

In the same year, Guyang Cave, the earliest one in Longmen was excavated by the order of the emperor. It was followed by more caves and niches for hundreds of years, which made Longmen a sanctuary of Buddhist art.

Emperor Xiaowen (AD 467–499), named Tuoba Hong was the leader of the Tuoba clan of Xianbei tribe. In May 493, he decided to attack regimes in southern China. All his officials, except Tuoba Cheng thought that the emperor wanted a war as an excuse to move the capital to Luoyang, the city in Central Plain.

So, Hong detailed his plan of capital moving to Cheng. He explained that Pingcheng as the capital was only a place to develop military strength instead of a comprehensive administration, and he saw the future for the country in the central part, the cradle of Chinese civilization. The emperor’s plan finally earned support from Cheng.

After two months of war, the troop of Northern Wei arrived in Luoyang, where the regime started to build its capital.

The Northern Wei ruler was an ardent supporter of Buddhism, so he had not forgotten to bring the religion to Luoyang. He commissioned the excavation of Guyang Cave on the West Hill of Longmen in the same year. The officials, royal family members, nobles and generals, who supported to move the capital all followed to build niches and statues there. Since then, Longmen stepped into its golden time for grotto building, which had been continued for hundreds of years.