Lao Chen's Travel Notes 1: Eight Days in Datong

One of Lao Chen's Travel Notes Series: Eight Days in Datong

(self-driving from August 17th to 24th, 2019)

Preface: Datong, Shanxi is a famous city in northern Saibei. The Northern Wei Dynasty established its capital here (called Pingcheng) for 97 years. It was the most glorious period in Datong. The most splendid world-class cultural heritage left to mankind is the Yungang Grottoes. Since then, Datong has been a dual important city of commerce, trade and military affairs. The Tang, Song, Liao, Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties all devoted themselves to management, leaving many places in Datong and its surrounding areas that can show the development of civilization. Relics and rich historical and cultural heritage. Strolling on the streets of Datong, many buildings full of historical charm will come to your face, which will not only make you think far and wide, and even let you meet the ancients suddenly, in the two scenes of reality and history. In the staggered switching, the family and the country are connected with each other, and you can taste all kinds of life.

1. The first day (August 17): Huayan Temple

1. Travel: Depart from Beijing at 7:00 in the morning, and the distance of about 380 kilometers can be reached in 4 hours with this application. However, due to the congestion of the Beijing section of the Beijing-Tibet Expressway, it takes about 6 hours to arrive in Datong at 1:00 in the afternoon.

2. Tour: Visit Huayan Temple in the afternoon.

1) The temple is located inside the west gate of the ancient city wall. It is the only scenic spot in Datong that is not free to visit. Adult tickets are 50 yuan each. It is free for holders of Datong Travel Card, but you need to go to the ticket office to exchange tickets. Seniors over 60 years old are not free of charge, and they also need to go to the ticket office to collect tickets first.

2) Huayan Temple was built by the Khitan Emperor of the Liao Dynasty. A small number of Liao Dynasty buildings have been preserved to this day, and the rest have been rebuilt according to the original style in recent years. The reconstruction part is done very well. If you don't read the explanatory board in front of the building, it is difficult for ordinary tourists to distinguish whether it is an old thing or a new one.

3) The characteristics of Huayan Temple can be described in one word: big! The entire temple is large in scale and covers a vast area. Even if you take a quick look at it, it takes about 2 hours; the buildings and Buddha statues in the temple are all tall and majestic, and other statues are larger than other temples, showing the Khitan The heroism of the nation.

4) The gods in the temple all have beards, smiles, and are full of secular life, which is very different from other temples that do not eat fireworks and refuse people thousands of miles away; the statues are also shaped with well-developed chest muscles, showing the Khitan The martial spirit of the nation is another significant difference from the "male and female" statues with flat chests in other temples; in the temple, there is a statue of a goddess listening to a Bodhisattva preserved in the Liao Dynasty. Resembling a figure in the God Realm, more like a sister next door, this kind of statue is probably considered an "orphan" in the whole country! After appreciating all the statues, it gives people the feeling that the Khitan people believe in and respect Buddha, but they don't just worship Buddha as a god on a high ground, but take Buddha with them at any time and dissolve them in their daily life.

5) The Puguang Temple is a building of the Liao Dynasty. There is a mansion in front of the hall. The algae well has a rigorous structure and fine workmanship, which is very exquisite. The dome is worth watching carefully.

6) There is a brick-like multi-storey wooden pagoda of the Liao Dynasty on the west side of the temple, which is tall, majestic and magnificent. It is said that among the surviving ancient wooden pagodas, the size is second only to the Yingxian wooden pagoda. Around the tower body, there are handwritten plaques written by Huang Tingjian, Su Shi, Mi Fu, Yan Zhenqing, and Wang Xizhi, which should belong to the original works or treasures preserved by copying the original works in the past, and are worthy of careful appreciation. Under the pagoda is a copper underground palace, resplendent and shocking, never seen anywhere else! There are countless Buddha statues in the underground palace, and a Buddha tooth relic is enshrined, which is extremely precious. Whether it is a wooden pagoda or an underground palace, they are all rare boutiques that must be seen.

3. eat

1) Lunch: Have dinner at Fenglin Pavilion in Datong Old Town. The building and decoration of the hotel are in traditional Chinese style. The antique brick carvings and wood carvings inside are very exquisite and worth tasting; the dining environment is clean and quiet; the service is more thoughtful; It should be delicate and delicious, and all kinds of home-cooked dishes are delicious and inexpensive. It's just that there are too many people, you need to wait for a seat for about half an hour, but it is also worth it. Rated as excellent 1 product, come again next time.

2) Datong is located in the northern part of Saibei. The grass is rich in sheep fat, mutton shumai and home-cooked mutton (similar to stewed mutton) are traditional delicacies. Any restaurant with a little atmosphere will not do too badly, so you must try it.

