Datong [2 full days]
Datong is a city in the northern Shanxi Province in China, located about 350 kilometres west of Beijing, at an elevation of 1090 meters.
Yungang Grottoes
The Yungang Grottoes are ancient Buddhist temple grottoes about 16 km southwest of Datong. They are excellent examples of rock-cut architecture and, alongside Longmen and Mogao, one of the three most famous ancient sculptural sites of China.
The grottoes were mainly constructed in the period between 460-525 AD during the Northern Wei dynasty. They are an outstanding example of the Chinese stone carvings from the 5th and 6th centuries. All together the site is composed of 252 grottoes with more than 51,000 Buddha statues and statuettes. In 2001, the Yungang Grottoes were made a UNESCO World Heritage Site. UNESCO considers them a "masterpiece of early Chinese Buddhist cave art... [and] ...represent the successful fusion of Buddhist religious symbolic art from south and central Asia with Chinese cultural traditions, starting in the 5th century CE under Imperial auspices."
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| Yungang Grottoes | Yungang Grottoes |
Hanging Temple
The Hanging Temple is a temple built into a cliff 75m above the ground near. It is situated 65 kilometers northwest of Datong. Along with the Yungang Grottoes, the Hanging Temple is one of the main tourist attractions and historical sites in the Datong area. Built more than 1,500 years ago, this temple is notable not only for its location on a sheer precipice but also because it includes Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian elements.
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| Hanging Temple | Hanging Temple |
Day 1: Beijing - Yungang Grottoes - Hanging Temple - Datong
- Pick-up from your Beijing accommodation in the early morning.
- 4 hour drive on the highway to the Yungang Grottoes; stop for breakfast on the way, if you like.
- Have lunch, and then visit the grottoes for 2-3 hours.
- 1.5 hour drive to the Hanging Temple.
- Visit the temple for about 2 hours.
- Drive to Datong city, check in your accommodation around 18:30 h.
I am happy to assist you with finding accommodation or to make recommendations. - Time for dinner!
Day 2: Datong - ancient city of Ji Ming Yi - Beijing
- Check out of your Datong accommodation after breakfast.
- 3 hour drive from Datong to the ancient city of Ji Ming Yi.
- Explore Ji Ming Yi at your own pace or hire a local guide (well worth it!)
- Leave for Beijing around 14:30 h.
- Drop off at your Beijing accommodation in the evening.
| Vehicle | Number of Guests | Price |
| Car | 1-4 people | 2700 RMB |
| Van | 4-7 people | 5500 RMB |
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| Ji Ming Yi | Ji Ming Yi |
Useful Links
Yungang Grottoes on Wikipedia
Hanging Temple on Wikipedia
Some of my Datong photos
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