World Heritage Sites Exploration
Datong and Wutaishan (or Mount Wutai) are only about 200km (124.27 mi) from each other. They are both proud of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and both related to Buddhist culture. During this 4 Days Datong Wutaishan Tour, you will be grateful to such intact cultural sites survived in our modern society, also be pleased by charming scenery of Mount Wutai. You will transfer by a private vehicle throughout the tour, and also be taken care well of by a local tour guide.
Highlights of this tour
Welcome to Datong! You will be greeted by local tour guide at Datong Yungang Airport or Datong South Railway Station or your hotel directly.
Today, you will drive about 50 minutes (23 kilometers) to Yungang Grottoes, a World Heritage site dating back to 5th century. Containing 254 Buddhist caves, Yungang Grottoes stretches about 1 km long. It is filled with about 5,100 precious sculptures - the height of the largest Buddha statue reaches 17 meters and the smallest is only 2 centimeters tall. Most of the sculptures are Buddhas, from which you can be awestruck at their life-like features and blissful smiles. You won't miss Cave No.5 and Cave No. 6 - the highlights of Yungang Grottoes with the entire interiors carved and colored. Facing these jaw-dropping celestial beings in different shapes, you can imagine the painstaking effort taken to produce them.
In the afternoon, drive back to Datong city to visit Nine Dragon Screen Wall, made of colorful glazed tiles and depicting nine dragons. It was served as a temple's spirit wall placed in the entrance to inhibit the evil spirit's coming. Now it is the biggest and oldest glazed dragon wall in China. Next, you will visit Huayan Temple - the largest and best preserved monastery built by Khitan during Liao Dynasty. Unlike most traditional Chinese buildings, it interestingly faces east not south, because the Khitan were Sun worshipers. Indulge yourself in the palatial buildings, exquisite frescoes, valued inscriptions in the temple.
Stay overnight in Datong.
Optional Activity: It is available to take a leisurely walk or ride a bike on restored City Wall of Datong. Both new and old city of Datong can be viewed on the wall, showing a drastic difference. The night view seen from the City Wall is more amazing.
After breakfast, you will get to Hanging Temple after 1.5 hours' driving (80 km). Built in 491 during Northern Wei Dynasty, it enjoys a history of over 1,500 years. Miraculously carved into the sheer cliff of Hengshan Mountain, Hanging Temple is one of the most incredible sights in China. Its 40 perilous halls and pavilions lean straight over the canyon. Seeing it from the ground, travelers can't help admiring at the ancient people's wisdom. Moreover, Hanging Temple is featured as the only existing temple with the combination of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism.
After the exciting experience in Hanging Temple, drive 1 hour to Yingxian Wooden Pagoda - the oldest and tallest wooden multi-storey structure in the world. Built in 1056 during Liao Dynasty (907 ~ 1125) and standing at 67.31 meters high, it shocks travelers most that the whole structure was made without any nails, screws, or bolts. There are lots of elegant Buddha statues and Bodhisattva statues to worship. Among them, a 11m high Sakyamuni statue is sitting solemnly in the pagoda on the first floor, it is the grandest one.
After the tour, drive about 3 hours to Mount Wutai. Stay overnight in Wutaishan.
After breakfast, your guide will take you to explore Buddhist culture in the most influential temples of Mount Wutai - Tayuan Temple, Shuxiang Temple, Xiantong Temple, Pusa Ding Temple which are all convenient located in Taihuai Town.
- Tayuan Temple (Pagoda Courtyard Temple) is named after the Great White Pagoda, a symbol of Mount Wutai. This big white pagoda is 75.3 meters high and 83 meters around. It is said there is a stupa of Sakyamuni’s sarira built by ancient Indian King Ashoka and hair of Manjushri inside the Great White Pagoda.
- Shuxiang Temple (Temple of Manjushri’s Statue) was established in East Jin Dynasty (AD 317~420). It houses the biggest statue of Manjusri Bodhisattva which is nearly 10 meters high. It used to be visited by many ancient emperors and queens.
- Xiantong Temple is the largest as well as the oldest temple in Mount Wutai. Its Bronze Hall, built in 1610 and made of 50,000 kg bronze, is one of the best preserved bronze halls in China. Most of the biggest Buddhist events and ceremonies are usually held here.
- Pusa Ding Temple (Bodhisattva Summit) is the largest Tibetan monastery in Mount Wutai. It is said to be the real residence of Manjusri Bodhisattva, and featured in grand royal-style halls and temples. The ancient emperors in Ming and Qing Dynasties lived in the temple during their pilgrimage to Mount Wutai.
After the temples visit, you will take a tourist bus to the beautiful South Terrace of Mount Wutai which pleases you with more than 100 species of rare flowers and plants. In spring, the mountain is filled with red, yellow, blue, white, purple, etc. And during the midsummer, you can see numerous sheep and cows grazing on the mountain.
After some leisure time on the South Terrace, take tourist bus back to Taihuai Town.
Optional Activity: Watching a heart-touching Buddhist show - Encore Mount Wutai which combines grand ceremony with thinking of Buddhism philosophy during 20:00-21:30 (advance reservation is required).
Wake up in the peaceful morning full of heart-touching Buddhist atmosphere. After breakfast, you will go to visit Dailuo Ding Temple which is located on a slope of East Terrace from where you can enjoy a panorama of other temples and Taihuai Town. This temple houses all the five clones of Manjusri Bodhisattva so that pilgrims who are short on time or energy don’t have to hike 2 days to worship to the Manjusri Bodhisattva on the five terraces. One has to climb 1080 steps or take a cable car to get to Dailuo Ding Temple.
Next, you will be driven about 50km (40mins) to visit Foguang Temple (Buddha Light Temple) which is a hidden treasure but forgotten by most of tourist groups. Its Eastern Hall is one of three survived wooden architecture of Tang Dynasty (AD 618~907) in China, and best preserved of its kind. The Tang Dynasty architecture, sculptures, murals and inscription have high value of history and art, and praised as “four wonders”. The famous Chinese architect Liang Sicheng praised it as “the No. 1 Treasure of Chinese Architecture” because defeated the option of some Japanese scholars that only Japan is the only place on earth to witness wooden architecture of Tang Dynasty.
The rest time is free at your own leisure until your tour guide and driver escort you to catch your departing flight/train on time. Our service end.
Wondering what is the ancient Chinese city like, how the ancient Chinese lived? Pingyao is the best place to find the answer. With a history over 2,700 years, Pingyao is reputed for the lineal ancient Chinese culture especially best-preserved old architectures. You can easily get to Pingyao by high speed trains from Beijing, Xian, Datong, etc. Classic itinerary is to spend a full day explore Pingyao Ancient City and nearby Shuangling Temple, then a half day for Wang’s Family Compound and Zhangbi Ancient Castle.
Datong / Wutaishan / Taiyuan / Pingyao
Mount Wutai
“Very good experience”
“WONDERFUL 25 DAYS IN CHINA - PRIVATE TOUR”
“Awesome China tour from northeast to southwest”
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