大同市

Why this place

Datong was the capital of the Northern Wei dynasty in the fifth century, and the empire carved its Buddhism into the sandstone outside the city — the Yungang Grottoes, with 51,000 figures including a 17-metre seated Buddha. It is one of the three great Buddhist cave sites in China, and it is less visited than it deserves.

What to see

• Yungang Grottoes — 45 major caves, carved between 460 and 525 CE
• The Hanging Monastery at Hengshan, built into a cliff face 75 metres up in 491 CE
• The Nine Dragon Screen and the restored Ming city wall of Datong itself

What to eat

• Datong knife-cut noodles and vinegar-heavy Shanxi sauces
• Lamb from the surrounding plateau; mutton soup for breakfast

How to plan

Two days: Yungang plus the city in one, the Hanging Monastery and Hengshan in the other.

Best time

May–October; winter is freezing and the grottoes are outdoor

Practical tips

• Yungang is 16km west of town; go early, the light on the big Buddha is best in the morning