Datong Buddhist Tour with Yungang Grottoes
Overview
Discover the epic grandeur of Datong - once as an ancient imperial capital of China - with some historical sights and Buddhist relics. This 3-day Datong trip would present illustrious Yungang Grottoes with a treasure trove of Buddhist culture and art, mystical Hanging Monastery hewn out of the vertical rock cliff, time-honored Huayan Monastery, and fantastic Nine Dragon Screen. Immerse yourself in the history, culture and art of ancient China.
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Make your way to Datong by flight or high speed rail. Be met and greeted by your Easy Tour China guide, then transfer with a private vehicle to your hotel. For the rest of the day, you may explore the city on your own pace.
- About Datong: In history, Datong had a glorious past as the capital of the Northern Wei Dynasty (383-534 AD), and was one of the nine ancient capitals of China. It’s a wonderful choice to travel this ancient city with a history of more than 2400 years and among the first group of important historical and cultural cities in China. If you plan a history or religion tour in China, Datong is the place you should go.
After breakfast, transfer to visit Hanging Monastery, also known Hanging Temple and Xuankong Temple. It was built in the later period of the Nothern Wei Dynasty (383-534 AD), which is over 1,500 years history. The halls and pavilions were constructed along the contours of the cliff face between 26 to 50 meters from bottom up by using the natural hollows and outcrops. The buildings are connected by corridors, bridges and boardwalks and contain more than 80 bronze, iron and stone statues of gods and buddhas from different dynasties. Then transfer to visit the Yungang Grottos, with the wide spread of Buddhism in China in the second century, grotto art was introduced to China from India, developing rapidly between the second and fourth centuries.
The Yungang Grottos is located 16 kilometers west of Datong city, the Yungang Grottoes are carved out of cliff-sides in a honeycomb pattern, stretching for 1,000 meters (0.62 mile) from east to west. The Grottoes were built more than 1,500 years ago in the Northern Wei Dynasty. Nowadays, more than 51,000 statues remain, the largest being 17 meters high and the smallest only few centimeters. Whether huge or tiny, all are meticulously carved. The Yungang Grottoes is one of the largest group grottoes in China and also a world famous art treasure.
Meal: B, L
Morning leisure for your own arrangement. According to your flight or train schedule, transfer to airport /railway station on time and moving to your next destination. Your 3-day Datong tour ends.
OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES
- Nine Dragon Wall: Located in front of the prince residence of the 13th son Zhu Guidai of the first Ming emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, the Nine-Dragon Wall in Datong city was erected in 1392 as a screen. The wall is 45.5 meters long, 8 meters high and 2.02 meters thick.
- Huayan Temple: In Datong, two famous temples erect side by side: Lower Huayan Temple completed in 1038 of Liao Dynasty and Upper Huayan Temple, rebuilt after a fire in 1140, although the five grand Buddhas were remade in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and the frescos repainted late in the 19th century.
Meal: B
