Shanxi Travel Notes | Datong: A Millennium of Encounters from the Northern Dynasties to the Ming Dynasty

Three Holy Temples It was built during the Tianhui and Huangtong years of the Jin Dynasty. It has a single-eaved hip roof and 60-degree inclined arches under the eaves of the left and right secondary rooms, shaped like blooming flowers. It not only bears the weight of the eaves, but also has a strong decorative effect. Initially, only four huge pillars were used to support the roof of the hall. Later, four auxiliary pillars were added, but you will find that they are not under the main beam of the hall, but moved to the back. Records of the Reconstruction of the Great Hall of the Great Pu'en Temple in Xijing, the Great Jin Dynasty At once Located on the left side of the hall, the inscription was written by Zhu Xi's uncle in 1176. After the Jingkang Incident, he was kidnapped by the Jin people and lived in Shanhua Temple for 14 years.

Opposite the main entrance of Shanhua Temple, there is a Five Dragon Wall . This wall was originally the screen wall in front of Xingguo Temple and was a relic from the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty. In order to facilitate the protection of cultural relics, it was moved to the opposite side of Shanhua Temple in 2009 and became the screen wall of Shanhua Temple. The wall is 19.9 meters long, 7 meters high and 1.45 meters thick. The lower part is the Xumizuo. The waist is carved with more than ten kinds of animals, including cows, horses, snakes and rabbits, with different and lifelike postures. The top of the wall is a glazed imitation wood structure Dougong, and the mural in the middle shows five giant dragons writhing in the rough clouds and mist.

nine dragon wall

temporarily closed

Compared with the Nine Dragon Wall, the Five Dragon Wall in front of Shanhua Temple is just meager. There are nine existing dragon walls in Datong, and the Nine Dragon Wall is the most famous one. This dragon wall is 45.5 meters long and 8 meters high, which is nearly three times larger than the Beihai Nine Dragon Wall in Beijing. It is a pity that this Nine Dragon Wall has been wrapped by a construction wall in 2019 due to the overall development of Datong Ancient City. It will take some time to open, but you may be able to appreciate this Chinese dragon wall through the gaps in the wall.

(No photos here)

Opposite the Nine Dragon Wall, have Dai Wangfu It was burned down by the Qing army when the Ming Dynasty fell and is now under reconstruction. It has been under slow development, and we hope that the glazed bricks and tiles of the past can be restored as soon as possible.

Chunyang Palace

Chunyang Palace, also known as Lü Zu Temple, is the "Northern Palace" of the three major Chunyang Palaces in Shanxi. There is no exact inscription on the founding time of Datong Chunyang Palace. It is said to have been founded by Liu Daoning, the chief of Xijing Dao Palace in the late Jin Dynasty and early Yuan Dynasty. In 1999, under the leadership of Taoist priest Bai Mingyu, it took five years to gradually restore the temple. The restored Chunyang Palace has more than 70 halls, with novel architectural design, ingenious and compact layout, well-arranged pavilions, winding corridors and waterside pavilions, and is a three-courtyard complex that combines the solemnity of a temple with the exquisiteness of a garden.

mosque

08:00-18:00, free

Don't try to find the huge dome. This mosque is a completely Chinese-style building. Only the minarets on both sides can confirm that you are not going wrong. The interior of the temple is more like a garden, and the inscriptions in the cloister record its renovation history.

Fahua Temple

07:30-17:30, free

Fahua Pagoda was built in the late Yuan Dynasty and early Ming Dynasty. After passing through several front halls, a huge white treasure bottle stands in the center. The only existing Lama pagoda in Datong is the Lama pagoda with a covered bowl. of Lotus Sutra and Named after.

Yungang Grottoes

Peak season 08:30-17:30, off-season 08:30-17:00, peak season/off-season ticket price: 125/80 yuan

The Yungang Grottoes are so famous that they are known as one of the four major grottoes in China, along with the Dunhuang-Mogao Grottoes, the Luoyang-Longmen Grottoes, and the Tianshui-Maijishan Grottoes. The short one-kilometer grotto road perfectly interprets the initial collision of Buddhism in the east. The stone carvings and statues with blurred faces and small holes all over their bodies tell the story of the turbulent times of the entire Northern Wei Dynasty. The Yungang Grottoes were excavated during the period of national integration in the Northern and Southern Dynasties. It is the first time that a nation and a dynasty have created royal Buddhist art since Buddhist art was introduced to China in the Han Dynasty. Grottoes can be divided into the following categories according to their shapes, contents and styles: There are three stages: early stage (Caves 16-20), middle stage (Caves 5-13), and late stage (Caves 1-4, 14, 21-53).

