Situated at the center of Datong Basin, Datong is in the northern part of Shanxi Province. Throughout the ages Datong had been an important garrison town due to its strategic location on the Yu River bordering on what is now Inner Mongolia. Datong once served as the capital city during the North Wei Dynasty 386 AD - 534 AD and was the seat of provincial government during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The tall city walls were constructed in the early Ming Dynasty.

Datong is not only a Buddhist attraction but also the nearest city to Mt. Hengshan, one of the four holy mountains of Taoism in China. The city is known for its harmonious coexistence of religions, together with its historical significance and rugged terrains.

Essential Datong 1 day: RMB2000/2pax

Railway Station Transfer, Yungang Grottoes, Hanging Temple.

Classic Datong 1 day: RMB1600/2pax

Yungang Grottoes, Huayan Temple, Nine-dragon Screen, Shanhua Temple

Architecture Wonder 1 day: RMB2210/2pax

Hanging Temple and Wooden Pagoda.

Yungang Grottoes

The Yungang Grottoes are said to be the best preserved sites in China with 53 caves containing over 51,000 stone carvings of Buddha and bodhisattvas .These status range from the tallest of 17 meters to the shortest of a few centimeters high, some of them still retaining their original paints. The grottoes were built between 460 AD and 494 AD in the Northern Wei just before Luoyang was chosen as the new dynastic capital where a second set of grottoes were constructed.

Huayan Monastery

The complex of Huayan Monastery is located on the southwestern side of Datong City. The Monastery dates back to the early part of the fifth century. It consists of two courts, the upper part with the Grand Hall housing five large Buddhas of Ming Dynasty, the lower part having undergone numerous renovations over a period of several centuries and enlarged to its present size. It is one of the largest wooden Buddhist temples still in existence in China today. The Huayan Monastery originally served as the ancestral temple of the royall family of the Kingdom of Liao (916 AD - 1125 AD) with sacrifices offered here during the annual ceremonies.

Nine-dragon Wall

The Nine-dragon Wall in Datong was built during the reign of the first Emperor of Ming Dynasty. It was built with 426 glazed tiles fired specially in five different colors. The exquisite design of green wave at bottom symbolizes the sea, with the blue background representing as sky, and the yellow brushstrokes mimicing the clouds. The glazed nine dragons on the wall are depicted in painstaking details, rising out of the sea, commanding the forces of nature and chasing after the mythical suns. Being the oldest and largest glazed screen in China, in existence for over 600 years, it is still in perfect condition today owing to its perfect architecture and craftsmanship.

Shan Hua Temple

The Shan Hua Temple is located inside of the southern gate of Datong City and was originally founded in 713 AD during the Tang Dynasty. The buildings of the temple were destroyed during wartime, and were rebuilt during the Jin Kingdom (1115 AD -1234 AD). It is one of the best preserved temples of that kingdom that have survived to the present day. Covering an area of nearly 14, 000 square meters, the Shan Hua Temple has three main buildings, the Gate, the Hall of the Three Saints, and Da Xiong Bao Dian which is the most important building in this temple. In addition to its great historic and architectural value, the Shan Hua Temple also occupies a significant place in the Buddhist religion.

Wooden Pagoda

The Wooden Pagoda is widely known in China as the Wooden Pagoda of Yingxian (Ying County). It is the oldest and tallest wooden structure in China. It is regarded as the "First Pagoda in the World" and an architectural wonder. Built during the Liao Kingdom (916 AD - 1125 AD), the pagoda has survived over 1,000 years. The pagoda has a total of nine floors, only five of which are visible from the outside.

The pagoda is decorated with wind bells on the corner of each eave and vivid murals on the inside walls. This deceptively simple structure was built without any single nail or rivet used during the construction. The whole structure was joined together using only brackets, tenors and mortises, which made it strong enough to withstand various kinds of natural disasters.

Hanging Temple

The Hanging Monastery was built in 491 AD and has survived over 1500 years. It was reconstructed and its grounds enlarged in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The monastery is an architectural wonder as the whole structure is supported by ingenious engineering that transfers the weight onto the cliff on which it hangs. Seeing it from the distance you could find it hanging in the mid air miraculously, hence the name "Hanging Temple".

This is a multi-devotional monastery in which you can find not only materials on Buddhism but also on Taoism and Confucianism. There are around 40 halls with 80 sculptures that are vividly carved from copper, iron, terracotta and stone.