3) Dinner: Check the Internet information before the trip and know that the rabbit head is one of the favorite delicacies of the local people, so I went to the famous local fat to come to the Gulou shop to taste the rabbit head shop. The rabbit head tastes good, but it is too salty. The braised lamb's trotters are not edible, and other dishes are not flattering. The dining environment and hygiene conditions are poor, and you need to wait for a seat. The service is basically non-existent.

4. Accommodation: Stay in Datong City Express Hotel (OYO, light enjoyment), next to the southwest corner of the ancient city wall, the location is acceptable. The price is not expensive, only about 100 yuan per night. However, the room facilities are a bit crude, and the bathroom has a peculiar smell and floats in the room; although free parking is available in the courtyard, the space is cramped. The service content and service level are average, only reaching the lower limit of barely acceptable. The overall living experience is poor and cannot be lived anymore. In Hunyuan County, I also checked the express hotel marked with the words "OYO, enjoy lightly". It should be a chain store. The facilities and services are similar to Datong City Express Hotel, which always makes people feel awkward. The chain hotels opened by this hotel in all cities can no longer be used.

2. The second day (August 18): Yungang Grottoes

1. Walking: Yungang Grottoes are located about 30 miles west of Datong City. They depart from the residence in Datong at around 8:30 in the morning. It takes about half an hour to arrive there. Because the Yungang Grottoes open at 8:30, in order to have enough time to appreciate the grottoes, it is also counted as parking spaces, it is better to start from Datong before 8:00 in the morning.

2. Tour:

1) Yungang Grottoes tickets are about 120 yuan. If you have a Datong Travel Card, you can directly enter the scenic spot with your ID card, without buying or exchanging tickets. The elderly over 60 years old are free, and they can also enter directly with their ID cards.

2) Yungang Grottoes, together with Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, Luoyang Longmen Grottoes and Tianshui Maijishan Grottoes, are also known as the four major grottoes in China. They are the first batch of key cultural relics protection units in the country and have been included in the World Heritage List by UNESCO.

3) After the Northern Wei Dynasty established Pingcheng as its capital, Tuobagui, the founding emperor, respected both Buddhism and Taoism, and Buddhism flourished. From the five emperors to Tuoba Tao, Buddhism flourished, which was not good for Guozuo. Some monks did not abide by the clear rules and insulted Buddhism, so they destroyed the Buddha and killed the monks. There is a monk, Tan Yao, who is unwavering in his Buddhist thoughts and is still not afraid of danger. He hides his monk's clothes and secretly holds the magic weapon. Until Taobeng, the following emperor believed in and respected Buddha, and ordered Tan Yao to be a monk. In order to keep the Dharma and the traces of the Buddha forever, and to ensure that the Buddhist scriptures and images will not disappear due to the persecution by the rulers, Tan Yao asked to dig a cave to carve Buddha on the cliff of Wuzhou Mountain. The emperor agreed that this is the Yungang Grottoes start.

4) On the way from the entrance of the scenic spot to the grottoes, walk about 150 meters past the entrance of the scenic spot, and first come to Lingyan Temple in Yungang. This is a beautiful scenery worth seeing in addition to the grottoes. The temple was built in the center of the lake, a large part of which is supported by pile foundations on the water surface, and there are bridges at the front and back to communicate with the land. Although the temple has only two courtyards, it is large in scale. The main hall, turrets, and attics on both sides are either large or towering, and they are connected with each other by double-layer corridors about 6 meters high and 4 meters wide. The whole building gives people a sense of majesty and grandeur. In the center of the front yard is a five-story, four-sided solid stone pagoda, about 20 meters high. I privately think that this temple should be a contemporary imitation, because it was unimaginable to build such a majestic building on the water in the era when there were neither suitable building materials nor suitable construction machinery.

5) Walk about 50 meters past Lingyan Temple, before entering the area where the main cave is located, there is an uphill trail on the right side, and about 50 meters further, there is a small Dragon King Temple, which is small in scale, but the building is exquisite and exquisite, which can be seen at a glance. When you return, you can also go down the newly built steps on the right hand side, and watch some small grottoes on the mountain by the way.

6) Although the 45 caves of Yungang Grottoes are different, the caves are exquisite, especially the "Tanyao Five Caves" designed and presided over by Tanyao. Because it is a royal grotto, each of Tanyao's five caves is large in scale; looking up at the top of the cave, it is like a dome in the sky, like an extreme world. In the center of the grotto, the main Buddha statue is either sitting or standing, all majestic and majestic; under the winding lotus seat, looking up at the majestic treasure, thinking about rebirth in the three realms, you can't help but look solemn, suddenly feel quiet in your heart, is there Zen? No Zen? For us ordinary people, it is only in one thought. On the inner walls around the grottoes, there are densely covered Buddhist niches, and there are countless Buddha statues; and the statues are exquisite, which makes people stop. On both sides of the entrance of the grotto, there are many sculptures of protectors, all of whom are upright and rustling. Inside and outside the lintel, there are many flying apsaras, all of which are vivid and dignified; on the lintel of one of the caves, there are 6 flying apsaras carved. Although they have different postures, all of them have both form and spirit. 6 beauties". Where there are no Buddha statues carved in the caves, there are all exquisite murals. What is particularly amazing is that the colors of the Buddha statues and various murals are still bright even though they are more than a thousand years old, as if you can feel the devotion and dedication of the painters.

