The Wanfo Cave, carved in 680 CE, is one of the most densely populated spaces at Longmen. Its walls are covered with tiny seated Buddhas arranged in registers so tight they look like wallpaper from a distance; the effect close up is of an infinite, formally ordered multiplication of the same gesture of meditation. Despite centuries of looting that removed most of the heads, the remaining bodies and the relief frieze running around the base of the walls retain their Tang-dynasty vitality and precision.
The entrance to the cave has a relief frieze of flying apsaras above the doorway that is among the finest small-scale carving at Longmen — the figures have a sense of movement and lightness that the larger statues don't always achieve. Inside, the main Buddha group on the back wall is largely intact; a graceful Guanyin figure with flowing robes on one side wall is one of the most photographed images in the entire site. The cave is relatively small and fills quickly with visitors; come early or late in the day to see it without crowds.