Datong
Fifteen-hundred-year-old Buddhas carved into sandstone cliffs, and a temple that clings to a mountainside.
Highlights of Datong
Datong is an easy add-on from Beijing. Its Yungang Grottoes hold more than 50,000 statues carved in the 5th and 6th centuries.
Yungang Grottoes
A UNESCO World Heritage Site of 252 caves, some with Buddhas 17 metres tall.
Hanging Temple
Built into a cliff face over 1,400 years ago, held up by wooden beams.
Datong old city
Restored city walls and the Nine Dragon Screen, the largest glazed-tile screen in China.
Connections
| To / from | By | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing | High-speed train | about 2 hours |
| Pingyao | Train and road | about 4 hours |
Times are typical and vary by service.
Tips from our guides
- Combine with Pingyao for a three- to four-day Shanxi loop from Beijing.
Nearby and nicely paired
3–4 daysBeijing
Six centuries of emperors, the best stretches of the Great Wall, and hutong lanes where neighbours still play cards on the pavement.
1–2 daysPingyao
One of China's best-preserved walled towns, with Ming and Qing streets, courtyard inns and the country's first bank.
4–5 daysHulunbuir
Endless summer grasslands in Inner Mongolia, with horses, yurts and the Russian border on the horizon.
Add Datong to your China trip
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