7) After Tan Yao passed away, the court of the Northern Wei Dynasty continued to dig caves and carve Buddhas with royal money until the capital was moved to Luoyang. The several royal caves dug here are comparable to the Tanyao Five Caves. Their scale and momentum are equally breathtaking, and the exquisiteness of Buddha statues and painted paintings is also equally fascinating. However, after the capital of Wei Dynasty moved to the south, the mountain cliffs that had been repaired but had not yet been dug into caves naturally became a paradise for folk to open caves and sculpture Buddhas. Compared, it is no longer the same. Although there are occasional high-quality Buddha statues, they are hard to find.

8) There is a big Buddha in the scenic area. I can't remember the exact age of carving. Due to years of erosion, the front, left and right sides of the grotto collapsed, and the Buddha statue sat facing the road with its back to the mountain. This Buddha is about 15 meters high. It is exquisitely carved, with a kind face showing a smile, and its shape and spirit are round. Promoted on the home page of the website.

9) In the Royal Grottoes in Yungang, there is an interesting phenomenon that cannot be seen in other Buddhist places, that is, "double Buddha niches": in one Buddhist niche, there are two Buddhas carved, slightly facing each other. Under normal circumstances, the Buddhist family also wants to live in a spacious place, so that two Buddhas will not be crowded in one niche. Yungang has this strange behavior. It is presumably because the emperor was in charge at that time but was young after all, and the queen mother was in charge of the court even though she did not hang the curtain. No, after weighing it again and again, the safer way is to let the emperor and the empress dowager sit in a niche.

10) Because I haven’t been to other grottoes, it’s hard to compare. Another interesting phenomenon in Yungang Grottoes that cannot be seen in other Buddhist places is: a visual inspection will find that there are three parts of the head, body, lower limbs and legs of some Buddha statues. The length is not proportional. Boldly speculate, the reason for this phenomenon may be that the craftsmen carved the Buddha from top to bottom when they made the Buddha. I couldn't live without legs, so in desperation, I had to hastily carve short legs for the Buddha statue to end the project.

11) About 100 meters to the south of the grotto, there is a Buddha Shadow Hall, and about 50 meters on both sides, there is a turret with a structure of "bricks on the bottom and wood on the top", and a hall about 50 meters in front of the turrets. The buildings are connected by a wide corridor , the entire building complex is in the shape of a flat "U", with Wuzhou Mountain in the north and Sanggan River in the south, you can see it. From then on, about 100 meters east along the Sanggan River, there is a Qing Dynasty stage, with blue bricks and gray tiles and overhanging eaves, exquisitely carved, and really lovely.

12) Diagonally opposite the stage is the Zhou Enlai Memorial Hall. In the 1960s and 1970s, Premier Zhou accompanied French President Pompidou to visit the Yungang Grottoes. After seeing the dilapidated condition of the grottoes, he was very worried. He called local government officials to study the protection of the Yungang Grottoes and instructed that the grottoes must be well protected. . Since then, the local government and the State Administration of Cultural Heritage have taken many protection measures for the grottoes, which makes us lucky to have a glimpse of the grottoes today. The current Zhou Enlai Memorial Hall is the meeting room of that year.

13) In the Yungang Grottoes Scenic Area, there are also the Grottoes Museum and the Stone Soldiers Art Museum, etc., which are also must-sees. Unfortunately, before the trip, I checked online and found that there is another Luban Kiln Grotto near the Yungang Grottoes, but I couldn't find it after about 10 minutes of searching. Considering the physical strength of the elderly, wives and daughters, I had to give up. In addition, on the south bank of the Sanggan River next to Yungang Scenic Area, there is Jinhua Palace National Mine Park. Due to time constraints, I have no chance to visit it, so I can only save it for the next time.

3. Eat:

1) Breakfast: I couldn't find a breakfast shop near my residence, so I had to solve the problem at a roadside food stall. Although haggis powder has some local characteristics, the hygienic conditions and dining environment are really not flattering, so I will omit it.

