From Yuntaishan, we boarded a bus bound for Luoyang. The journey was long — more than four hours on the road. We left at 2:30 pm and only arrived close to 7:00 pm, which meant our first day in Luoyang was largely consumed by travel. That evening, drained from the ride, I managed only a brief visit to Yingtianmen, illuminated against the night sky.The following day was devoted entirely to two of Luoyang’s most iconic sites: the Longmen Grottoes and the White Horse Temple. After exploring the temple, we caught bus no. 58 directly to Luoyi Ancient City. By then, the hours of walking through grottoes and temple grounds had left us physically exhausted. Still, the ancient city welcomed us with free admission and a promise of cultural immersion.Dinner was taken at a basement food court along Minzhu Street. By the time we finished, night had fallen, and Luoyi Ancient City had transformed. The streets glittered with lanterns, music pulsed through the air, and the atmosphere was electric. Crowds gathered near the lake to watch 天女散花 — the “Fairy Scattering Flowers” dance performance — though we chose not to linger.Luoyi Ancient City (洛邑古城) remains one of China’s most authentic living historic districts. Here, 3,000 years of dynastic history — from the Zhou to the Ming — can still be felt in its preserved city walls, pagodas, canals, and performances. It is not simply a relic of the past, but a vibrant cultural stage where history and daily life coexist.