Luoyang rightfully claims the title of the cradle of Chinese Civilization. In 1,500 years, it has been the home of the Emperors of thirteen dynasties, and the first university of China was also established here in 29 A.D. Excavations in the western part of the city have found artifacts believed to be 7,000 years old. They estimate the appearance of Buddhism to have been in 68 A.D., and probably even Confucius has spent some time here perfecting his teachings. The face of Luoyang today does not reflect its once majestic feel; its historic monuments are mainly outside of the city’s walls. The most famous are a series of caves known as Longmen Caves, which house many beautiful creations of Buddhist statuary. In the one-kilometer long section, there are almost 2,000 caves, hiding 100,000 statues.