Datong

In depth

<p> The Yungang Grottoes were carved during the Northern Wei dynasty, with over 50,000 statues stretching along Wuzhou Mountain for one kilometer. The open-air Buddha in Cave 20 is compassionate and serene, making it one of the pinnacles of Central Plains grottoes. </p><p> Driving south to the foot of Mount Heng, the Hanging Temple is like a building block stuck to the cliff, with wooden pillars half-embedded in the rock, where Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism coexist. Standing on the plank road inside the temple, the valley breeze pierces through the hall, thrilling yet solemn—the ancients called the "perilous tower." </p>