Datong see · Datong attractions
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Datong attractions
Datong attractions
Yúngāng Grottoes (云冈石窟 Yúngāng Shíkū), (Take bus #4 to the end of the line and change to #3 and take that to the end of the line). By far the greatest attraction of the area is the 1,500-year-old Yúngāng Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. These mountain-side caves and recesses are filled with 51,000 Buddhist statues - the largest being a 56-foot Seated Buddha while the smallest is only a few centimetres tall. In addition to the carvings of the Buddha, there are also scenes depicting Buddhist teachings and famous monks. Unlike Dunhuang grottoes, most caves here permit photography, (notably excepting caves 5&6). The entrances to caves 5 and 6 are fronted by wooden temple structures. The cave walls at these entrances were damaged by graffiti during the cultural revolution although the majority of the site is well-preserved. At least you get the impression that the caves are mostly ancient/original and not reconstructed. Cave 20 may have people praying in front. ¥150. Full-time students and 60-69 yrs half price. Serving military, disabled, 70+, children under 1.4m free. Discounts require documentary proof.. �
The Hanging Monastery (悬空寺 Xuánkōngsì), (Located 65 km to the southeast of Datong. From Datong train station, fifth stop on bus line 15 takes you to 市供排水集团 Shìgōng Páishuǐ Jítuán. From there, walk ahead to crossroads, turn left and main bus station 大同汽车站 Dàtóng Qìchēzhàn is just ahead on left. Window 2 sells 26 yuan tickets to 悬空寺 Xuánkōngsì. Buses leave frequently. After nearly a 2 hour journey you will be transferred to a free taxi for the final few miles.). Lodged precariously on a cliff-face, this monastery is one of the more remarkable sights in China: a complex of 40 rooms linked by mid-air walkways. It appears to be stuck into the side of the cliff, but is actually supported by stilts. There is a '3 Religions Hall' with all of Buddha, Confucius and Laozi (founder of Daoism). Built in 490, renovated several times, most recently in 1900, much of the current structure dates from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Less than an hour to visit. If waiting in the car park for a suitable taxi, tasty vegetarian food available at stall. Entry full 130Y summer, 125Y winter. Students, 60-69 half price. Disabled (残疾人), military, (doesn’t specify just Chinese military�;-), 70+, less than 1.2m tall children free. Discounts require documents.. �
Yīngxiàn Wooden Pagoda (应县木塔 Yīngxiàn Mùtǎ), 应县市, Yīngxiàn Town (About 75 km south of Datong and 70 km northeast of Shuozhou. The bus from Datong (¥20) takes about 2 hr, or from the Hanging Monastery (taxi to Hunyuan ¥10 after bargaining) it's about one hour (¥12) by bus, or you might find taxi drivers willing to take you directly from the Hanging Monastery car park to the Wooden pagoda for 40 yuan per person.). Summer 7:30am-7pm. Winter 8am-5:30pm.. This impressive pagoda is the oldest and tallest wooden structure in China, built in 1056 in the Liao Dynasty. It is located within a Buddhist temple, some of which was rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty. There is an active temple in the back built in 2001. Only the ground floor and the first floor of the pagoda are open to visitors. Maybe half an hour needed to visit. For an additional ¥40 you can visit a small exhibition on the premises. Tickets ¥60. Full-time students, 60-69yo & disabled half-price. Current serving military 四、现役军人 (they don’t specify just Chinese military�;-), 70+, less-than-1.2m-tall children free. Discounts require documents.. �
Daoist Monastery, (On bus line 4 it is somewhere near stops 6 and 7, between the drum tower and Huáyán Monastery). A small collection of Daoist temples and a peaceful courtyard. A more human scale than the nearby Huáyán Monastery - half an hour at most - unless you are intercepted by a Daoist monk and have a chat / are given an explanation. Completely rebuilt in 2010. 30 yuan full price. 15 yuan students etc. �
Huáyán Monastery (华严寺), (On bus line 4 it is near the seventh stop from the train station). Closes 7pm. A large collection of Buddhist temples of the Huayan sect that can be seen in an hour or two. Unusually this monastery faces east, not south. Nice to hear chanting at the back (no photos). Completely rebuilt in 2010. At 80yuan a bit expensive really - If you like Buddhism (and mountain scenery, and have the time), save your money/time and head to Wutai Shan for slightly longer instead. 80 yuan full price. 40 yuan students. Disabled, military, 70yo+ free. �
Nine Dragon Screen (九龙壁 Jiŭlóngbì), Dàdōng Street 大东街 (Located right at the geographic center of town, on the southern side of Dàdōng Street 大东街 (East Street) east of the main intersection a block north of the Drum Tower. Can be reached by Bus 4 from the Datong Railway Station， 6th stop 四牌楼 sìpáilóu，get off the bus and continue walking in same direction of bus and turn left at crossroads. 九龙壁 Jiŭlóngbì is on the right after 200m.). 7:30am-7pm. A 600-year-old screen made of glazed tiles and depicting nine dragons, this is the oldest glazed screen in China. Most people will visit this for less than 5 minutes. It is a pity that the pond in front of the screen is no longer filled with water. ¥10, students and 60-69 yrs ¥5 Children under 1.3m, current-serving military, disabled, 70+ free. Discounts require documents.. �
Drum Tower (鼓楼). Like many cities in China, Datong has its own Drum Tower. This is in the centre of town, but not open to the public. �
Heng Mountain (恒山 Héng Shān), (The entrance gate is 2 km past the Hanging Monastery, then it's another 12 km to the scenic area. A cable car can take you directly to the temples or you can take the half hour walk). This is the least religiously important of the 5 Sacred Mountains of Taoism. Due to its northerly location, it has been impossible for pilgrimages by the Chinese to take place for much of its history. ¥55. �
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Datong Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
