What to see in Datong

Datong is an ancient city with a history of more than 2400 years. In history, Datong had a luminous past as the capital of the Northern Wei dynasty (383-534 AD). The city is endowed with rich cultural relics left from different periods like Yungang Grottos, Huayan Temple and Nine Dragon Wall.

Features & Attractions •Yungang Grottoes • Hanging Temple •Datong Yanmenguan Pass •Mt. Hengshan in Datong •Datong Huayan Temple •Nine-dragon Wall in Datong •Yingxian Wooden Tower

Yungang Grottoes Yungang Grottoes has enrolled as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO in 2001. it represent the excellent achievement of Buddhist sculptural art of ancient China. extending 1 km (0.62 miles) from east to west, revealing 53 caves and over 51,000 stone statues, it is the largest among the four most famous ancient grotto complexes in China. The whole grotto complex is magnificent with delicate carvings. All the statues are precious and vivid, representing the development of art, architecture, music and religion at that time. Location: about 16km southwest of Datong City center Ticket Price: 130Yuan per person (including 70Yuan as admission fee and 60 Yuan for Caves No.5 and 6) Opening Time: 08:30-17:00 (15th, Apr,-31st Oct.) 08:30-16:30 (1st , Nov.-14th, Apr.) How to get there: Bus No. 3-1, 3-2, 10 or 12

Hanging Monastery The Hanging Monastery is just outside the town of Hunyuan, 75km southeast of Datong. Since it hangs on the west cliff of Jinxia Gorge more than 50 meters above the ground, it is called Hanging Monastery. Built in 491, Hanging Monastery has survived more than 1400 years. Hanging Monastery, which is Hengshan Mountain’s principal attraction, pays homage to Confucianism and Taoism as well as to Buddhism, with sculptures of Confucius and Lao-Tzu alongside sculptures of the founding father of Buddhism, Sakyamuni Buddha. Location: 65km southeast of Datong City Ticket Price: 130Yuan Opening Time: 08:30-17:30 (winter) 08:00-18;00 (summer)

Yanmenguan Pass Yanmenguan Pass Located on the Yanmen Mountain northwest of Dai County, Shanxi province, Yanmenguan Pass is one of the Outer Three Passes (the rest two are Ningwuguan Pass and Pianguan Pass) along the Great Wall. The Yanmen Pass is located in a position of military strategic importance. The mountain peaks around shoot up, with small paths that zigzag along the mountain valley. The pass was built in the seventh year of the Reign of Hong Wu Emperor, Ming Dynasty(1374 AD). Now on the pass there are still three existing towers that house a number of steles and the Tomb of Li Mu, a famous army general during the Period of Warring States (475 – 221 BC). Location: about 40km northwest of Da County Ticket Price: 35Yuan

Mt.Hengshan Mt. Hengshan, also variously called Ziyue, Hengzong or Changsha n Mountain, lies some 60 kilometers south of the city of Datong, Shanxi Province. The mountain, whose highest peak reaches an altitude of 2017 meters, is the northernmost of the ‘Five Sacred Mountains of China’, or ‘Wu Yue’, as they are called by the Chinese, in recognition of the mountains’ link to Taoism. Opening Time: 08:00-18:00 Ticket Price: Tianfeng Summit: 35Yuan Cableways: 30Yuan (up); 25Yuan (down); 45Yuan (round-up) County Area: Li Yumei Temple 20Yuan Yongan Temple 20 Yuan

Huayan Monastery The Huayan Monastery complex is located on Daxi Street on the south western side of Datong City, Shanxi Province. There are two separate sections to the monastery, the upper one Shanghuayan si referred to as the Grand Hall housing five large Ming Dynasty Buddhas, and the lower section Xiahuayan si referred to as the Sutra Temple containing a library of some 18,000 volumes of Buddhist writings. Built during the Liao Dynasty (907 – 1125), the Huayan Monastery is the largest and best preserved monastery of the Liao Dynasty in existence in China. This monastery was built according to the Huayan Sutra Sect of the Huayan School and is unique in that it faces east instead of south. Ticket Price: 20Yuan (Upper Huayan Monastery) 30Yuan (Lower Huayan Monastery) Opening Time: 09:10-17:00 How to get there: there are direct tourist bus at Datong railway station

Nine-dragon Screen The Nine-dragon Screen located in Datong city is the oldest and biggest one. height of the wall is 8 meters, length is 45.5 meters, and width is 2.02 meters. Nine vivid flying dragons are evenly distributed. Its narrow middle section is composed of 75 glazed tiles with images of oxen, dogs, deer rabbits and other animals. In front of the Nine-dragon Screen, there is a pool which can reflect the lights of the screen wall. Location: Yanghe Street, Datong city Opening Time: 09:00-16:50 Ticket Price: 10Yuan

Yingxian Wooden Pagoda Located in the Fogong Temple, Yingxian Wooden Pagoda regarded as one of the “Three Pagodas in the World”, together with the Eiffel Tower in France and the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy. Built in 1056, this wooden pagoda has a history of over 1000 years. It is built on a four-meter-high groundwork with a total height of 67.31 meters, and a diameter of 30.27 meters at its bottom. The pagoda is the oldest and highest wooden structure construction in China and around the world. Location: Located in Fogong Temple, northwest of Yinxian country Opening Time: 07:00-09:00 Ticket Price: 61Yuan How to get there: There are direct bus at railway station