Introduction
Shanxi Province, 379km (236 miles) W of Beijing, 284km (176 miles) SE of Hohhot, 350km (217 miles) N of Taiyuan
In 398, Datong (then Ping Cheng) became the capital of the Xianbei tribes' first Chinese-style state -- as opposed to a tribal confederation -- under the Northern Wei dynasty. Modeled after the Han Chinese capital of Chaang'an (Xi'an), Datong remained their political center for the next hundred years, and it was during this period that most of the Yungang Buddhist Caves were carved out. Four hundred years after the Wei moved their capital south to Luoyaang in a step toward Sinicization, the Khitan (or Qidan) established their Liaao dynasty (907-1125) capital in Datong. Two buildings from that era survive at Huaayan Monastery, which with the Yungang Caves and the spectacular Hanging Temple give ample reasons to visit.
Modern Datong is an industrial center with an abundance of coal that is both a blessing and a curse. Without it, Datong's economy would collapse;...
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Yungang Shiku (Yungang Caves)
Influenced by the Buddhist site of Bamiyan in Afghanistan and the caves of Kizil and Kuqa, the stone carvings of Yungang are the earliest of their...
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Ying Xian Mu Ta (Ying Xian Wooden Pagoda)
Built in 1056 during the Liao dynasty, this impressive building is China's oldest surviving wooden pagoda. From the outside, it appears to have...
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- Landmarks
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Jing Xia You (Coal Mine Tour)
One of Datong's latest travel fads is a visit to a local coal mine. You get to suit up in a real coal miner's outfit complete with boots and light-equipped...
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