The Yungang Grottoes are located at the southern foot of Mount Wuzhou, 17 kilometers west of Datong City, Shanxi Province, China. They were carved into the mountainside and stretch for 1 kilometer from east to west. There are currently 45 large caves, 252 small caves, and over 51,000 stone sculptures. It is one of the largest ancient grotto complexes in China, along with the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang, and Maijishan Grottoes in Tianshui, collectively known as the Four Great Cave Art Treasures of China.
Mount Heng
Hengshan Scenic Area is located 10 kilometers south of Huyuan County, Datong City, Shanxi Province. It is 62 kilometers away from the city center of Datong. It is known as the "Northern Yue" and the Hanging Temple is world-famous. The main peak, Tianfengling, is located south of Huyuan County, with an altitude of 2016.1 meters. It is known as the "Northern Pillar of Heaven", the "Famous Mountain at the Edge of the World", and the "Second Mountain in the World".
Yongan Temple is located in the northeast of Gunlou North Lane, Huyuan County, Shanxi Province. It was built in the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) and has been repaired multiple times in the Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties. The hall is exquisitely made with added ceiling and coffered ceiling. The walls of the hall are painted with water and land scenes, with well-preserved colors, depicting over 800 characters from Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. The architecture and extensive murals of Yongan Temple provide important historical materials for the study of folk beliefs in Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. It is the largest existing ancient building in Huyuan County, also known as the Dasi (Great Temple). The temple's courtyard is flat, with a well-organized layout and magnificent, ancient-style buildings.
Hua Yan Temple
Located in the southwestern corner of the ancient city of Datong, it was built in the 7th year of the Liaozhongxi based on the Buddhist scripture "Avatamsaka Sutra". It has the characteristics of a royal temple in the Liao dynasty and has a prominent status. After the war, it was rebuilt by Jin Tianjuan for three years. The temple is oriented from west to east, with more than 30 buildings such as the mountain gate, Puguangming Hall, Daxiong Baodian, Baojia Teaching Hall, and Huayan Pagoda arranged in a strict layout along the north-south axis. Huayan Temple covers an area of 66,000 square meters and is one of the earliest and relatively well-preserved temple complexes from the Liao and Jin dynasties in China. It has a rigorous layout, magnificent halls, and a spectacular ancient appearance.
Ancient castle tomb complex
The Castle Han Tombs are located around 60 miles southeast of the city of Yanggao County, with 25 Han tombs on the east bank of the Nanliyuan Ditch. There are 15 Han tombs on both sides of the riverbank, 8 Han tombs to the north of the castle, and 10 Han tombs to the east of the castle. With the ancient town as the center, it covers an area of 19 square kilometers and is scattered with a group of Han tombs. The tombs are mainly concentrated in the areas of Xujia Kiln, Jinjiawa, Danjiayao, and Anjiazao.
Yungang National Forest Park, Shanxi
The Yungang National Forest Park is located in Datong City, Shanxi Province, with a total area of 15,967 hectares and a forest coverage rate of 31%. The park is rich in natural and cultural landscapes, including the world-famous Yungang Grottoes of the Northern Wei Dynasty, the beautiful Wenyang Lake, the stunning Red Stone Cliff with red rock and tall pine trees, ancient plant fossils, modern coal industry exhibitions, and other tourist attractions such as Shang and Xia Huayan Temples, Shanhua Temple, Jiulong Wall, nearby Muta in Yingxian County, and the Hanging Temple on Hengshan Mountain.
Suspension Temple, located in the precipice of Cuiping Peak west of Jinlong Gorge in Hunyuan County, Datong City, Shanxi Province, is known as "suspension temple, half-day high, three horse tails hanging in the air". It is famous for its perilous location as if hanging over an abyss. Built in the late Northern Wei dynasty, 1400 years ago, it is the only temple in China that combines Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism.
Datong Volcanic Group National Geopark in Shanxi province
Datong Volcanic Geopark is divided into Datong Volcanic Scenic Area, Sanggan River Scenic Area, and Qiulinyu Scenic Area. It is a large comprehensive geological park that integrates geological relics and cultural landscapes, with multiple functions such as tourism, leisure, education, and research. This volcanic group is a typical Quaternary crustal movement relic, located in the eastern part of the flat and wide Datong Basin and the river valley of the middle reaches of Sanggan River. It is one of the six famous volcanic groups in China and a rare natural heritage in East Asia.
