·There are seven statues in the three Buddhist niches on Moya, including three sitting Buddhas and four standing Buddhas. This combination of statues is extremely rare in Chinese cave temples.
·The main Buddha in the middle is Maitreya, sitting on a square pedestal. The top of the head is damaged and only the outline is carved without polishing. According to Buddhist scriptures, Maitreya Buddha is the “future Buddha” and appears as the successor of Buddha Sakyamuni.
·Wu Zetian used Maitreya belief to create public opinion for her ascension to the throne. After ascending the throne, she called herself “Ci Shi” (ie Maitreya), which promoted the popularity of Maitreya belief. It was against this historical background that the construction of the three Buddhist niches on the cliff appeared. With the collapse of the Wu Zhou regime, the construction of the three Buddhist niches on the cliff also stopped.
·Although this group of statues is a semi-finished product, it provides valuable physical information for people to understand the excavation process of grotto statues.
Telephone
0379-65980972
Reference when using
Less than 1 hour
transportation
It is located in the Longmen Grottoes Scenic Area in Luoyang City, between Binyang Three Cave and Wanfo Cave, within walking distance.
Tickets
free
tips:
*Included in Longmen Grottoes Scenic Area Tickets