2) Lunch: There are vending machines selling mineral water and other beverages in the Yungang Grottoes scenic area. About 150 meters away from the south side of the main cave, there are several small meals, selling sliced ​​noodles, cold noodle, jelly and other simple meals. Apart from this, there are no other catering service facilities, nor any food outlets. The murals in the grottoes are very exquisite. If you linger a little, half a day is not enough. I entered the scenic spot at 9:00 am and left at 5:00 pm. It took me about 8 hours. Therefore, if you don't want to waste too much time for lunch, you'd better bring some biscuits, boiled eggs and other snacks. Of course, half a day is enough if you just browse through it roughly. There is a food street outside the exit of the scenic spot, with a relatively rich variety of meals.

3) Dinner: It coincides with my mother's birthday, and I will return to Datong for dinner. There is a Garden Hotel in the old city, which is a 4-star hotel. The dining environment and service level of the restaurant are excellent in Datong and its surrounding areas, and the individual evaluation is excellent 1; the dishes are well-made, moderately salty, and the individual evaluation is excellent 2; The price of the dishes is slightly expensive, but it is also acceptable to the working class. The individual evaluation is excellent 2 products; the overall evaluation is excellent 2 products, you can come again.

4. Live: Back to live in Datong.

3. The third day (August 19): Fahua Temple, etc.

1. Line: Fahua Temple, Nine Dragon Wall, Chunyang Palace, Guandi Temple, Datong Confucian Temple and other scenic spots visited on the third day are all located in the old city of Datong. In view of the fact that the city wall of the old city of Datong is square, the distance from east to west and from north to south is no more than 2 kilometers, and the scenic spots are dense, and the distance between the scenic spots is basically within 300 to 500 meters. It is very convenient to walk, and you can browse the street view. Can be regarded as a good choice. Of course, if there are old people, women and children, self-driving is more convenient.

2. Tour:

1) Fahua Temple: It is located about 150 meters west of the main gate of the east gate (Heyang Gate) of Datong Ancient City, on the north side of Heyang Street, facing south, and has a large scale. The gate of the temple is an archway-style glazed building, with green as the main tone, interspersed with yellow colored glaze, and the three pieces of yellow colored glaze inlaid above it are decorated with dragon shapes, which are very vivid; the scale of the archway is larger than that of Beijing Guozijian and Xishan Biyun Temple. Size 2 is smaller, but equally exquisite and beautiful. The bell and drum towers in the temple are circular buildings with outer corridors and inner tubes, which are quite different from most square bell and drum towers and are very aesthetic. In the last courtyard of the temple, there is a brick pagoda of the Ming Dynasty, about 25-30 meters high, with a white bowl-covered body and a square base. Although it has been worn down for 600 years, the pagoda is still tall and handsome. The lettering on the base of the tower is round and thick, and the details are still very clear; especially the ground around the tower body is covered with white gravel, which is very similar to some famous gardens I have seen in Japan. I want to come to the Japanese "Karesanshui" may have been brought from China by the envoys to the Sui Dynasty and Tang Dynasty. What's more interesting is that the roof of the main hall that entered the courtyard last had three skylights, one large, two small, and three skylights, which have never been seen before; moreover, the glazed tiles on the roof are crimson yellow, which should be considered excessive according to the shape of the year. This was the case in the first place, or it was an inadvertence during the contemporary restoration.

3) Nine Dragon Walls: Datong is also known as the "City of Dragon Walls". The Datong Nine Dragon Wall was originally the screen wall in front of the Daiwang Mansion, and it is said to be the largest among the surviving dragon walls. The nine dragons have different colors, and the colors are still bright after 600 years of wind and rain. All the dragons bared their teeth and danced their claws, agile and powerful, as if they were calling the wind and the rain. The small Ming Dynasty stone carvings preserved in front of the wall are vivid and interesting, full of life flavor, but most of them are difficult to distinguish the details.

4) Great Mosque: It is located about 300 meters southwest of Nine Dragon Wall. There are two very distinctive buildings in this temple: one is a hexagonal brick pagoda at the two corners of the main gate, the tower body has little change in size up and down, very slender and elegant; the other is its north gate, which is two stone sculptures standing side by side The archway is solemn and quiet, with exquisite patterns and exquisite carvings. It is a rare stone carving boutique.

5) Chunyang Palace: less than 200 meters south from the Great Mosque is Chunyang Palace. Chunyang Palace is a Taoist temple, and its main buildings have been reconstructed in recent years. There is a small garden in its northwest corner, small and exquisite, with small bridges, flowing water, pavilions and pavilions, which has the charm of Jiangnan gardens, so it must be seen.

6) Guandi Temple: Walk eastward about 400 meters along the avenue in front of the main gate of Chunyang Palace, and you will arrive at Guandi Temple. On the square in front of the temple, there is a Qing Dynasty theater building named "Yanzhen Building", which is antique and worth a visit. There is a statue of Guan Gong with a black face in the temple, which is very rare.

