The Longmen Grottoes are located in the south of Luoyang City. They are between Mount Xiang and Mount Longmen and face Yi River.

Longmen Grottoes, Yungang Caves and Mogao Caves are regarded as the three most famous treasure houses of stone inscriptions in China. The grottoes were started around the year 493 when Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty moved the capital to Luoyang and were built during the 400 years until the Northern Song Dynasty.