Luoyang

龙潭大峡谷

Longtan Grand Canyon in Xin’an County features red rock walls, a narrow gorge, streams, pools and waterfalls. Walking through the valley reveals changes in cliffs carved by flowing water. The route includes steps and narrow sections; allow time for stops and the return. Distinguish it from similarly named gorges in other provinces: this entry refers to the attraction in Luoyang, Henan.

少林寺

8. Shaolin Temple (Dengfeng, Zhengzhou, cross-city tour) History and culture: Shaolin Temple is located at the northern foot of Shaoshi Mountain in Songshan Mountain, Dengfeng, Zhengzhou. The temple was built in the 19th year of Taihe in the Northern Wei Dynasty (495). It is the ancestral home of Zen and the birthplace of Shaolin Kung Fu. There are more than 240 tombs of eminent monks in the pagoda forest in the temple, which is the largest group of ancient pagodas in China; the Thousand Buddha Hall has the mural "Five Hundred Arhats Chao Vairocana" in the Ming Dynasty and 48 foot pits made by monks practicing martial arts. In 2010, it was listed as a world cultural heritage as the "Heaven and Earth" historical building complex in Dengfeng.

洛阳白云山

Baiyun Mountain in Song County is a forested mountain scenic area in the Funiu range. Combine mountain views at Yuhuang Summit with streams, waterfalls and forest walks. It is not Baiyun Mountain in Guangzhou; specify Song County, Luoyang in your itinerary. Summit views are strongly affected by weather, and seas of clouds in photographs should not be treated as daily sights. Reference photographs mainly show Yuhuang Summit’s mountain scenery.

白马寺

3. White Horse Temple History and Culture: White Horse Temple was built in the 11th year of Yongping in the Eastern Han Dynasty (68 years). It was named after the White Horse carrying sutras. It is the first government-run temple in China and is revered as the "source of Buddhism" and "ancestral court". The first Chinese translation of the Buddhist scripture "The Forty-Two Chapter Sutra" was translated here. The temple has a collection of Buddhist temples in the styles of Thailand, Myanmar, and India. It is the only temple in the world that has Buddhist temples in the styles of China, India, Myanmar, and Thailand. Qiyun Pagoda is an ancient brick pagoda from the Jin Dynasty. You can hear the echoes of frogs croaking when you clap. Di Renjie's tomb is also in the temple. You can get 3 sticks of incense for free at the gate, and the Zhiyu Teahouse inside the temple provides free tea. The tour takes about 2.5–3 hours.

应天门·隋唐洛阳城

4. Yingtianmen and Luoyang City in the Sui and Tang Dynasties History and culture: Yingtianmen was the south gate of the Luoyang City Palace in the Sui and Tang Dynasties. It was built in the first year of Daye in the Sui Dynasty (605). Wu Zetian ascended the throne and proclaimed himself emperor here. The highest-level city gate regulation of "two views and three exits" was adopted, which influenced the layout of the Meridian Gate of the Forbidden City in later generations. The Luoyang City Heritage Park of the Sui and Tang Dynasties contains three major scenic spots: Yingtianmen, Mingtang Paradise, and Jiuzhou Pool. Mingtang is the "Wanxiang Shrine" where Wu Zetian governed, and Paradise is the Buddhist Pagoda. Public transportation: Take Metro Line 1 to Yingtianmen Station, exit A/C.

老君山—鸡冠洞旅游区

This joint tourism area comprises Laojun Mountain and Jiguan Cave. One features mountains, clusters of peaks and Taoist buildings; the other reveals natural cave formations. They do not share an entrance and are best planned as separate stages or days. Even with cable cars, Laojun Mountain requires walking time appropriate to your route. The current reference gallery shows Laojun Mountain; Jiguan Cave images are still to be added.

老城·丽景门

2. Luoyang Old City and Lijing Gate History and culture: Lijing Gate is the west gate of Luoyang Old City. It was first built in the Jin Dynasty (1217). The existing city tower was rebuilt on the original site in 2002. It consists of the city gate tower, barbican, city wall and moat. The barbican's "catching turtles in the urn" defense pattern is very recognizable. The Imperial History Museum in the city tower displays historical materials on 104 emperors who established their capitals in Luoyang. Public transportation: Take Exit A of Lijingmen Station on Metro Line 1 and walk for about 3–5 minutes.

龙门石窟

More than 2,000 caves and niches are spread out along the limestone cliffs of the Yihe River. The most intensive excavation period lasted from the late Northern Wei Dynasty to the prosperous Tang Dynasty. The early works reflect the changes in palace status after the capital was moved to Luoyang, while Fengxian Temple represents the mature royal scale and shape of the Tang Dynasty. The inscriptions, donors and medicinal prescriptions make this place a record of society and belief, rather than just a string of giant Buddhas.

洛阳博物馆

Luoyang Museum organizes the extremely long period of urban archeology according to prehistoric and early state, Han, Wei, Sui and Tang periods. Bronze, pottery, stone carvings and burial artifacts reveal multiple changes in political centres, trade and rituals. The core value lies in the chronological sequence: viewing each layer at the same time can prevent famous dynasties from being reduced to irrelevant labels, and also lay the foundation for understanding the scattered ruins of the city.

二里头夏都遗址博物馆

The museum displays the archaeological culture and large-scale planned settlements of Erlitou in the early second millennium BC. Turquoise craftsmanship, bronze production, palace areas, roads, and rammed earth foundations support discussions of specialized crafts and early state formation. The correspondence between the site and the Xia Dynasty recorded in documents still involves interpretation, and excavation evidence should be distinguished from later textual identification.

隋唐洛阳城国家遗址公园

The heritage park explains the important remains of the central axis of the eastern capital city of the Sui and Tang Dynasties, including archaeological areas related to Mingtang, Tiantang and Yingtianmen. Large modern restored buildings help present the scale of the lost capital, and protected foundation sites and excavation evidence are the archaeological basis. When visiting, you should distinguish between the original ground remains, academic interpretations and new performing arts buildings, rather than treating every tall building as an original from the Tang Dynasty.