7) Datong Mansion Confucian Temple and Dijun Temple: Confucian Temple is located not far from the inner side of the ancient city wall on the south side of Datong, about 500 meters away from Guandi Temple, facing south from the north, with Lingxing Gate, Stone Archway, Stele Pavilion, Zunjing Pavilion, Dacheng Both the hall and the turret are worth seeing. There are five dragon walls on the west side of the courtyard, which are also very exquisite and should not be missed. Behind the Confucian Temple is the Emperor Temple, which is a Taoist temple, so you can visit it by the way.

3. eat

1) Breakfast and lunch: Both are eaten at the Gulou Branch of Longjuxiang Shaomai Restaurant. The shop mainly deals in traditional food, mutton, siu mai, and sliced ​​noodles taste good, the price is close to the people, the dining environment, hygiene, and service are all good, but it takes about 10 minutes to wait for a seat, and the overall evaluation is good. come back next time.

2) Dinner is at Lao Datong Restaurant. The restaurant is next to Huayan Temple, and it specializes in traditional Datong cuisine. Although I only ordered a 168 yuan Datong traditional copper hot pot, the quantity is enough for a family of four to eat. After browsing the other dishes on the menu, it should be at the upper-middle level in the local area, and the dining environment and service are both good. The overall evaluation is good 2 products. Can come again.

4. The fourth day (August 20): Datong Museum, Shanhua Temple

1. Travel: Datong Museum is located in the new city, about 6.5 kilometers west of the old city; Shanhua Temple is next to the inner side of the southern section of the ancient city wall of Datong; whether you are driving or taking a taxi, it is very convenient to go to both places.

2. swim

1) As a famous historical and cultural city, Datong has a rich heritage, and farmers may encounter cultural relics as soon as they dig down with a hoe. Therefore, its museum collection is relatively rich. From the primitive society to the Republic of China, cultural relics of all dynasties are basically exhibited, especially the collection and exhibition of cultural relics of the Liao Dynasty is the most abundant. It is a must-see.

2) Shanhua Temple is a famous temple with the longest history in Datong area. There is a five-dragon wall in front of the mountain gate. The shape of the dragon is exquisite, which is not inferior to the nine-dragon wall. The hall-style mountain gate is two rooms deep, and it is a Jin Dynasty building. The four heavenly kings in the hall are huge in size and dignified. Daxiong Hall and Puxian Pavilion are both built in the Liao Dynasty. The main hall is covered with yellow glazed tiles, which shows the high standard of the temple; the Buddha statues in the hall are the relics of the Jin Dynasty, and the five main Buddha statues are magnificent, vivid and dignified, and they seem to have the magic power to captivate and comfort people's soul when they are pitched. What's interesting is that there is an exquisite garden in the west courtyard of the temple, with pavilions, winding corridors, and the level is like a mirror.

3) The perimeter of the ancient city wall of Datong shall not exceed 7.5 kilometers, square and square, and the north and south length shall not exceed two kilometers. There are many city gates on all sides, but only the four central gates can be climbed. If you have the strength, you can walk around the city; The main gate, among all the city gates, has the largest scale and the most complex structure; secondly, there is an army control platform at the east and west ends of the ancient city wall in the southern section, and a wild goose pagoda in the east of the middle. .

3. eat

1) The catering facilities in the new Datong Museum have not yet opened. If you browse for a long time, it is best to bring some food to prevent hunger.

2) Dinner is at the Chinese restaurant of Hongya Hotel. The location is not far from the south gate of the ancient city wall. The dining environment is excellent, the service is excellent, and the dishes are quite satisfactory. The overall evaluation is excellent 4, and you can come again.

5. Day 5 (August 21): China Sculpture Museum, Datong Volcanic Group National Geopark

1. OK

1) The China Sculpture Museum is located in the northern section of the ancient city wall of Datong. The entrance is at Wuding Gate. It is more convenient to take a taxi or drive by yourself. The museum is free but free of charge, and an ID card is required to receive a ticket to visit.

2) Datong Volcanic Group National Geological Park is located about 33 kilometers east and slightly south of the ancient city of Datong. This place originally belonged to Datong County, and later changed the county to a district, now called Yunzhou District. The park is a natural park. The volcanic bodies are like petals scattered by fairies, scattered in a large area. The distance between any two mountains is several kilometers away. Therefore, driving is the only alternative mode of transportation. Of course, cycling enthusiasts and hiking enthusiasts are exceptions.