The early caves, Caves 16-20, also known as the Five Tan Yao Caves, have statues with obvious Xianbei characteristics. The Buddha statues are tall, with round faces, high noses, deep eyes, and straight shoulders, showing a vigorous, thick, and simple style of statue making. The caves are horseshoe-shaped, with dome-shaped roofs and thousands of Buddhas carved on the outer walls. Its carving techniques inherited and developed the excellent traditions of the Han Dynasty, absorbing and integrating the ancient Indian Gandhara style. The essence of the art of the ancient Roman Empire (now northern Pakistan, which integrates Greek culture) and the art of the ancient Mathura (northwest of the middle reaches of the Ganges). Cave 20 Before After the wall collapsed, the shape of the main Buddha became an open-air giant Buddha, and he has since become the image spokesperson of the Yungang Grottoes. If you look closely at his face, you can see two moustaches on his lips.

In the middle period, it was the peak stage of Yungang Grottoes carving, mainly including Cave 5-13. This period was the period of Emperor Xiaowen before the Northern Wei Dynasty moved its capital to Luoyang. It was the most stable and prosperous period of the Northern Wei Dynasty. On the one hand, the Xianbei people in the Northern Wei Dynasty were gradually being "Chinese", on the other hand, Buddhism itself was also being "Chinese", so obvious Chinese characteristics can be seen in the subject matter, content, cave shape and carving style. The richness of the themes, the magnificence of the art, and the exquisiteness of the sculptures of this period are simply breathtaking. Starting from Cave 5 and Cave 6, Yungang Grottoes began to visit the inner chambers, but photography was also prohibited. No words can describe the most magnificent sight of Yungang in Cave 6. You must be immersed there. Only then can you experience the extreme magnificence inside and outside the Buddhist cave.

After the Northern Wei Dynasty moved its capital to Luoyang, the Yungang Grottoes entered its later period. Although large-scale excavation activities stopped, the trend of digging caves to create statues spread among the middle and lower classes. The nobles, middle- and lower-class officials, and local believers made full use of the old skills of Pingcheng to create A large number of small and medium-sized caves have been excavated in Yungang. Buddha statues and Bodhisattvas have thin faces, long necks, narrow shoulders and tapered shoulders. This kind of statue was the result of the "Chinese" reform implemented in the late Northern Wei Dynasty, and a fresh and elegant artistic image of "beautiful bones and clear statues" emerged. It became a prominent Buddhist statue in the late Northern Wei Dynasty. Features.

To get to Yungang Grottoes from Datong City, you can take bus No. 603 to the bottom stop, Yungang Station. The fare is 3 yuan and the bus departs about 20 minutes. It is recommended to go in the morning for the best light.

Food

Although Datong does not have its own cuisine, it can be regarded as the master of Shanxi North and has formed part of its own characteristics, among which jelly and noodles are the most famous. When a foreigner visits Datong, it seems that it is not so authentic if he does not drink a bowl of jelly or eat a bowl of shaved noodles.

Datong jelly is made of potato starch and alum is added during the production process. The final product is translucent and very elastic, like soft jelly. It is extremely soft and smooth in the mouth without losing its toughness, so the locals call it drinking jelly. In addition to the special jelly itself, the chili in the seasoning is also an important symbol that distinguishes the local jelly from other places. city, Shunyi Liangfen (No. 38, Gulou East Street) The most famous dish is the thick and chewy jelly which costs 8 yuan per bowl. Don’t miss it.

Finding a shaved noodle shop in Datong is equally easy. There are well-known shops such as Dongfang Dao Pei (a chain store, the closest to the ancient city is Yingze Street store), and there are also many restaurants with dim signs and hidden corners. It may have a small appearance, but a good bowl of shaved noodles still needs to meet the basic requirements of the noodles being of the right thickness, smooth on the outside and tough on the inside, and getting better with chewing for a longer time. The stew (topping) is mainly made of classic minced pork, with coriander, which is salty, delicious and spicy.

