Stand on the reconstructed brick rampart of the City Walls at dusk and the old town opens out below you: grey tiled roofs, temple eaves, and the moat reflecting the last of the light. Datong is a city where the Ming dynasty layout is still legible underfoot, and where the greatest sights sit just beyond the walls.
It suits travellers who are willing to base themselves in a northern Shanxi city and make half-day trips out to rock-cut Buddhist caves and a cliffside temple, then return for knife-cut noodles and Shanxi mature vinegar in the evening. Days here are dry and sunny, but the elevation means mornings and evenings are cold even in summer, so layers matter.
This guide covers the sites within the ancient city, the two star attractions outside it, and how to string them together if your time is short. Many attractions, even free ones, require your passport for entry.
Top things to do in Datong
1. Yungang Grottoes
The Yungang Grottoes are a collection of shallow caves 16 km west of Datong, containing over 50,000 carved images and statues of Buddhas and bodhisattvas ranging from 4 to 700 centimetres. Most of the icons are around 1,500 years old, carved during the later part of the Northern Wei period between 460 and 494. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the single most important attraction in the area.
Give it the best part of a morning or afternoon rather than squeezing it between city sights. Because it lies outside the city proper, plan it as a half-day trip on its own.
2. Hanging Temple
The Hanging Temple is built into a cliff face near Mount Heng, further afield from the city. Unlike most historical sites in this region, which date to the Liao, Jin and Ming dynasties, the Hanging Temple dates to the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534).
It sits well outside Datong, so treat it as a separate excursion rather than something to combine with a morning in the old city.
3. Huayan Monastery
Huayan Monastery was built during the Liao Dynasty and repaired in subsequent dynasties, and is the largest existing Liao-Jin Dynasty temple in China. It is divided into upper and lower sections. The upper temple's main hall, the Mahavira Hall, was built in 1140 and is the largest existing Buddhist hall in China and the largest surviving single-eaved wooden structure of its kind. The lower temple's main hall, the Bojia Teaching Hall, was built in 1038 and is one of the "Eight Great Liao Structures"; its caisson ceiling, wall hangings and 31 statues are original Liao Dynasty artefacts.
It closes at 19:00, which makes it a good late-afternoon stop. Full-price tickets are ¥50 in peak season and ¥40 off-season.
4. Shanhua Ancient Monastery
Built in the Tang Dynasty, rebuilt in the Liao Dynasty, largely destroyed by war and rebuilt again in the Jin Dynasty, Shanhua Ancient Monastery holds four high-value ancient buildings: one from the Liao Dynasty and three from the Jin Dynasty. The mountain gate (Hall of Heavenly Kings), the Hall of Three Saints and the Puxian Pavilion are Jin Dynasty buildings, while the Mahavira Hall is a Liao Dynasty building and one of the "Eight Great Liao Structures."
It is open 08:30–17:00 on Yongtaimennei Street. Full-price tickets are ¥50 in peak season and ¥40 off-season.
5. City Walls
The city walls follow the Ming Dynasty layout, but many sections retain rammed earth layers dating to as early as the Han Dynasty. Since 2008, restoration work has covered the brickwork, gate towers and city gates, along with dredging of the moat. There are four main gates: Heyang Gate to the east, Yongtai Gate to the south, Qingyuan Gate to the west and Wuding Gate to the north.
Entry is free. Walking a stretch of the wall is an easy way to get your bearings in the old city before heading to individual temples.
6. Nine Dragon Screen
The Nine Dragon Screen is one of the surviving sites of historical interest within the city itself, built during the Ming period along with the Drum Tower and other notable structures. It is one of the few historic monuments to have come through the city's modern redevelopment.
Pair it with the other old-city sights rather than making a special journey; it sits among the streets of the largely redeveloped Datong Ancient City.
7. Datong Guandi Temple
The main hall of the Martial Saint Hall is the only remaining Yuan Dynasty building in the ancient city, with a covered porch added during the Qing Dynasty. Inside, the walls carry Ming and Qing Dynasty murals, and between the two rear pillars stands a Qing Dynasty wooden shrine with intricate carvings, an important example of Qing northern woodworking. The temple also houses 26 newly created statues by sculptors including Wu Weishan and Huang Wenshou, and over 700 m² of murals painted by faculty and students of the China Academy of Art.
It is free and sits on Xianlou North Street in Pingcheng District, an easy addition to a walk through the old city.
8. Datong Confucian Temple
Datong was the first city outside of Qufu to establish a place for worshipping Confucius. The current temple was built in the early Ming Dynasty, and its original features include the Halberd Gate, Dacheng Hall, the Ancestral Hall of Local Worthies, the Ancestral Hall of Famous Officials, the Divine Storehouse and the Divine Kitchen. It also preserves relocated historical buildings, among them the "Wild Goose Pagoda" and the glazed five-dragon wall.