2. swim

1) It is very rare to name the word "China" in front of the museum in various professional museums in third-tier cities like Datong. The exhibition hall of China Sculpture Museum alone has an area of ​​more than 20,000 square meters, and the exhibits are extremely rich and colorful; in terms of style, there are both traditional realistic sculptures and modern abstract sculptures; in terms of materials, there are bronze, wood, steel, and resin , glass, ceramics, paper, almost all the formable solid materials in the world can be found here; the authors are both Chinese and many foreigners; in terms of subject matter, there are characters and scenery; in terms of content, It covers everything from ancient times to the present, from the solemn and solemn great historical events to the interesting scenes of daily life. Here, you can not only have a glimpse of the height of the temple, but also see the distance of the rivers and lakes. It can make people meditate and be silent in "the road is long and the road is far away", and they should search up and down; it can also make people look at each other: the true meaning of life is nothing more than this, and the essence of life is roughly the same! Its large scale and beautiful collections are worthy of the word "China" in front of its name!

2) Starting from the China Sculpture Museum, it takes about half an hour to drive to the southwest gate of the Datong Volcanic Group National Geopark. Turn left 20 meters after entering the gate, follow the road signs, and go forward for about 1 kilometer. There is a viewing platform. After boarding, you can see the whole picture of the park. More than a dozen dark green volcanic cones, large and small, rise from the ground within an area of ​​several kilometers, giving people a sense of agility. Although the actual height of each volcano is not high, because it is located in a flat and wide basin, it looks abrupt, tall and upright against the backdrop of the silver and bright Yinshan Mountains in the distance. On that day, although we only visited Tiger Mountain, Jinshan Mountain and Langwo Mountain, the unique beautiful scenery of the volcano is enough to make us intoxicated. Except for Langwo Mountain, all the volcanoes are original and fascinating; only on Langwo Mountain, there is a wooden plank road around the mountain, which is convenient for tourists to board, and is suitable for family tourism with the elderly and children. Another characteristic of Datong Volcano is that the cones are not fully developed, and each volcanic cone has an obvious gap, which must be a passage for lava to flow; standing on this passage, looking at the dark brown porous but The hard volcanic rock still seems to be able to feel the lava momentum that swept away everything when the volcano erupted.

The only regret of this trip is that there is a Haotian Temple on Haotian Mountain, which is known as "the first famous temple in Daidong" (Datong was called Daizhou in ancient times). .

3) On both sides of the East Gate and Yangmen of the ancient city of Datong, there is the Liang Sicheng Memorial Hall and the Heping City Memory Hall, both of which are sunken courtyards. About 100 meters to the south is the Dongguan Huayan Temple. These scenic spots are not large in scale, so if you pass by, you can take a look at them by the way.

3. eat

1) Lunch: In order to protect the environment, the Datong Volcanic Group National Geopark does not have any living service facilities, and even no one lives there, so you can only bring your own snacks, or find a meal in the nearest village outside the park.

2) Dinner: Haotian Hotel restaurant in Datong County, local home-cooked dishes, scrambled eggs with day lily, and home-cooked mutton taste good. The dishes, environment, and services are all acceptable, and the overall evaluation is good 3.

4. Accommodation: Haotian Hotel in Datong County is the best hotel in this trip in terms of room size, facilities, sanitary conditions, and comprehensive services. A double standard room does not exceed 160 yuan per night, and includes two breakfasts Fee, comprehensive evaluation excellent 1 product.

6. Day 6 (August 22): Ying County Wooden Pagoda, Hunyuan County

1. OK

1) Mount Heng is next to Hunyuan County, on the road from Ying County to Beijing, so the planned tourist route is the Wooden Pagoda in Ying County first, and then Mount Heng. Datong, Yingxian, and Hunyuan are distributed in a triangle, and the distance between them is about 70 kilometers. They are all connected by expressways. It takes less than an hour to drive, so it is very convenient to drive.

2) The scale of Hunyuan County is small, and the scenic spots are relatively dense, so it is very convenient to drive or take a taxi.