Traffic in the city

Arrival and departure airport

Datong Yungang Airport is located 15 kilometers east of Datong City. The airport bus departs to the city according to the flight arrival time. The fare is 15 yuan. The terminal in the city is Datong Hotel. You can ask the driver to stop at any time along the way. The bus from the city to the airport also stops at the main entrance of Datong Hotel. The buses depart 3-5 times a day and are not fixed. It is recommended to consult the airport in advance to get the accurate time. At the same time, there is bus line 605 in Datong city to the airport. The departure station of line 605 is located at the east gate and Yangmen of Datong Ancient City. From there, it takes about 40 minutes to drive to the airport. Buses depart intensively and the fare is 3 yuan.

the bus

The Datong bus fare is 1-3 yuan, and you can use Alipay to get the card package and swipe the code to board the bus. The buses depart frequently and are convenient and fast. You can take bus No. 27 to get in and out of the ancient city, and bus No. 603 to Yungang Grottoes.

coach

Datong East Passenger Transport Station

Datong East Bus Passenger Station , which has just been moved to a new location, is currently the main bus station in Datong. The bus station is far away from the city. There are frequent daily departures to Hunyuan (Xuankong Temple & Hengshan, 2 hours) , Guangling (3 hours) and Wutai Mountain (4 hours). It is recommended to follow the WeChat article of "Datong East Passenger Bus Station" to learn about the latest departure time in that season, so as not to delay the trip .

Xinnan Highway Passenger Terminal

The Xinnan Highway Passenger Terminal located in the south of the city has buses to Ying County (Muta, 2 hours) , Shuozhou (Yanmen Pass, 3 hours) and Dai County (3.5 hours). It is also recommended to pay attention to the article "Datong Xinnan Highway Passenger Terminal" to learn about the latest bus timetable for the season.

Huayan Pagoda overlooking Huayan Square

Around Datong

Hanging Temple

Peak season 08:00-18:00, off-season 08:30-16:30, entrance fee 25 yuan, boarding fee 100 yuan, parking fee 10 yuan

Hanging Temple is located on the west side of Jinlong Gorge in the Hengshan Mountains, between the cliffs of Cuiping Peak. It was first built in the Northern Wei Dynasty and has a history of more than 1,500 years. It is the earliest existing and best-preserved high-altitude wooden structure cliff building in China. Relying on the wooden beam mortise and tenon structure, it is embedded in the cliff and is layered on the cliff. It has been hanging like this among the peaks and cliffs for thousands of years, yet it stands as solid as a rock. It is the only existing unique temple in my country that integrates Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism. It is precisely because of this that it has survived the religious and political disputes of the past dynasties. After visiting the Xuankong Temple, the poet "Li Bai" of the Tang Dynasty wrote a "spectacular" calligraphy treasure, which is now engraved on the huge stone under the temple and will remain famous for generations to come. Xu Xiake, a great traveler in the Ming Dynasty, also praised Xuankong Temple as "the most magnificent temple in the world".

If you just want to take pictures, then it is actually enough at the foot of the mountain. Of course, you can also spend a 100 yuan boarding fee to stand on the suspended plank road and experience the thrill. Because it is so narrow, you can only go to the temple by following a one-way loop. During the peak season, the flow of people will be controlled, and 80 people will be allowed in each batch. It is recommended to arrive as early as possible during the peak season. If you arrive after 10am, you may face a 3-4 hour queue. Because the tall Hengshan Mountain blocks the light, photography enthusiasts recommend going to the Hanging Temple in the morning.

arrival and departure

Datong has plenty of time to travel between the Hanging Temple and Hengshan in one day. If you have a tight schedule, you can even add attractions such as the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda. The Hunyuan Bus Station is located in the southwest of the county seat. There are frequent buses between Datong and Yingxian. The drivers of buses from Datong usually Park at the big roundabout 1.5 km from the bus station The price of taking a taxi from here to the Hanging Temple will be a little cheaper than at the terminal bus station (although the distance is farther). Taxis do not use meters, and it costs about 15-20 yuan to the Hanging Temple.

