Buddhist History and Art
A Datong tour is uncompleted without a visit to Yungang Grottoes – one of the World UNESCO Heritage sites.
This is the most classic and efficient tour to Yungang Grottoes. You will be picked up from airport or train station and start your trip directly. In addition to Yungang Grottoes, you get an opportunity to visit other essences of Datong, including Hanging Temple, Huyan Temple, Nine Dragon Screen, etc. which all help you enjoy a better probe into Datong’s long history and Buddhist culture.
Highlights of this tour
Welcome to Datong! You will be greeted by local tour guide at Datong Yungang Airport or Datong South Railway Station or your hotel directly.
Today, you will drive about 50 minutes (23 kilometers) to Yungang Grottoes, a World Heritage site dating back to 5th century. Containing 254 Buddhist caves, Yungang Grottoes stretches about 1 km long. It is filled with about 5,100 precious sculptures - the height of the largest Buddha statue reaches 17 meters and the smallest is only 2 centimeters tall. Most of the sculptures are Buddhas, from which you can be awestruck at their life-like features and blissful smiles. You won't miss Cave No.5 and Cave No. 6 - the highlights of Yungang Grottoes with the entire interiors carved and colored. Facing these jaw-dropping celestial beings in different shapes, you can imagine the painstaking effort taken to produce them.
In the afternoon, drive back to Datong city to visit Nine Dragon Screen Wall, made of colorful glazed tiles and depicting nine dragons. It was served as a temple's spirit wall placed in the entrance to inhibit the evil spirit's coming. Now it is the biggest and oldest glazed dragon wall in China. Next, you will visit Huayan Temple - the largest and best preserved monastery built by Khitan during Liao Dynasty. Unlike most traditional Chinese buildings, it interestingly faces east not south, because the Khitan were Sun worshipers. Indulge yourself in the palatial buildings, exquisite frescoes, valued inscriptions in the temple.
Stay overnight in Datong.
Optional Activity: It is available to take a leisurely walk or ride a bike on restored City Wall of Datong. Both new and old city of Datong can be viewed on the wall, showing a drastic difference. The night view seen from the City Wall is more amazing.
After breakfast, you will move to Hanging Temple, after 1.5 hours' driving (80 km). Built in 491 during Northern Wei Dynasty, it enjoys a history of over 1,500 years. Miraculously carved into the sheer cliff of Hengshan Mountain, Hanging Temple is one of the most incredible sights in China. Its 40 perilous halls and pavilions lean straight over the canyon. Seeing it from the ground, travelers can't help admiring at the ancient people's wisdom. Moreover, Hanging Temple is featured as the only existing temple with the combination of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. So various sculptures are enshrined in the temple. You have enough time to unlock the mystery of why this unusual temple could stand in the precarious position and explore China's religious culture.
After the exciting experience in Hanging Temple, drive 1 hour to Fogong Temple. The highlight of Fogong Temple is Yingxian Wooden Pagoda - the oldest and tallest wooden multi-storey structure in the world. Built in 1056 during Liao Dynasty (907 ~ 1125) and standing at 67.31 meters high, it shocks travelers most that the whole structure was made without any nails, screws, or bolts. There are lots of elegant Buddha statues and Bodhisattva statues to worship. Among them, an 11m high Sakyamuni statue is sitting solemnly in the pagoda on the first floor, it is the grandest one, and fortunately, it is accessible to the visitors. (The others are on the other floors, which are not open to public for a better preservation of the pagoda.)
After the sightseeing, you will be transferred to the airport or train station to catch your flight or train to your next destination. Service ends.
Optional Activity: Apart from the amazing building techniques, Fogong Temple is of great importance to Buddhists as there preserves two tooth relics of Sakyamuni, which is very rare and valuable. If you are interested, it is available to pay extra CNY100 for a respectful glance at them.
Situated in the middle of Shanxi Province, Mount Wutai (or Wutaishan) is one of the World's Five Sacred Buddhist Sites, UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of Four Greatest Buddhist Mountains in China and China’s National Geography Park. It is only about 3 hours' driving from Datong and 3.5 hours' driving from Pingyao.
Generally you only need 1 or 2 days for Mount Wutai exploration. You can spend one day visiting the sacred temples in Taihuai Town, then departing to other destination. If you are Buddhist or hikers, you can spend 1 or 2 more day exploring the Five Terraces which are 5 beautiful peaks with both natural wonders and Buddhist magnificence.
Wondering what is the ancient Chinese city like, how the ancient Chinese lived? Pingyao is the best place to find the answer. With a history over 2,700 years, Pingyao is reputed for the lineal ancient Chinese culture especially best-preserved old architectures. You can easily get to Pingyao by high speed trains from Beijing, Xian, Datong, etc. Classic itinerary is to spend a full day explore Pingyao Ancient City and nearby Shuangling Temple, then a half day for Wang’s Family Compound and Zhangbi Ancient Castle.
Datong / Wutaishan / Taiyuan / Pingyao
Datong / Pingyao
Datong / Wutaishan / Pingyiao / Hukou Waterfall
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