Many of Luoyang’s attractions are close to metro lines, making it easy to get around, and peony motifs can be found throughout the city. Visiting the Yingtian Gate Site Museum, Luoyi Ancient City, White Horse Temple, the Ancient Tombs Museum and the Longmen Grottoes offered a rich sense of history and distinctive scenery. Luoyi Ancient City is free to enter and especially beautiful at night, while White Horse Temple features architectural styles from India, Myanmar and beyond. I skipped Mingtang Paradise because of its ticket price and reviews. The trip was rushed, so I only briefly explored most of the sights. A guided tour would have made the Ancient Tombs Museum particularly rewarding. I hope to return one day and learn more about Luoyang’s culture.
Two Days in Luoyang
Intro
Luoyang, the Divine Capital — here I am.
One of Luoyang’s signature features is the peony — even the traffic lights have peony motifs.
Most of Luoyang’s sights sit right by the metro, strung along a single line, which is very friendly for anyone not driving. For short trips there are also shared e-scooters — super convenient.
Yingtianmen Site Museum
Grand and elegant. After going upstairs, the indoor halls on both sides are open to visitors.
The exterior looks great, and it’s lovely once the lights come on at night.
Luoyi Ancient City
The Luoyi Ancient City scenic area is free to enter, and it’s packed. Plenty of young women in hanfu come here to take photos, and all kinds of veteran “masters” with long lenses and flashes in hand are ready to do business.
The views inside are lovely, with a real old-city feel. Once the lights are on at night, it’s a completely different world from the daytime — worth a visit.
Mingtang and Tiantang
Xiaohongshu notes said it wasn’t really a must-see, and given the ticket price, we didn’t go in — just took two photos from outside.
White Horse Temple
The White Horse Temple seems to hold an important place among temples — leading figures of Southeast Asian religions (Buddhism, it seems) have also come here to exchange ideas.
What struck me as most distinctive was that the White Horse Temple actually has multiple scenic styles — Indian, Burmese, and so on. The roads inside are wide, making for a pleasant visit.
Luoyang Ancient Tombs Museum
The tomb museum is newly built. It’s said you can go straight down into the tombs. Thinking of the scenes in tomb-raiding novels, I had to come.
Once there, I realized I actually couldn’t understand most of it — a quick skim and that was that. For a genuinely good experience, you’d want a friend who’s fairly knowledgeable (at least somewhat familiar) to walk you through things, or hire a guide.
One tomb chamber still stands out in my memory. Its structure is so clever that two people standing at opposite corners can hear each other clearly even when speaking in a very low voice, while those in the middle can barely hear a thing — I was blown away.
Longmen Grottoes
A very famous site that I’d heard about long ago — a must-see whenever you’re in Luoyang.
Outro
Almost every sight in Luoyang is steeped in history. This trip was pretty rushed — no guide, just skimming through. Honestly, I saw many places but understood little.
If I get the chance (when I can afford it), I’ll come again, hire a guide, and truly take in the rich history and culture.