Datong Ancient City大同古城

Datong, historically known as Pingcheng, served as a "secondary capital" under both the Liao and Jin dynasties, and Huayan Temple is the physical evidence: founded in 1038, it's one of China's earliest and best-preserved Liao-Jin era temple complexes. Today's city wall runs 7.28 km, rebuilt from 2008 onward on top of the original rammed-earth core — the brick face is new, but the earth inside is largely original. About 16 km outside the wall sits the Yungang Grottoes, an imperial Northern Wei stone-carving complex; inside the wall, it's just a bowl of hand-shaved noodles that locals eat every day.

Liao-Jin Architecture

A thousand years of architecture inside Huayan Temple and the city wall

• Huayan Temple: founded 1038, covers ~66,000 sqm, a national key relic since 1961
• Split into upper and lower temples in the mid-Ming era, merged back into one during the 2008 restoration
• Datong City Wall: a 7.28 km loop rebuilt from 2008 on the original rammed-earth core
• Sipailou: the landmark arch complex where the old town's four main streets cross

Yungang Grottoes next door

An imperial Northern Wei grotto complex and UNESCO site, ~16km from the old town

• A national key relic since 1961, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001
• About 16 km from the old town — take a taxi or tour and budget half a day
• Datong is also a gateway to other Shanxi landmarks like the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda and the Hanging Temple — worth an extra day or two

Everyday Life

Inside the wall, Datong's own everyday rhythm

• Guesthouses near the old town often have heated brick beds, and owners moonlight as noodle-shavers
• During national holidays the south gate / Huayan Temple area gets crowded — go before 9am or after 6pm
• For sea-buckthorn juice, go for the freshly pressed kind, same as locals do