Datong
The city of Datong lies in the heart of Shanxi province and is home to some of the most ancient architecture and relics in China. First settled in the Han dynasty around 200 BC, Datong is the place to discover delicate wooden pagodas, crumbling Buddhist grottoes and the beguiling Mount Hengshan, one of China’s five sacred mountains, with its wooden hanging monastery.
The city of Datong has been restored to its former imperial glory, with intricately carved pagodas and traditional houses, particularly beautiful at night when lit by hundreds of lanterns. But outside the city walls lie some of China’s most important historic sites, from the Buddhist grottoes of Yungyang to the Hanging Monastery at the foot of Mount Hengshan – the world’s oldest wooden pagoda.