In the taxi, you can discuss with the driver whether to continue to Hengshan or return to the bus station. Opposite Yide Street on Hengshan South Road in Hunyuan County, there is Bus No. 8 going to Xuankong Temple and Hengshan (3 yuan, coin, bus every 20 minutes) , the bus will go all the way along the county seat Heading south, stop along the way. After visiting the Hanging Temple, you can wait for the return bus at the bus drop-off point, or continue taking bus No. 8 to Hengshan Mountain Gate.

Hengshan

07:30-19:00, ticket price 50 yuan

"Beiyue Hengshan", also known as "Taihengshan", was identified as one of the "Five Mountains" in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. It has a long history and splendid culture. As the "fifth small cave" among the thirty-six Taoist caves, there are legends about Taoist masters practicing in Hengshan in the past dynasties, including San Mao Zhenjun, Zhang Guolao and Zhang Sanfeng, one of the Eight Immortals, etc., who have left many beautiful legends and legends here. Good story. Hengshan Mountain has both natural and cultural landscapes. Forests, pines, ancient temples and pavilions, Taoist and Buddhist wonders, strange rocks and secluded caves constitute the famous Eighteen Ancient Scenic Spots. The Beiyue Temple, built on the main peak, is magnificent, full of incense, and full of ancient inscriptions. The main peak Tianfengling is 2016.8 meters above sea level, ranking second among the five mountains and known as the "North Pillar of Man and Heaven". However, even though the altitude of the Five Sacred Mountains ranks second, it is still the best mountain to climb among the Five Sacred Mountains. It can be easily climbed to the top in two hours, and the scenery is relatively average. Compared with the famous Xuankong Temple 2 kilometers away, tourists don't seem to like it very much.

Mount Hengshan covers a large area, and what people usually visit is the Hengshan Temple Group . The main entrance is located in what locals call the "parking lot." If your legs are too weak, you can take the cableway up the mountain next to the parking lot (90 yuan for the up trip, 80 yuan for the down trip, 160 yuan for the round trip, only open in peak season) to Kuixing Tower. The ropeway can save 40 minutes of travel, and it will take another 40 minutes to walk to the top. If you choose to walk up the mountain, after entering the temple complex, you will pass the Horse Shrine, the Customs Hall , and then climb a long step with a slope of about 40 degrees, to reach the most important pilgrimage site of Mount Hengshan. Hall——Hengzong Hall. Continuing up from Hengzong Hall is the tallest building in Hengshan, Huixian Mansion . Here you can overlook Pinghu Reservoir. It is also far away from the main peak Tianfengling It's only 20 minutes away. It takes 3 hours to visit the entire Hengshan Scenic Area. There are basically no supplies along the way, so you need to prepare water and food in advance.

There are no restaurants or supply stations near Xuankong Temple and Hengshan . If you need to visit after lunch, it is recommended to prepare lunch in advance. The nearest restaurant to the scenic spot is near Hunyuan Bus Station, but they are not satisfactory. You can go to Hunyuan County or Yingxian, an hour's drive away for lunch (there are many restaurants near the wooden pagoda in Yingxian and the conditions are good). Hunyuan County is a place that ordinary tourists rarely pass by. Little Wife-in-law’s Rice Noodles (Yong’an West Street, 6 yuan per person) in the county is a local signature delicacy. In the center of the county there is Yongan Temple (ticket 17 yuan) which is a paradise for lovers of ancient architecture.

arrival and departure

There is a Hengshan Tunnel between Hengshan Mountain and the Hanging Temple. It costs about 30-40 yuan to take a taxi from the Hanging Temple to the Hengshan Mountain Gate (this is only the Hengshan Ticket Office, not the main entrance to the Hengshan Tourist Area, and the terminus of bus No. 8 only stops here) It is about 5 kilometers away from the real tourist area (i.e. the Hengshan Temple complex). During the peak season, the scenic area has shuttle buses. (15 yuan/person), in the off-season, you can only find taxis (30 yuan/person). After 5 kilometers of winding mountain roads, vehicles can reach the real entrance to the temple complex (usually called the parking lot). For the return trip, you also need to discuss the time and pick-up point with the taxi driver in advance, or wait for the return bus at the bus drop-off point.

