“Luoyang Silk Road Art and Archaeology Workshop” Successfully Held

Jointly organized by the Center for Silk Road History and Culture at Shaanxi Normal University and the Archaeological Research Center of the Longmen Grottoes Research Institute, and supported by the National 111 Project Base “Innovation and Talent Introduction Base for the Study of Chang’an and Silk Road Cultural Communication” (B18032), the Luoyang Silk Road Art and Archaeology Workshop was successfully held in Luoyang from June 13 to 16, 2025.
Participants of the workshop mainly included members of Professor Sha Wutian’s team, who leads the history discipline of the above-mentioned 111 Project Base at Shaanxi Normal University, as well as master’s and doctoral students from various universities and young scholars from the Longmen Grottoes Research Institute.

The three-day workshop began on June 14, when participants attended or observed the Fourth Youth Forum on Grotto Temple Archaeology, jointly organized by Shaanxi Normal University and the Longmen Grottoes Research Institute. Some members presented their latest academic research at the forum, while others participated as observers and engaged in in-depth exchanges with young scholars attending the event.
On June 15 and 16, the workshop participants conducted focused field investigations and on-site discussions at the Longmen Grottoes, Gongyi Grottoes, the Heluo Ancient Stone Carving Art Museum, and the Luoyang Han Pictorial Art Museum.

On June 15, the workshop members spent the entire day conducting field investigations and discussions at the Longmen Grottoes, coordinated by Associate Researcher Zhu Pei, Deputy Director of the Archaeological Research Center at the Longmen Grottoes Research Institute.
In the morning, Associate Researcher Gao Dongliang from the Institute’s Center for Historical and Cultural Studies led an on-site explanation and systematic survey of representative caves on the East Hill. Key sites examined included the Leigutai Three Caves, the Western Pure Land Transformation Niche, the Thousand-Hand and Thousand-Eye Avalokiteśvara Niche, the Gaoping Commandery Prince’s Cave, and the Kanjingsi Grotto.

In the afternoon, the team proceeded to the West Hill of the Longmen Grottoes for further investigation, guided by Mr. Lu Wei, Director of the Center for Historical and Cultural Studies and an expert in grotto archaeology. The group focused on sites such as Qianxi Temple, Binyang Caves, Wanfo Cave, Fengxian Temple, and Lotus Flower Cave. Mr.Lu provided detailed explanations of the construction background and stylistic features of the carvings, and the group also conducted an on-site visit to the Xiangshan Temple site, which is currently under archaeological excavation.

On the morning of June 16, workshop participants carried out a field study at the Gongyi Grottoes, led by Professor Sha Wutian, who conducted on-site teaching.

On the afternoon of June 16, the participants visited the Heluo Ancient Stone Carving Art Museum and the Luoyang Han Pictorial Art Museum at Luoyang Normal University.
The Stone Carving Art Museum houses over 600 ancient epitaphs and carved artworks, including epitaphs by renowned calligraphers such as Yan Zhenqing and Xu Hao, as well as vividly colored stone reliefs from the Five Dynasties period.
The Han Pictorial Art Museum exhibits pictorial bricks, pictorial stones, and rubbings from the Han dynasty, with a total of 315 pieces in its collection. The exhibition, themed around “The Myriad Aspects of Han Society,” vividly depicts scenes of Han daily life and mythology.

Focusing on the grottoes and stone carving art of the Luoyang region, this workshop provided a valuable academic platform for young scholars to engage in exchange and learning. Participants shared insights, deepened mutual understanding, broadened their academic horizons, enriched their knowledge, and strengthened their enthusiasm for research. Their understanding of grotto temple archaeology was significantly enhanced, and the experience proved highly fruitful.