Luoyang

Luoyang is one of the great ancient capitals of China, having served thirteen dynasties over more than 1,500 years along the Yellow River in western Henan. Its UNESCO-listed Longmen Grottoes hold tens of thousands of Buddhist statues carved into limestone cliffs, among the finest stone art in the world. The nearby White Horse Temple, founded in 68 CE, is regarded as the first Buddhist temple established in China. Luoyang is also famous for its peonies, celebrated each April in a grand flower festival that fills the city with blooms. Modern Luoyang is an industrial base for tractors, bearings and heavy machinery, now connected by high-speed rail and a new metro.