Tianlong Grottoes

Lying 40 km to the northwest of Taiyuan, Tianlong Mountain has an altitude of 1,700 meters and is part of the Luliang Mountain range. This mountain is famous for its beautiful scenery and world-famous Buddhist grottoes.

The Tianlong Grottoes have 25 caves scattered in the cliffs halfway up the western and eastern peaks of Tianlong Mountain. They were first built in the Dongwei dynasty (531-550 AD) and took more than 500 years to finish. During the Tang Dynasty, construction was at its peak.

There are more than 500 life-like stone sculptures and 1,144 carvings and pictures in the grottoes. Cave number nine is the largest and has two stories. On the first floor are two Buddha riding an elephant and a lion with an eleven-faced Buddha. On the second floor is an eight-meter tall, seated statue of Maitreya Buddha, the finest among the Tianlong grottoes.

Tianlong Temple was built in the Northern Qi Dynasty (560 AD) and has an ancient pine tree in front. The temple is surrounded by tree-covered mountains and a clear blue sky.