Luoyang 3-Day Tour
Luoyang Peony Ancient Capital + Xia-Shang-Zhou Dynasties
Day-by-Day Itinerary
1
Mogao Special Caves (Hidden Library Cave + 9-storey building + flying apsaras murals) + Western Thousand Buddha Caves (Danghe cliff) + White Horse Pagoda
Yangguan Yumen Pass Tourist Area (Yumen Pass)
Yumen Pass (Jade Gate Pass) is a pass on the Great Wall west of Dunhuang in Gansu Province, China. During the Han Dynasty (202 BC - 220 AD), it was a vital passage on the Silk Road and the only route connecting Central Asia with East Asia (China), the latter being known as the Western Regions. Just to its south is Yangguan Pass, which was also an important location on the Silk Road. These passes and other sites along the Silk Road were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2014 as part of the Silk Roads: Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor World Heritage Site. The pass is located at an altitude of 1400 meters.
Western Thousand Buddha Caves
The Western Thousand Buddha Caves are located in Dunhuang City, Gansu Province, situated on the cliffs north of the Dang River, approximately 35 kilometers from the center of Dunhuang City. This grotto complex is the western counterpart to the Mogao Grottoes, excavated from the Northern Wei to Yuan and Ming dynasties (6th to 14th centuries AD). It currently preserves 22 decorated caves, containing 34 painted sculptures and 800 square meters of murals, showcasing exquisite Buddhist art. It once served as an important station on the Silk Road and was designated a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level in 1961, along with the Mogao Grottoes. Opening hours are Monday to Sunday, 08:30-17:30.
White Horse Pagoda
The Dunhuang White Horse Pagoda was built to commemorate the white horse Tianliu of the Buddhist monk Kumarajiva. Tianliu carried Buddhist scriptures from Kucha to Dunhuang and died of illness upon arrival in Dunhuang. The pagoda is located approximately 2 kilometers southwest of Dunhuang city center, standing 12 meters high, 7 meters in diameter, and has nine stories. The pagoda body is constructed of adobe bricks, filled with a mixture of straw mud and lime. Its exterior design is unique, with an octagonal wheel-shaped base, different decorations on each ascending level, and wind chimes hanging from the top, whose sound is said to be the echo of the white horse's neigh. The pagoda underwent restoration during the Daoguang period and in 1992. Kumarajiva's translation of the Diamond Sutra is one of the most widely circulated Buddhist scripture versions in China, and a printed copy of it was once discovered near the Mogao Grottoes, making it the world's oldest dated printed book.
2
Yumen Pass Xiao Fangpan City Ruins + Han Great Wall (Hecang City) + Yangguan Ruins + grape wine in luminous cup
Yumen Pass Xiaofangpan City Ruins
The Yumen Pass Xiaofangpan City Ruins are an important pass on the ancient Silk Road, located in the northwest of Dunhuang City, Gansu Province. It is an important part of the Han Great Wall. Xiaofangpan City is a common name for Yumen Pass, named for its square city walls and relatively small scale. It was once a gateway to the Western Regions, witnessing the exchange and integration of Chinese and Western cultures.
3
Mingsha Mountain sunset viewing + Crescent Lake iron-back fish + Shazhou Night Market (donkey meat yellow noodles + apricot skin water)
Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring
Mingsha Mountain Crescent Spring is located in Dunhuang City, Gansu Province, and is a unique natural landscape composed of Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring. Mingsha Mountain is famous for its wonder of 'mountain and spring coexisting, sand and water coexisting,' and gets its name from the sound made by moving sand. Crescent Spring is a crescent-shaped lake, shimmering with clear water in the desert, remaining unfrozen for thousands of years, and is hailed as a 'desert marvel.' It is a national 5A-level tourist attraction and recognized by UNESCO as part of the Dunhuang Yardang National Geopark, making it an excellent destination to experience desert scenery and Silk Road culture.
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