Due to the long and splendid history, a lot of cultural and historical relics were left in Datong. There are seven grottoes, 196 ancient architectures, 37 ancient ruins, 25 old tombs and 12 ancient steles according to the existing records and research. Among these, Yungang Caves, Huayan Temple, Nine-dragon Screen, Hanging Monastery and Wooden Pagoda are most famous. As one of the Three Great Caves (the other two are Mogao Caves and Longmen Caves) in China, Yungang Caves was firstly constructed during the fifth century, comprising of more than five million vivid stone statues. The grand Daxiongbaodian Hall in Huayan Temple covers an area of 1,559 sq meters (about 0.39 acres), which made it the largest existing Buddhist hall in Liao and Jin dynasties. All the architectures, statues, murals, ceilings, etc are well preserved and embody a magnificent Liao style. Nine-dragon Screen in Datong is three times as large and 350 years older than the one in Beihai Park, Beijing. Hanging Monastery, which is renowned for the weird, smart and dangerous architectures for thousands of years, is a must-see for all the visitors. Wooden Pagoda, which has a history of more than 900 years, is the highest wooden structure in the world. Mt. Hengshan, one of the Five Most Famous Mountains (the other four are Mt. Huashan in Shaanxi Province, Mt. Taishan in Shandong, Mt. Songshan in Henan and Mt. Hengshan in Hunan) in China, is also not far away from Datong. As one of the Four Buddhist Holy Mountains (the other three are Mt. Jiuhuashan in Anhui Province, Mt. Emeishan in Sichuan and Mt. Putuoshan in Zhejiang) in China, Mt. Wutaishan stands opposite of Mt. Hengshan.

A local treat, bronze hotpot, which has been famous since the reign of Northern Wei Kingdom, is another highlight visitors shouldn't miss. The vessel is not only for eating but also a delicate artwork because of the beautiful designs carved on the pot. Guangling (a place name) Torfu, yellow cake (made with yellow rice flour), Pea noodles, buckwheat lumps, naked oat noodles, offal soup and Yanggao (a place name) Preserved Apricots are all delicious and scrumptious. Woolen carpets from Datong, have a long history of more than 2,000 years, are famed both at home and abroad. Yungang Dolls which are made by damask, silk, yarn, cotton and many other materials, are vivid and lifelike. 

 Transportation

Datong airport started operation in May 2005, and airlines to Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and many other big cities are available. Daily trains to Taiyuan, Beijing, Hangzhou, Baotou, Shenyang, etc also run smoothly in Datong Railway Station and four long-distance coach stations are useful and convenient. For getting around the city, buses and taxis are cheap and flexible to choose.

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