Hengshan Hanging Temple (Xuankong si)

Hanging Temple, a national AAAA level tourist area, is located between the cliffs of Cuiping Peak on the west side of Jinlong Gorge in Hengshan, Hunyuan County, Datong City, Shanxi Province. It was originally called "Xuankong Pavilion", with "Xuan" derived from Chinese Taoist teachings and "Kong" derived from Buddhist teachings. It was later renamed "Hanging Temple" because the entire temple is like hanging on a cliff. In Chinese, "Xuan" and "Xuan" are homophones, hence the name. [15] The Hanging Temple was first built in the late Northern Wei Dynasty (491 AD) and has a history of over 1500 years. It is a unique temple that combines Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. The architecture of the "Hanging Temple" is highly distinctive, known for its precipitousness as if facing an abyss. It is known as the slang "Hanging Temple, half a day high, three horse tails hanging in the air", and is known for its precipitousness as if facing an abyss.

Yungang Grottoes

The Yungang Grottoes were excavated over 1500 years ago during Alexander's Eastern Expedition ．There are currently 45 main caves, 252 niches of different sizes, and over 59000 stone sculptures, making them a treasure trove of Chinese cave art. The Yungang Grottoes, as the first royal authorized cave in China, reflect the political ambition of the Northern Wei Dynasty. Compared with many grotto temples in China, Yungang Grottoes have the most westernized style. Among them, there are elements of Indian and Western Asian art, as well as Greek and Roman architectural styles, decorative patterns, and visual features, reflecting the origin relationship with major civilizations around the world. This is unique in the treasure trove of Chinese art and is of great significance for the development of Chinese culture and art in future generations. In 2001, the Yungang Grottoes were listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.