Datong

What to see (Hits:)

The Yungang Grottoes are a collection of shallow caves located 16 km west of Datong. It has been enlisted as the World Heritage Site. There are over 50,000 carved images and statues of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas within these grottoes, ranging from 4 centimeters to 7 meters tall. Most of these icons are around 1000 years old. Within the city itself, there are a few surviving sites of historical interest such as the Nine Dragon Screen, the Huayan Monastery, and the Shanhua Monastery. Further afield is the Hanging Temple built into a cliff face near Mount Heng. Most of the historical sites in this region date to the Tang and Ming dynasties.