洛阳市

Why this place

Luoyang was the capital of thirteen dynasties and it is the place where Buddhism established itself in China — the White Horse Temple was the first, and the Longmen Grottoes are the greatest collection of Buddhist carving in the country. It is also the peony capital, with the flower that the Tang court made its own.

What to see

• Longmen Grottoes — 2,300 caves and niches, 100,000 figures, and the great Vairocana Buddha
• The White Horse Temple, founded in 68 CE, the first Buddhist temple in China
• The Luoyang Museum and the Luoyang Ancient Art Museum, with tomb figures and Tang ceramics
• The peony gardens, flowering in mid-April

What to eat

• Luoyang water banquet (shuixi) — a whole formal meal tradition of soup dishes served in sequence
• Luoyang bufan — a thick soup with shredded pancake, a breakfast staple
• Peony-themed confectionery, sold everywhere in April

How to plan

Two days: Longmen one day, the temples and museums the next.

Best time

Mid-April for the peonies; April–May and September–October generally

Practical tips

• Longmen is best in the late afternoon, when the light hits the big Buddha and the tour groups leave