10 Days in Datong

The 1038 sutra hall, the main hall rebuilt in 1140 with its 1,559 square metres, and the 45.5-metre glazed screen of 1392; Drum Tower streets for supper.

1. datong huayan temple
2. datong nine dragon screen

Half a day west for the 45 major caves and 51,000-plus figures carved from 460 onward — Cave 20's open-air Buddha measures 13.7 metres — then the museum's Wei holdings.

1. datong yungang grottoes
2. datong museum

Ride the restored 7.2-km circuit begun in 1372, Shanhua's Jin halls in the afternoon, and rabbit head or knife-shaved noodles at the market stalls.

1. datong city walls
2. datong shanhua temple
3. datong city markets

Yunzhou's Quaternary field of more than 30 dormant cones, then the eroded earth columns at Duzhuang; the county's daylily farms bloom yellow in July.

1. datong volcano cluster
2. datong earth forest

Around 491 the temple was raised on stilts some 50 metres up the gorge wall; the 2,016-metre Tianfeng ridge follows. Overnight in Hunyuan with its chilled liangfen.

1. datong hanging temple
2. datong hengshan

An honestly labelled neighbouring-prefecture day — the 67.31-metre pagoda of 1056 stands nail-free about 75 km south; interior levels closed, the frame visible from the ground.

1. shuozhou yingxian wooden pagoda

An honest Xinzhou day — three hours south to the five-terrace mountain listed in 2009; Taihuai valley temples by evening. Overnight at Taihuai.

1. xinzhou wutaishan

Climb the 1,080 steps of Dailuoding's Great Wisdom Road, look up at the 3,061-metre North Terrace, then ride back to Datong for a late dinner.

1. xinzhou wutaishan

An honest Hebei day — around 40 minutes by HSR to Zhangjiakou for the Great Wall gate raised in 1644 and the ramp beyond it; back in Datong for the night.

1. zhangjiakou dajingmen

A market breakfast, one more wall walk at first light, then the HSR — about two hours to Beijing or south towards Taiyuan.

1. datong city markets
2. datong city walls