The Spirit of Datong

by+Cecile+Zehnacker

Datong， Shanxi Province， was founded during the Han Dynasty （206 B.C. – A.D. 220）. Its exceedingly rich history has left amazing reminders of all the steps that the city took over the centuries.

With origins as a base for nomadic tribes in ancient times （770 – 476 B.C.）， the city eventually evolved into an important military base. In 398 A.D.， Datong， which was then called Pingcheng County， was designated imperial capital of the North- ern Wei Dynasty （386-534）. The Northern Wei adopted Buddhism early， and to better establish their presence in the region， they began building a considerable number of palaces and temples， as well as the famous Yungang Grottoes. Buddhism arrived through the ancient North Silk Road that once connected the ancient capital of Xian， Shaanxi Province， to Kashgar in Xinjiang， on the rim of Central Asia， before continuing to ancient Parthia in northeastern Iran. Its position made Datong an important political， economic and cultural center of northern China， and when Marco Polo arrived in the city in 1277， he praised it for its beauty.

By preserving many monasteries and ancient Buddhist sites， Datong has maintained an atmosphere of spirituality. The Yungang Grottoes， ancient Buddhist temple grottoes built during 5th and 6th centuries， are probably the best example of such Buddhist sculptural art in ancient China， with 252 caves and over 50，000 Buddha statues. While admiring all the jaw-droppingly impressive Buddha statues and carvings， I pondered how anyone managed to sculpt these impressive pieces of art. Some caves measure over five meters high and are carved from ground to ceiling.

But Yungang is only the tip of the iceberg. Datongs impressive hanging monastery called Xuankong Temple was built into a cliff 75 meters above ground level during the 7th Century. Situated 65 kilome- ters from Datong city， the structure seems to magically hang in the air. It was actually constructed of bedrock beams planted into the cliff rocks. This lofty architectural choice seems to have been made to prevent flood water from the river underneath from reaching it. But its appearance isnt even its most notable characteristic. It is the only temple to integrate the three major Chinese belief systems： Buddhism， Taoism and Confucianism.

The Sakyamuni Wooden Pagoda， 70 kilometers south of Datong in Shuozhou， Yingxian County， is another stunner. It is the tallest and oldest wooden structure in China. It was built in 1056 during the Liao Dynasty （916-1125） as part of Fogong Temple. It is the oldest fully wooden pagoda still standing in China. It survived several earthquakes over the centuries and has become so famous in China that when the generic term “muta” （“timber pagoda”） is spoken， this structure is likely the subject.

These are just a handful of examples of the many monuments and temples that can be found in Datong and its periphery. Yanhua Temple and Nine-Dragon Wall are also good spots to visit. The city is definitely also worth a night walk in the city center as well as a night drive to enjoy lit-up monuments all over. The many sights of Datong are not to be rushed.

A visit of Datong would not be complete without trying their delicious local snacks and dishes. The noodles are particularly renowned， especially cat ear noodles and pea noodles. Both are excellent. The most well-known snacks are likely dried apricots and yellow cakes， but my favorite was seasoned dried tofu， which was recommended by a local friend. The empathetic inhabitants of Datong are very proud of their culinary traditions and more than happy to explain all the delicious food served there as well as the best places to eat.