4 Nights / 5 Days Pingyao-Taiyuan-Datong

45.5 meters long and 8 meters high, 2 meters thick and 426 pieces of glazed tiles. In ancient times, the screen served as a barrier by keeping passers-by from peeping into the house and making visitors tidy themselves before meeting their hosts.

- HuayanTemple: named after the Huayan sect of Buddhism, built in the 11th century, it is one of the biggest temples in China. Thetemple is divided into two parts, the upper part with various halls, and the lower part which is smaller than the upper one but more interesting with 29 coloured clay figures made during the Liao Dynasty (907-1125AD) in its Bojiajiaocang Hall.

- HangingTemple: 75km away from Datong, built about 1500 years ago at the foot of Mt.Hengshan, the temple was a structure that clings precariously to the side of the Mt.Hengshan range. Caves carved into the cliffs or along natural contours make up the rooms and walkways, and bridges connect the different halls. It is an immortal masterpiece of ancient architecture and a piece of crystallization of workmanship and resourcefulness.

 

Day 5:

Pay a visit to the Yungang Grottoes in the morning before your afternoon train to your next destination.

-Yungang Grottoes: a treasure-house of rare and splendid Chinese sculptures and that of ancient Buddhist art, located about 16 kilometers west of Datong. Built in compliance with the lie of the mountains, more than 1500 years ago during the Northern Wei Dynasty, it is one kilometer from east to west and the largest of its kind in China. The Grottoes consist of a series of 53 caves and over 51, 000 stone sculptures classified into three major categories. The stone carvings of the Grottoes, compactly structured, exhibit superb workmanship and a rich variety of themes.