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Travel to Datong and Pingyao: The Guide
The Hanging Temples in Datong
This travel guide was co-authored by Helen Wang and Harley Greenberg of WindhorseTour.com, a local China travel agency developed to help guide travelers across China including Tibet and less visited destinations like Datong and Pingyao.
Datong and Pingyao are both located within China’s Shanxi province. Both areas are of great historical significance. These historic landmarks in China are filled with beautiful classical Chinese architecture from the Ming, Qing and Zhou dynasties.
You can take this opportunity to experience a large range of different climates, architecture, and culture.
If you are planning a visit to China, these locations would be high on the list of choices. I personally love the rustic charm and classic look of these cities. The cobblestone roads are always a great touch. Unless you happen to have to drive on that cobblestone, that can be annoying (luckily there won’t be too much of that).
In this guide I will highlight:
- A little history of Datong and Pingyao;
- How to get to Datong and Pingyao.
- What a tour to these locations will include;
- Where to stay in Datong and Pingyao;
- The four renowned ancient cities of China.
- The weather in Shanxi province;
Yungang Grottoes in Datong
Travel to Datong
When traveling to Shanxi Province, you should starting with Datong, a very beautiful and picturesque city in northern Shanxi province, with a lot of different experiences to offer.
How do you get to Datong?
Datong has a population of over three million and is easily accessible by plane as well as by a K train from Beijing. If you enjoy sightseeing, the train is meant for you. It travels through some very scenic mountains and small towns along the way. If you just want to get there without the scenic route, then by all means, take an airplane. Although the train is a lot cheaper.
A little bit of history
Datong was formed in 200 BC during the Han Dynasty and is in close proximity to the Great Wall. The city was renamed Datong, after formally being known as Xijing, in 1048 AD after the Mongols sacked it.
Where should you go in Datong?
Yungang Grottoes: These ancient Chinese Buddhist temples first started in 465 AD and were not completed until 1621 AD, taking one thousand one hundred and fifty six years to complete. The Grottoes are filled with many carvings, statues and impressive temples. It is a constant effort to preserve the Grottoes and to protect them from the harsh weather. Since the 1950’s they have been consistently sealing cracks in the sandstone. Yungang is located 16 km outside of Datong.
Hanging Temples: These temples, which are built into the cliffs of Mount Heng, are located just 64 km from Datong. They are amazing to behold, beautiful and majestic. The original temple was built sixteen hundred years ago by just one single man, a Buddhist monk named Liao Ran. Since then there have been many repairs and extensions affixed to the structure.
Source: http://www.saporedicina.com/english/travel-to-datong-and-pingyao/
