One picture "unlocks" the ancient capital of Datong
Datong, a thousand-year-old capital with a profound historical heritage, is a city that needs to be savored slowly.
【Itinerary】
D1: Datong Station - Hotel - Datong Museum - Datong Ancient City - Ancient City Night View - Gulou East Street/Qingyuan Street (close to the ancient city, delicious snacks)
D2: Hotel - Yong'an Temple - Hanging Temple - Mount Hengshan - Yingxian Wooden Pagoda - Jingshi Temple
D3: Hotel - Yungang Grottoes - Datong Station
✅Datong Ancient City: A relatively intact ancient city in China with a history of more than 2,000 years
Highlights: Huayan Temple, Shanhua Temple, Daiwang Palace, Nine-Dragon Screen, Fuwen Temple
(You can choose to rent a car, ride a bike or stroll through the ancient city to enjoy the sunset and night view)
Route: Yongtai Gate (South Gate) - Climb the City Wall - Wild Goose Pagoda - Wenchang Pavilion - East City Wall - Heyang Gate (East Gate) - Heyang Art Museum - North City Wall - Wuding Gate (North Gate) - Ganlou - Sculpture Museum - West City Wall - Qingyuan Gate (West Gate) - City Wall Exhibition Hall - Yongtai Gate (South Gate)
Tickets: Huayan Temple 50 yuan, Daiwang Palace 50 yuan (closed on Tuesdays)
Light show: "Great Harmony in the World" 16:30/20:30 (recommended)
✅Datong Museum: Learn about the history of the Northern Wei, Liao and Jin dynasties
The museum's treasures: stone coffin bed, bronze Boshan furnace, bronze tripod with coiled snake pattern, etc.
Tickets: Free (closed on Mondays, reservation required, 9:09-17:00)
Tour guide: Free tour guide at 09:30/10:00/14:30/15:00, rental of tour guide for 20 yuan, group tour guide for 180 yuan/10 people (the highlights are concentrated on the 2nd floor)
✅Yungang Grottoes: One of the three largest grottoes in China
Highlights: 45 major caves, Buddha statues, and murals
Route: Visitor Center - Tanyao Square - Lifo Avenue - Lingyan Temple - Grottoes - Yungang Museum - Performing Arts Center (Highlights: Caves 5-6, Caves 16-20)
Tickets: 100-120 yuan/person (8:00-17:00)
✅Hanging Temple: Ranked as one of the "Top Ten Most Dangerous Buildings in the World" by Time Magazine
Highlights: Thousand-year-old wooden temple, Li Bai's inscription "spectacular"
Suggestion: The queue is very long and the number of people allowed on board is limited. Try to queue up before the opening time (8:00-18:00)
Tickets: 115 yuan/person (ticket + boarding ticket)
✅Hengshan Mountain: One of the Five Great Mountains
Highlights: Guolao Ridge, Gusao Rock, Chunyang Palace, Feishi Grotto, various temples, Hanging Root Pine, Jade Emperor Pavilion
Route: 7km total hike, 2km shuttle bus + hike, 1.5km cable car + hike
Tickets: 45 yuan/person, shuttle bus 13 yuan/person/one way, cable car 70 yuan/person/one way (8:00-16:30)
✅Yingxian Wooden Pagoda: A pure wooden structure pavilion-style ancient pagoda, also known as the Buddha Palace Temple Sakyamuni Pagoda
Highlights: A pure wooden pavilion (5-story in appearance but 9-story in reality), Buddha statues, murals, treasures, cultural relics, and the Buddha's robes
Ticket price: 50 yuan/person (8:00-17:00)
✅Yong'an Temple: First built in the Jin Dynasty, and later rebuilt with two courtyards
Highlights: murals, the Dharma-Transmission Hall, calligraphy, plaques
Tickets: 20 yuan/person, explanation 200 yuan (8:00-18:00)
✅Jingshi Temple: commonly known as Bei Temple, built in the Jin Dynasty
Highlights: Architecture, sculptures and murals, caisson and woodcarving pavilions (treasures from the Jin Dynasty)
Ticket price: 15 yuan/person (8:00-18:00)
【Accommodation recommendation】
Around Datong Ancient City, convenient to walk to the ancient city (recommended)
Around Wanda Plaza, about 3 kilometers from the ancient city