何以中国 | 凿石耀古今 薪火递千年

Core Points - Longmen Grottoes is recognized as the largest and most significant stone carving art treasure in the world, housing 2345 caves, nearly 110,000 Buddha statues, over 2800 inscriptions, and more than 70 stone-carved pagodas, and is deemed the pinnacle of Chinese stone carving art by UNESCO [1][11] - The grottoes were excavated over a span of 400 years, starting from the Northern Wei Dynasty when Emperor Xiaowen moved the capital to Luoyang in 493 AD, and have been developed through various dynasties including Northern Wei, Eastern Wei, Western Wei, Northern Qi, Sui, Tang, and Northern Song [3][8] - Each statue, inscription, and decoration within the grottoes serves as a vivid historical and cultural textbook, showcasing the advanced civilization and artistic creativity of ancient China [5][10] Preservation and Restoration - Since the founding of New China, Longmen Grottoes has undergone effective protection and restoration, being designated as a national key cultural relic protection unit by the State Council in 1961 [8] - Significant restoration efforts include archaeological investigations and protection work initiated in 1997, the return of a statue from Canada in 2001, and the completion of a major restoration of the Fengxian Temple in July 2022, which included the restoration of the largest and most artistically significant statue, the Lushena Buddha [8][11] - The Longmen Grottoes has been recognized as a cultural heritage shared by all humanity since its inclusion in the World Heritage List in 2000, symbolizing cultural exchange and integration [11][13]