The fame of the Yungang Grottoes may be greater than that of Datong. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the first large-scale grottoes in China to be excavated by royal dignitaries after the introduction of Buddhist art from East Asia. It took one dynasty to carve, showcasing a blended art style of Greek, ancient Indian, and Central Plains cultures.
Hua Yan Temple
Huayan Temple was originally built during the Liao Dynasty. The name of the temple comes from the Mahāvaipulya Buddhāvataṃsaka Sūtra. Huayan Temple is built facing west to east, which is said to be due to the Khitan people's custom of worshipping the sun in the west.
Great Harmony Temple, also known as Datong Temple, was founded in ancient times. First, the Northern Temple was built, followed by the Southern Temple, and later the Huayan Temple. Unfortunately, the Northern Temple, also known as Tongguang Temple, which was built during the reign of Emperor Ming of the Han Dynasty, was destroyed during the "Cultural Revolution". The second temple, the Southern Temple, is now known as Shanhua Temple. The main hall, called Daxiong Hall, is a building from the Liao Dynasty, while the Heavenly King Hall, Three Saints Hall, and PuXian Pavilion were all built during the Jin Dynasty.
Datu Nine-Dragon Screen
There are nine dragon walls existing in Datong, with the Nine Dragon Wall being the most famous one. In 1391, Zhu Gui, the son of Zhu Yuanzhang, was granted the title of Duke of Dai and established the Dailin Mansion in Datong in 1392. Its strict rules and grand layout are often compared to the Forbidden City, and it is referred to as the "Little Forbidden City".
Sakyamuni Pagoda at Foguang Temple
The wooden pagoda was first built in the second year of Liaqingning (1056), and underwent extensive renovations during the second to sixth years of Jinmingchang (1191~1195). It has been repaired multiple times throughout the years. Despite experiencing 7 major earthquakes and being targeted by over 200 cannons during the warlord conflicts in Shanxi, the wooden pagoda still stands today, making it the oldest existing wooden pagoda in China.
Jingtu Temple
Don't miss the Jingtu Temple near Yinzhou, the temple is a mix of old and new, with unique main halls. But when you look up, it is a stunning sight. The hidden seaweed and heavenly pavilions inside this small temple will definitely make you astonished, especially for those who are not interested in the woodcarving art of Huayan Temple.
Built in the fifteenth year of the Taihe era of the Northern Wei Dynasty (491 AD), the Hanging Temple is mainly composed of restored buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Originally called the "Xuankong Pavilion," "Xuan" comes from Taoism, "kong" comes from Buddhism, and later extended to mean "hanging." Nowadays, it has a more vivid meaning: the entire temple has 41 rooms and covers only 152.5 square meters, but it appears to be a temple on level ground when it is actually perched on the mountaintop.
Wutai Mountain
Wutai Mountain is a world-famous tourist destination, comparable to Lhasa and Varanasi. It has a rich history from the Northern Wei Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty and experienced a renaissance during the Ming and Qing Dynasty. As the leading mountain among the four famous mountains, Wutai Mountain is an important witness to the history of Chinese Buddhism. It is an unattainable peak in terms of architecture, sculpture, murals, religion, and other aspects.
Xiantong Temple
Many halos surround the temple: it was built earliest (rumored to be during the reign of Emperor Ming of the Eastern Han Dynasty, known as the "second oldest temple in China," but more likely during the Northern Wei Dynasty), it is the largest in scale, has produced many high-ranking monks (known as the "ancestral seat of Huayan School"), and has the most landscapes. It is not an exaggeration to call it the ancestral seat of Mount Wutai.
Tayuan Temple
Wutai Mountain symbolizes the Dabaita, which is the Shakyamuni Stupa restored in the Ming Dynasty. As you walk around the tower three times, you can see dense inscriptions in Chinese, Mongolian, and Manchu scripts, indicating the importance ancient people attached to this tower. Behind the tower, in the Great Sutra Hall, there is a rotating wheel-shaped Buddha niche, but it no longer rotates to protect the cultural relics. If you look carefully at the ground, you can still find hidden doors used to push the rotating wheel-shaped Buddha niche in and out.
Bodhisattva's crown
There is a Tibetan Buddhist temple towering on Lingjiu Peak in the central region, which was a precious treasure of the Qing Dynasty royal family. The yellow glazed tiles symbolize the nobility of the royal family. Emperor Kangxi and Emperor Qianlong both established their palaces here, and famous figures such as the 13th Dalai Lama and the 9th Panchen Lama have also stayed here. Now, a hymn written by the 11th Panchen Lama himself is on display in the hall.
