Day 1 Datong → Yungang Grottoes → Huayan Temple → Shanhua Temple → Datong
·morning
【Special Reminder】
1. During the peak season, traffic jams and queues at scenic spots may occur, so you may need to leave early. Please do not take photos if you mind.
2. During the peak season, we do not accept tourists who have big travel plans on the day. If you still sign up with big travel plans and miss your flight or bus, the travel agency will not be able to compensate you.
Due to resource adjustments, this route will be changed to a small group of 2-15 people starting from September. Please be advised!
8:00-08:30 Guests staying in hotels in Datong's main urban area can wait patiently for a shuttle to pick them up (please provide your hotel address when registering so that the staff can contact you).
After gathering at around 08:30, we will depart for the Yungang Grottoes to begin our journey to uncover the secrets of the evolution of Buddhist statues.
·morning
Visit the Yungang Grottoes from 9:00 to 12:00
The Yungang Grottoes boast a history of over 1,500 years. Along with the Mogao Grottoes, the Longmen Grottoes, and the Maijishan Grottoes, they are considered one of the "Four Great Grottoes of China" and are hailed as a "treasure house of ancient Chinese sculpture." They boast 45 major caves, over 1,000 niches of various sizes, and over 51,000 stone Buddha statues. Carved into the mountainside, thirteen pairs of "four-sided divine pillars riding elephants" flank Foguang Avenue. Over twenty caves of varying sizes stretch across approximately two kilometers of the mountain, interspersed with classical Chinese architecture. While seemingly unremarkable from the outside, they hold a mystical depth within.
Unlike the other three major grottoes, the Yungang Grottoes incorporate artistic characteristics from ancient India, the Western Regions, and the Central Plains. Yungang Grottoes Buddhist art can be divided into three stages based on the development of grotto form, sculpture content, and style: early, middle, and late. To better appreciate the evolution of Yungang Grottoes sculptures, we will tour them in chronological order, from bare chests and arms to wide-sleeved robes. The instructor will explore the reasons behind these changes.
Key points: Explanation of the chronological order of the statues, Caves 5 and 6, and the Tan Yao Caves
Special reminder: The Yungang Grottoes may temporarily close some caves due to cultural relic restoration and other reasons. Please understand that tour guides are unable to lead the tour.
Free lunch from 12:30 to 13:30 to explore local specialties
Specialties: Shaomai, jelly, mutton offal, knife-cut noodles...
·afternoon
Visit Huayan Temple from 13:30 to 15:00
Huayan Temple, founded in the seventh year of the Chongxi reign of the Liao Dynasty (1038 AD), is named after the Buddhist classic "Avatamsaka Sutra." It is one of the earliest and best-preserved temple complexes from the Liao and Jin dynasties in China. Centered around the Main Hall, it is divided into two courtyards, housing the Mountain Gate, the Transit Hall, the Guanyin Pavilion, the Ksitigarbha Pavilion, and two side corridors. Its layout is meticulous and staggered. A particular highlight is the clasped-handed, toothy Bodhisattva, nicknamed the "Venus of the East" by Guo Moruo. Her graceful and charming figure is a treasure of Liao Dynasty colored sculpture. Furthermore, the temple's Huayan Pagoda is China's second-largest square wooden pagoda constructed entirely of wood, with mortise and tenon joints, after the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda.
Key attractions: Main Hall and its interior Qing Dynasty murals, Qing Dynasty painted chess pieces on the roof, Bhagavan Hall and its interior Bodhisattvas with folded hands and bare teeth, celestial palace pavilions, and the Huayan Pagoda.
Visit Shanhua Temple from 3:10 PM to 4:00 PM
In 1933, Liang Sicheng also described Shanhua Temple: "Shanhua Temple is located slightly west of the south gate of the inner city, commonly known as the South Temple... The statues in the hall are exquisitely carved, each one showing its own unique charm... Looking at the temple's architecture... the main hall, Puxian Pavilion, the Three Saints Hall, and the four main gates are all relics of the Liao and Jin dynasties... So many precious antiques have been found here, which was beyond our expectations."
Shanhua Temple was first built during the Kaiyuan Period of the Tang Dynasty. It has staggered heights, clear priorities, and is symmetrical on both sides. Precious cultural relics such as clay sculptures, murals, and inscriptions are preserved in the temple. Among them, the clay sculptures from the Jin Dynasty are beautifully shaped and have outstanding personalities. There are more than 190 square meters of murals painted during the Kangxi Period on the west and south walls of the hall, which are truly amazing.
Key highlights: Jin Dynasty clay sculptures and octagonal caisson in the Main Hall, and the complex inclined arches in the Three Saints Hall.
The group will disband at Shanhua Temple around 4:00 PM. You can continue to explore Datong's night market.
