Things to do in Luoyang

In Longmen, you can learn about the grotto Buddhist sculpture culture of the Northern Wei and Tang Dynasties. The Vairocana Buddha is said to have been sculpted based on Wu Zetian and is the representative work of Longmen Grottoes, as well as the pinnacle of Chinese Buddhist sculpture art. Entering the scenic area from the Northwest Service Area is the most ideal way to reduce physical exertion.

One of the two cable cars was under maintenance. I took my over-80-year-old father, and we waited in line for more than two hours during the off-season to ride the cable car. He's usually very healthy and exercises regularly, but even that took a lot of effort. The scenery at the top of the Ten-Mile Painting Screen was beautiful, and the photos taken there were stunning. The lights at night were gorgeous.

The night view of Yingtianmen is beautiful. Walking from Yingtianmen to the platform, you can see the Mingtang and Tiantang (Heavenly Hall) opposite, as if witnessing the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty. There are many places to take traditional Chinese style photos in the Yingtianmen scenic area square; those who want to capture a memorable moment can try it out.

It was a miracle we even got in; tickets were impossible to get during the holidays. We booked them since we were already there. Both halls inside were under maintenance, and the rest of the place was packed with people burning incense, billowing thick smoke. Remember to check out the nearby Han-Wei ruins, and plan your time carefully for each place.

On our last morning in Luoyang, we took advantage of some spare time to visit Jiuzhou Pond, which gave us a wonderful surprise! We were lucky enough to catch the first folk music performance of the National Day holiday, which went perfectly with Yaoguang Pavilion!

From Yuntaishan, we boarded a bus bound for Luoyang. The journey was long — more than four hours on the road. We left at 2:30 pm and only arrived close to 7:00 pm, which meant our first day in Luoyang was largely consumed by travel. That evening, drained from the ride, I managed only a brief visit to Yingtianmen, illuminated against the night sky.The following day was devoted entirely to two of Luoyang’s most iconic sites: the Longmen Grottoes and the White Horse Temple. After exploring the temple, we caught bus no. 58 directly to Luoyi Ancient City. By then, the hours of walking through grottoes and temple grounds had left us physically exhausted. Still, the ancient city welcomed us with free admission and a promise of cultural immersion.Dinner was taken at a basement food court along Minzhu Street. By the time we finished, night had fallen, and Luoyi Ancient City had transformed. The streets glittered with lanterns, music pulsed through the air, and the atmosphere was electric. Crowds gathered near the lake to watch 天女散花 — the “Fairy Scattering Flowers” dance performance — though we chose not to linger.Luoyi Ancient City (洛邑古城) remains one of China’s most authentic living historic districts. Here, 3,000 years of dynastic history — from the Zhou to the Ming — can still be felt in its preserved city walls, pagodas, canals, and performances. It is not simply a relic of the past, but a vibrant cultural stage where history and daily life coexist.

The night view is beautiful. There were performances during the National Day holiday, and the overall experience was quite engaging. However, it's a modern imitation of ancient architecture, lacking a sense of history. There were also too many commercial photo shoots, all depicting Wu Zetian's coronation. Traffic outside was heavy, with many people, electric bikes, and tricycles, making it rather chaotic. I wouldn't recommend driving; taking the subway is safer.

Luoyang peonies are the best in the world, and April is the best season to see them. The garden is full of peonies of all colors blooming in competition, elegant and luxurious. I was fortunate enough to see the rare varieties, the black peony and the green peony, making the trip worthwhile!

It's definitely worth a visit to Luoyang. It rained a little that day, and they even gave us disposable raincoats. We saw the first show, and it started late. People for the next show arrived early. It was a bit rainy, and things got a little chaotic after the show. There were some lights at Jiuzhou Pond at night, but that's about it. The performance was fantastic and well worth it!

The subway was a convenient stop, but when scanning the QR code to enter, the queue got stuck for quite a while, and the staff didn't react at all, just standing there dumbfounded. Why didn't they offer to help and maintain order? It was rather frustrating. The garden is quite large, with a good variety of plants; perhaps we arrived a bit early, it would probably be even better during peak bloom.