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Datong is a city in Shanxi Province in China.

The Hanging Monastery outside of Datong

[edit] Get in

[edit] By train

• Beijing - an six-hour journey. Daily overnight trains run from Beijing to Datong and from Datong to Beijing. A hardsleeper ticket costs around ¥108. Booking tickets at the Datong train station can be difficult as for popular directions a large part of the tickets are hatched by black market sellers when they become available four days before the train runs. So book your tickets from Datong as early as possible. Night trains are available from both Beijing West Station (Beijing Xi Zhan) and Beijing Station (Beijing Zhan). The quickest way southwards (Shanghai, Hongkong, etc.) is over Beijing, and beside the night train there is a daily morning train, starting at 8:50, costing ¥45 for a hardseater.

• Pingyao - overnight train

[edit] Get around

Yungang Caves

[edit] By Bus

• Bus 3-1 - runs from the bus station to the Yungang Caves.
• Bus 3-2 - runs from the train station into town and then to the Yungang Caves.
• Bus 4 - runs from the train station into town.

Buses within Datong are 1¥. Trips to the Yungang Caves are 1.5¥

[edit][add listing] See

Huayan Monastery

• Yungang Grottoes, (Bus #3-1 or #3-2). By far the greatest attraction of the area is the 1,500-year-old Yungang Grottoes. These mountain-side caves and recesses number more than 50 in all and are filled with 51,000 Buddhist statues - the largest being a 56-foot Seated Buddha while the smallest is only a few centimeters tall. In addition to the carvings of the Buddha, there are also scenes depicting Buddhist teachings and famous monks. The Yungang Grottoes are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  edit

• Nine Dragon Screen, Da Dong Street (Located right at the geographic center of town, on the southern side of Da Dong Street (East Street) just to the east of the city's Drum Tower. Can be reached by Bus 4 from the Datong Railway Station.). A 600-year-old screen made of glazed tiles and depicting nine dragons, this is the oldest glazed screen in China. In front of the screen is a long, narrow pool of clear water. When reflected in the pool when there is a light breeze, the dragons really to appear to be dancing and cavorting.  edit

• Drum Tower. Like many cities in China, Datong has its own Drum Tower. This is in the centre of town, but not open to the public.  edit

• The Hanging Monastery, (Located 65 km to the souteast of Datong City.). Perched precariously halfway up a cliff some 50 meters above a river, the Hanging Monastery is one of the most remarkable sights in China. Consisting of a complex of 40 rooms linked together by mid-air corridors and walkways, this remarkable monastery appears to be glued to the side of a sheer precipice. Known as "Xuankong Si" in Chinese--"Temple Suspended in the Void"--this architectual wonder was built in 490 and has been hanging here for 1400 years. It has been renovated a number of times, most recently in 1900, and much of the current structure dates from the Ming and Qing Dynasties.  edit

• Heng Mountain, (Just past the Hanging Monastery. A cable car can take you directly to the temples or you can take the half hour walk). This is one of the 5 important Buddhist mountains in China.  edit

• Yingxian Wooden Pagoda, Yingxian Town (About 75 km south of Datong and 70 km northeast of Shuozhou City. The bus from Datong takes about two hours.). This impressive pagoda is the oldest and tallest wooden structure in China. Built in 1056 in the Liao Dynasty, this handsome pagoda has been standing in this location for over 950 years. It is located on the grounds of a Buddhist temple, much of which was rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty.  edit

• Red Flag Square. Evenings around the Red Flag Square are quite entertaining and full of locals.  edit

[edit][add listing] Do

[edit][add listing] Buy

[edit][add listing] Eat

[edit][add listing] Drink

[edit][add listing] Sleep

[edit] Budget

• Feitian Binguan, 1 Chezhan Qian Jie, ☎ (0352)2815117.  edit

[edit] Mid-range

• Hongqi Dafandian, Huochezhan BeiLu, ☎ (0352)2816813 (fax: (0352)2816671).  edit
• Yanbei Binguan, 1 Yuhe Beilu, ☎ (0352)6024116 (fax: (0352)6027287).  edit

[edit] Splurge

• Datong Binguan, 37 Yingbin Xilu, ☎ (0352)2032476 (fax: (0352)2035174).  edit

[edit] Get out