Datong City Wall

The wall was built in 1372 during the Ming Dynasty. The wall was in a bad state and not as well preserved like other city wall. A major reconstruction was completed in 2016. Most of what we see today is new.

Nine Dragons Screen 九龍壁

There are only three surviving Nine Dragons Screens in China. One in Datong and two in Beijing. We managed to see all of them in this trip. Zhu Yuanzhang (the first Emperor of the Ming Dynasty) built the wall for his 13th son in 1392. It is 45.5 m in length, 8 meter in height and 2 m thick. The dragons here have four claws rather than five; indicating that the wall was built for a prince not an emperor.

The dragons have only four claws

Hall of Arhats 罗汉殿

This hall holds the Eighteen Arhats.

Hall of Bhagavad Sutra 薄伽教藏殿

This hall was built in 1038 during the Liao Dynasty. It serves as the library to keep Sutras printed in the Qing Dynasty. There are 29 Buddhas are from the Liao Dynasty.

Smiling Bodhisattva

with her mouth slightly open revealing her teeth

Huayan Pagoda 华严宝塔

Huayan Pagoda is the second largest wooden structure after Yingxian Pagoda in China. This pagoda is 43 meters high. Under the pagoda is a 500-square-meter underground palace which was constructed with 100 tons of copper.

Buddha's relic

A copper Buddha

Daxiongbao Hall 大雄宝殿

There are five statues of Buddha on the central altar inside the hall. Three of them in the middle were made in Beijing City in the Ming Dynasty. There are 20 attendants standing on the side but leaning forward. Such posture is quite rare in China.

Upper Huayan Temple

The entrance to the Upper Huayan Temple is guarded by a pair of Guardians; instead of the Four Heavenly Kings

Eleven-headed Guanyin 

十一面觀音