It is free and open 08:30–18:00 on Yunlu Street in Pingcheng District, so it fits neatly into a full day of temple-hopping.
9. Chunyang Palace
Chunyang Palace is the largest Taoist temple in the ancient city of Datong. It is divided into two sections: a garden to the west and three courtyards to the east. Along the central axis are the mountain gate archway, Lingguan Hall, Zushi Hall and Sanqing Hall, with side halls and kiln houses on either side. The buildings feature Taoist-themed murals painted by students and faculty of the Mural Painting Department of the China Academy of Art together with folk mural artisans.
It is free and open 08:00–18:00 at No. 8, Gulou West Street in Pingcheng District.
10. Emperor Temple
The Dijun Temple was built during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty and is a three-courtyard temple dedicated to the Taoist deity Wenchang Dijun, who protects literary fortune and examinations. It also serves as the location of the Datong Taoist Association. The main hall (Yuhuang Pavilion), the side halls and the western side hall are Ming Dynasty structures.
Entry is free and it is open 08:30–17:00 at No. 67, Shizi Street in Pingcheng District.
11. Great Mosque
First built in the second year of the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty and rebuilt during the Ming and Qing dynasties, the present structure dates from the Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China period. It is an example of the fusion of Chinese and Islamic architectural styles: the main prayer hall is largely Qing Dynasty in style, but its domed roof, the niches within the hall, a platform on the northwest wall and three domed doorways in the centre are typical of Arabic architecture.
It is free and open 08:00–18:00 at No. 5, Jiulou Lane in Pingcheng District.
12. Yuantong Temple
The first temple here was built in the Ming Dynasty but destroyed during the Qing army's massacre at Datong; in 1664 Emperor Kangxi ordered its reconstruction to pray for the souls of those killed. It is the only temple in the ancient city of Datong that faces north, and the buildings along its central axis are Qing Dynasty structures.
It is free and open 06:00–18:00 on Bawutujing Lane in Pingcheng District.
13. Church of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart
Built in 1891, burned down by the Boxers and rebuilt in 1906, this church had its bell tower destroyed during the Cultural Revolution and renovated in 1982, with further restoration in 2006 and 2016. It is one of the landmark buildings of the ancient city and now serves as the cathedral of the Catholic Diocese of Datong and the residence of the diocese leaders.
Entry is free. It stands at No. 4, Dusi Street in Pingcheng District, close enough to the other old-city religious sites to visit on the same walk.
14. Datong Museum
The second largest museum in Shanxi Province, holding numerous cultural relics and most of the local archaeological finds. It is the natural place to put the temples and grottoes you have seen into context.
Entry is free. Several smaller specialist museums are part of it, so check what is open on the day you visit.
15. Ancient Bronze Art Museum
Datong is renowned for its bronze ware production, and the permanent exhibition here includes imitations of Shang and Zhou bronze ritual vessels, Xuande incense burners, scholar's objects, and Mongolian and Han goods made in the Datong area during the Ming and Qing dynasties.
It is free, open Tuesday to Sunday 09:00–17:00, with entry stopping 30 minutes before closing, at No. 11-12, Gulou East Street.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at the Yungang Grottoes, 16 km west of the city. The carved caves and their statues are the reason most travellers come to Datong, and they deserve a clear half-day without rushing. Carry your passport for entry.
Afternoon: Return to the old city and walk the City Walls to get your bearings, then work through the temples nearby: Huayan Monastery, with its Liao and Jin halls, and Shanhua Ancient Monastery, open until 17:00. If time allows, add the free Datong Guandi Temple on Xianlou North Street or the Datong Confucian Temple on Yunlu Street.
Evening: Stay inside the walls for dinner and try the local knife-cut noodles with Shanxi mature vinegar. If you still have energy, Huayan Monastery closes at 19:00, and the lit streets of the redeveloped ancient city are pleasant for an unhurried walk back.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need my passport to enter attractions in Datong?
Yes. As is typical in China, many attractions, even free ones, require your passport for entry, assuming you do not have a mainland Chinese ID.
What should I wear or pack for Datong?
The city sits at over 1,000 metres with a continental, monsoon-influenced steppe climate: long, cold, very dry winters and very warm summers. Diurnal temperature variation is large, averaging 13.2 °C annually, so bring layers even in summer. Most annual precipitation falls from June to September.
Which sights lie outside the city proper?
The star attractions, the Yungang Grottoes and the Hanging Monastery, both lie outside the city proper. The Yungang Grottoes are 16 km west of Datong; the Hanging Temple is built into a cliff face near Mount Heng. Plan each as a separate excursion.
What local food is Datong known for?
Datong is known for its knife-cut noodles and Shanxi mature vinegar.
Decide how many days you can give to the grottoes and the old city, then start mapping your route through the temples inside the walls.