5. Longmen Grottoes (China, Buddhist)
The Longmen Grottoes are arguably the most famous ancient sculptural site in China. Located in Henan Province and positioned on two opposing bluffs above the Yi River, most of the artwork is Buddhist in nature and dates to the late Northern Wei and Tang Dynasties (316-907 AD). 2345 niches were carved from the rock, densely worked over the space of approximately a kilometer to the north and south, and they house more than 100,000 statues (also carved from the rock). Accompanying inscriptions bear more than 300,000 Chinese characters and are a treasure trove of historical and linguistic data. The Longmen Grottoes are a masterpiece of Buddhist art and are considered one of the world`s most important sculptural sites.
Through the centuries, natural and manmade factors have damaged the niches, sculptures and paintings. Crevices across the rock base are causing instability and have resulted in the collapse of some niches and the destruction of their contents. This process has been greatly accelerated by increased saline sediments resulting from acid rain, a major problem across much of China. Salt deposits have also built up in the niches themselves from slow permeation of acid rain into the rock, which then seeps into the niches through fissures in the rock, severely damaging and rapidly eroding many sculptures and paintings.
Source: China Daily
Edotor: Liu Xiongfei
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