The highlight of the Luoyang sightseeing is the cave sculptures of Longmen, Dragon Gate. The rock surface of the mountain in the banks of a river is cut down, and many thousands of the buddhist images are carved.

They were kept carving by many hands of the person through some ages. It is interesting that the emotion of the age and the person who carved it is put in each one of the faces. You can see among them, not only the buddhist images but also characters of the folk tale are carved.

There are some to lack heads from the neck. It is said that it is because the farmers in the vicinity took them home, or that it is because of having been taken away as booties when world powers invaded later in the period. It is regrettable.

The last and the maximum stone image seemed to have the reason of what (It seems to be the only empress in the history of 4,000 years in China = Empress Wu Zetian). It is not possible to go up the long flight of stairs for me, and however, I have missed the explanation of the guide.

Returning to our subject, please appreciate deliberately anyway.

      (September. 1998)

            Photo by INO, Shohta