Yingxian wooden pagoda

07:30-17:30 (until 19:00 in peak season), ticket price is 60 yuan

The full name of Yingxian Wooden Pagoda is Sakyamuni Pagoda of Fogong Temple. It was built in the second year of Qingning in Liao Dynasty (AD 1056). It is not only the most unique one among the eight Liao structures, but also the only ancient pagoda with pure wooden structure in existence. 67.3 With a height of 1.3 meters and a huge octagonal body, it dazzles the world, and all viewers admire it. "If you don't see this tower, you don't know how possible the wooden structure is." - Anyone who has seen the wooden tower in Yingxian County will definitely agree with Liang Sicheng's words. This oldest existing wooden pagoda in China was certified by the Guinness Book of Records as the "tallest wooden pagoda in the world" in 2016. Of course, the Sakyamuni Pagoda does not need so-called Western proof. Its existence itself is a miracle. Looking at the wooden tower from Liaodai Street directly in front of the wooden tower, it feels like being in a fairy tale world. Nowadays, Yingxian County is also bustling because of the wooden pagoda. Most tourists will choose a day trip from Datong to visit Hunyuan (Xuankong Temple, Hengshan) together. But in order to understand the wooden pagoda, the homework required may be much longer than the time spent appreciating it.

A pure wooden structure building built to this height would be one of the best in the world today. It was not until 2019 that the record for the highest wooden tower held by Yingxian County was broken by an 85-meter-tall wooden building in Norway. When you think that the wooden tower uses technology from nearly a thousand years ago, you can easily understand Liang Sicheng’s admiration for those ancient architects and architects. Great admiration for the craftsmen. When you get closer and take a closer look, you are even more impressed by its structural design. From the outside, the wooden pagoda has five floors, but in fact there are four dark floors (flat seats), making a total of nine floors. Unlike many existing pagodas in China, the Sakya Pagoda does not have core pillars, but is more like a stack of pavilions, leaving enough space for the Buddha statues and people worshiping the Buddha on each floor. There are flat seats on each floor of the wooden tower, which can enjoy the surrounding scenery. It can also play a role in observing the enemy's situation at the border. Unfortunately, because the tower is now relatively fragile, tourists are no longer able to climb the tower.

The outside of the wooden pagoda is covered with dense plaques. Among them, the fourth floor "Wonder of the World" was inscribed by Zhu Houzhao, Emperor Wuzong of the Ming Dynasty. Both of them climbed the pagoda to express their heroic feelings after defeating the Mongolian Tatars. The third floor "Sakyamuni Pagoda" is the oldest of all the plaques. These three large characters were written by Wang Gu, a calligrapher of the Jin Dynasty. The small characters on the side are inscribed successively describing the history of the wooden pagoda.

The most amazing thing about the wooden pagoda is the Dougong. The Sakyamuni Pagoda has a total of 54 types of Dougong, which ranks among the eight major Liao structures. The most distinctive among them is the "Dougong" with a flat seat and a rather primitive inner groove. In fact, it is just short beams supporting each other. The materials are simple and the method is simple. No decoration is added. The whole structure is closer to the structure of a well. It may be the prototype of Dougong.

The structure of the flat-seat Dougong actually reflects the characteristics of the entire tower being built as a hall, that is, the Dougong and the beams and fangs are closely integrated and work together to stabilize the structure. The dougongs on the outer eaves are even more diverse and overwhelming. Dougongs placed in different places also have their own particularities. For example, the pillar pavilions on the lower floors are useful, but not on the upper floors. This is because when the roof height of each floor is fixed, the lower floors need to jump farther to raise the gentler eaves, and at the same time, they must meet the height of the dougong. Therefore, Xiang was used. On different floors, you can see that the pillar paving and the tweening paving in the open space formed a rhythm of one opening and one closing. To this day, it is definitely worthy of the title of "Unique" and " "Great Work".

arrival and departure

Yingxian Bus Station is located on the west side of the county (Xinjian West Street). There are frequent buses to and from Datong (2 hours, the latest bus is 17:30) and Hunyuan (1 hour). You can take buses 1, 2, 3, and 5 to Yingxian Bus Station. The bus fare is 1 yuan and only coins are accepted. The wooden pagoda is located in the center of Yingxian County. There are many dining options in front of the door. Buses from Datong and Hunyuan will pass by the wooden pagoda. Just ask the driver to stop.