Pingyao and Datong Tours - Ancient Town, Yungang Grottoes and Hanging Temple

About Pingyao Ancient City

Pingyao preserves an impressive Ming and Qing dynasty streetscape, with city walls, traditional residences, and historic banking buildings. It became a major financial center in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Its carefully planned streets and architectural heritage earned it UNESCO World Heritage recognition in 1997.

Of its many historical and cultural sights, the Pingyao City Wall is a must-see. The City Wall in Pingyao was first built in 827 B.C. In the early days of the Ming Dynasty, to prevent the enemies from invading, all the cities in China began to build the City Wall to defend themselves. The City Wall in Pingyao was also built at that time. At the beginning period of the Qing Dynasty (1703), the emperor passed by Pingyao, so the people in Pingyao constructed especially for him four city gate towers, which made the Pingyao City Wall even more spectacular.  

Besides the ancient city of Pingyao, our tours will also take you outside the city to some of the sprawling mansion/estates used by the Chinese nobility and merchants during the Qing Dynasty. Known as a “civilian Forbidden City,” the Wang Family Compound and the Qiao Family Compound are two exquisite examples of the grand style of courtyard homes. Many famous Chinese movies and T.V. shows have been here, thanks to the rich historical flavor still pervading throughout the premises.

About Datong Yungang Grottoes and The Hanging Temple

Datong is a prefecture-level city in northern Shanxi Province. The Yungang Grottoes and The Hanging Temple (Suspended Temple) are the two major attractions that make your trip worthy.    

The Yungang Grottoes are located on the northern cliff of Wuzhou Mountain in the western suburbs of Datong City, Shanxi Province. The caves were cut in the mountains and stretched 1,000 meters from east to west. There are 45 main caves, 252 caves, and 51,000 stone statues. It is the largest ancient cave in China. One of the group. This unique art project is a relic of the Northern Wei Dynasty, with a history of more than 1,500 years. The Yungang Grottoes sculpture, while absorbing and drawing on Indian Gandhara Buddhist art, organically integrates traditional Chinese art styles, and plays a significant role in the history of sculpture art in the world.    

Visit the Hanging Temple in Golden Dragon Gorge, near Mount Heng, about 80 kilometers from Datong. Its buildings cling to the cliff face, supported by beams set into the rock. The setting and intricate construction make it a memorable stop.

The mountains here are steep, with cliffs more than a hundred meters upright on either side, like cliffs and axes. The Hanging Temple is built on this cliff, or it looks like a sticking cliff. Unique. Looking from a distance, I saw Shenlou Xiangong, hanging in the air. Danlang Zhuhu, flying near the cliff, seems to be a sculpture carved by Ling Ling inlaid among the cliffs of Wanjing. Visitors ascend, drill skylights, wear grottoes, cross planks, and walk along promenades, like Lin Wonderland. These buildings are concentrated in a vast recessed cliff. Every time a heavy rain pours, rainwater flows down from the rock head protruding from the top of the temple and drops to the bottom of the valley. The water curtain is a spectacle. It gives people a feeling of being out of sight.