2. swim

1) Yingxian Wooden Pagoda is located in Fogong Temple in the northwest corner of Yingxian County. It was built in Liao Dynasty. The wooden pagoda is a national key cultural relics protection unit. In order to protect the wooden pagoda, tourists can only enter the first floor to visit and cannot board. The pagoda is octagonal, with a whole body of wood, without a single nail; the tower is about 70 meters high, and it is said that there are five dark four and nine floors in total. It is currently the tallest wooden pagoda in the world. . The official name of this pagoda is Sakyamuni Pagoda, and a plaque with the name of the pagoda is hung in the middle of the pagoda. There are many plaques of past dynasties hanging around the tower body, all of which are written by celebrities; among them, the plaque of "Jun and Shengong" hangs on the top of the front of the tower body, which is said to be written by Ming Chengzu Zhu Di, and the plaque of "World Wonders" below it, It is said to be another Ming emperor's imperial brush. Entering the tower, you can see three graceful and luxurious ladies of the Liao Dynasty painted on the lintel of the front door on the first floor. The one in the middle is the queen at that time, and the one on the left is the Empress Dowager Xiao. The Buddha statue on the first floor is about 10 meters high, sitting on a huge lotus platform; carrying the lotus platform are eight strong men, each of whom is powerful and vivid. The Buddha statues and the murals on the four walls were all painted in the Liao Dynasty, and the colors are still pure today. Unfortunately, there are two bowl-sized yellow mud patches on the chest of the Buddha statue. It is said that during the Cultural Revolution, the shabby Red Guards originally wanted to smash the Buddha statue. From the entrance of the cave, countless jewelry and Buddhist scriptures were taken out; these jewelry and Buddhist scriptures should have been placed in the Buddha statue as offerings when the pagoda was built, but unfortunately they were burned by the Red Guards at that time; Dai Caihui left two yellow mud scars. Regarding the wooden pagoda, there are many magical legends among the local folks, so I won't repeat them here. If you look closely, you will also see that this tower has many interesting details. For example, there is a picture of Taiji painted on the dome above the Buddha's head; in front of the tower is an octagonal iron scripture building, although it is broken, it can still be recognized that it was cast in the eighth year of Tianshun (the emperor's year of the Ming Dynasty). Figure; It can be speculated that it must have been a harmonious society where Buddhism and Taoism coexisted peacefully at that time, ha ha!

2) Hunyuan County is in front of Hengshan Mountain, counting Lulu Shrine, which is only 5 kilometers away from the county, there are four national key cultural relics protection units in the county, namely Yongan Temple, Yuanjue Temple, Li Yumei Tomb, and Lulu Shrine. It is rare in county-level cities across the country, which fully demonstrates the profound cultural heritage of the local area. Among them, Yong'an Temple is located in the north corner of Hunyuan County. It was first built in the Jin Dynasty and rebuilt in the Ming Dynasty. Except for the main hall, most of the buildings in the temple are relics of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and most of the kisses are brick carvings. The structure is grand, the knife is exquisite, the lines are smooth, complicated but not redundant, and they are very exquisite. technology. But the most intoxicating thing about the Zen temple is not only the architecture, but also the treasures in its main hall. The main hall of the Zen temple is called "The Hall of Dharma Transmission", which belongs to the building of the Yuan Dynasty and is covered with yellow glazed tiles. Although there is nothing in the hall, the four walls are full of meticulous and colorful murals of the Yuan Dynasty, which are still perfect today. , without any trace of repair. The content of the murals is mainly religious stories, the brushwork is delicate and exquisite, and the colors are as beautiful and bright as yesterday. Although there are many characters, each of them is vivid and lively, and the overall composition also shows the pattern and atmosphere. The ten Ming kings are painted on the front wall, which are lifelike, as if they can talk to people today at any time. The southern half of the east wall is virtually divided into many small squares of one meter square, and each small square has a story painted on it; looking at the entire southern half of the east wall, it is like watching a comic book, which is very rare. After browsing the whole mural, one can't wait to lay a floor directly in the main hall, face the wall every day, engrave every detail and subtlety of the mural into the mind, for the intoxication of floating life! According to the guardian of the temple, there were many Yuan Dynasty Buddha statues in the main hall, but it was a pity that they were all destroyed by the young Red Guards during the Cultural Revolution. The main hall was also used as a granary, but fortunately the murals were not damaged. In addition, there is a single dragon wall on both sides of the temple gate, which is also very exquisite and should not be missed.

3) Go south about 100 meters from the gate of Yong'an Temple, turn right and go west about 50 meters, you will find Yuanjue Temple, which is also a national key cultural relic protection unit, but it is not yet open to tourists. Pushing open the side door that was concealed, offering incense to the elder sister guarding the temple, explaining the purpose of coming, and being allowed to take a look. The buildings in the temple are slightly old, and there is nothing inside; the demolition of the backyard houses has not yet been completed. According to the sister of the temple guard, the Japanese army stationed here when they invaded China. When they retreated, they looted all the cultural relics in the temple. They took away what could be taken away, and burned what could not be taken away. Only one brick pagoda survived because it could not be burned or moved. down. It is said that the brick pagoda of Yuanjue Temple is one of the four existing complete brick pagodas of the Liao Dynasty in the country. The whole body is only made of bricks, imitating wood structure; , with dense eaves and flying arches, the atmosphere is magnificent. Around the base of the pagoda are inlaid with exquisite relief brick carvings. There are music and dance figures with different appearances, which are lifelike and moving; According to the sister of Shoumiao, there is a Buddha statue enshrined in the first floor of this pagoda, and the walls and dome are painted with colorful paintings, which are still as new in color; all the floors above the first floor are solid and cannot be climbed. At the top of the tower, there is an iron Xiangfeng that can rotate with the wind to indicate the direction of the wind. It is said that whenever the head of the phoenix points to the southeast, there will be heavy rain, which is more accurate than the weather forecast; therefore, since ancient times, whenever there is a drought, believers have come to burn incense and pray for rain.

