The colossal Buddha at Fengxian Temple (奉先寺) is the masterpiece of the Longmen Grottoes and one of the greatest achievements of Chinese Buddhist sculpture. Carved during the Tang dynasty between AD 672 and 675 under the patronage of Emperor Gaozong and Empress Wu Zetian, the central figure is a 17.1-meter (56-foot) tall statue of Vairocana Buddha, symbolizing the universal Buddha whose wisdom illuminates all existence.