Editor's Note: Henan in China’s historical center witnessed the birth of the compass, gunpowder, papermaking, as well as the spread of Buddhism and Shaolin martial arts. Besides its rich cultural heritage, the distinctive northern karst landscapes around Yuntai Mountain also await your visit.

Longmen Grottoes [Image Credit: photostock.china.com.cn/Han Bo]

1. Longmen Grottoes 龍門(mén)石窟

As one of the three most notable Buddhist sculptures in China, the Longmen Grottoes have approximately 1,400 caves with over 100,000 exquisite statues. The grottoes were firstly excavated and carved during the Northern Wei Dynasty due to the heyday of Buddhism. Representing the high point of Chinese stone-carving, the Longmen Grottoes are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Opening hours: 08:00 a.m. – 05:00 p.m. (Feb. 1st to March 31st); 07:30 a.m. – 05:30 p.m. (April 1st to Oct. 7th)

Entry: 100 yuan/person