Magnificent Buddhist carvings are considered one of the greatest sculptural treasure troves in China. The oldest caves dating back to the 5th C AD, when Emperor Wen moved his capital from present day Datong (sight of earlier Buddhist carvings) to Luoyang. The carving went on for 400 years, continuing through many dynasties. Today, there are over 2,000 caves and niches with more than 2,800 inscriptions and over 100,000 Buddhist statues.