4) Qing Li Yumei Tomb is located on the east side of Hunyuan County, about 1 km away from Yong'an Temple, and is a national key cultural relics protection unit. Li Yumei was a famous official during the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty. She was born in Hunyuan County. She used to be the governor of Shandong and Henan rivers. He became ill from overwork and died after taking office. He was awarded the posthumous title of "Gongqin" and the title of Prince Taibao. Emperor Daoguang specially approved the royal family to regulate the thick burial, and ordered the construction of a cemetery. The entire cemetery faces south from the north, and is grand in scale, rigorous and solemn. There are two treasures in the cemetery, one is calligraphy. The gate of the cemetery is a brick arch, on which there are four brick-carved official script characters "Lishi Jiacheng", with correct strokes and thick fonts. There is a stele pavilion on both sides of the gate. The stone steles are in the style of double dragon caps, one is a stele of Shinto, and the other inscription seems to be written by Emperor Daoguang. After passing the stone archway, there is a stele pavilion in front of the side halls on both sides. The inscriptions on the steles were also written and written by famous ministers of the same generation, and the epitaphs were written and written by Lin Zexu, all of which are rare calligraphy masterpieces. Another treasure of Li's cemetery is a large number of white marble carvings, all of which are exquisite and exquisite. The stone archway is solemn and dignified, and the Huabiao is exquisitely depicted. The two stone lions in front of the second gate are majestic and majestic. On both sides of the Shinto, there are a pair of stone sheep, stone tigers, stone horses, stone generals, and stone civil servants. They are vivid and lifelike. .

5) Lulu Shrine is located about 5 kilometers northwest of Hunyuan County, and at the southeast corner of Shenxi Village. It is located in Shenxi National Wetland Park and is a national key cultural relics protection unit. Because it is built on a lone rock protruding from the flat ground with a height of more than ten meters, it is isolated and towering, and it looks very tall when looking up. The ancestral hall covers an area of ​​about one mu. From the outside, it looks antique; from the front view, the gate is lightly closed, quiet and ethereal, as if it is a secluded place for an expert. According to the local people, there are large and complete ancient murals and a brick five-dragon wall in the temple, both of which are exquisite, but it is a pity that the place is not yet open to tourists, so it is impossible to find out. Why the shrine is named "Lülu" is unknown. I privately think that in the Chinese twelve-tone rhythm, the six yangs are "Lv" and the six Yin are "Lv". Perhaps the word "Lv Lv" has something to do with this. In addition, Shenxi Village, where the shrine is located, is an ancient village, and there are still many old buildings, simple and elegant, with exquisite brick carvings, so it is not to be missed. Shenxi National Wetland Park is full of green leaves and blooming lotus, which is also a good place for leisure travel.

6) In Hunyuan County, there is the ancient Hunzhou government office, many courtyards and large scale, reproducing the appearance of the ancient state government office. At a glance, it is an ancient relic, but if you look closely, you will find that it has been rebuilt soon. What is puzzling is that some buildings are actually covered with yellow glazed tiles, and even the whole body is decorated with dragons on the roof ridge; because it has not been researched, it is not known whether these styles of government buildings are beyond the standard. In addition, about 100 meters away from the Hunzhou Office is the Confucian Temple. Across the road from the Confucian Temple is the famous Ma Family Courtyard. Both of these places are not open to the outside world, and the management personnel have been asked to do so, but they have not been granted. Except for the multi-entry courtyard, tall houses and big houses, neat wooden structures and exquisite stone carvings of the Ma family courtyard through the open gate, there is no chance to see the others.

3. eat

1) Lunch: Randomly dine at a small local restaurant on the side of the small street opposite the wooden pagoda in Ying County. The noodle nest with mutton stew is delicious, better than the same one in Beijing. It also convinced me that "good food is in the folk, and good taste is in the rivers and lakes".

2) Dinner: After a day of sightseeing, I hope to have a good meal and drink wine, so I asked for a private room in the Chinese restaurant of the Huatai Hotel where I stayed. There are many private rooms here, which can be used whenever you arrive, the environment is quiet, and the service is acceptable. But the dishes are really terrible, not to mention the high price, the color, smell, shape and shape are not good, which makes it difficult to swallow. The overall evaluation is poor, and I will not come again.

4. Accommodation: Stay at Huatai Hotel on Hengshan South Road. The size of the room is a bit small, and it is adjacent to the private room of the restaurant, which is a bit noisy. But the sanitation and facilities are acceptable, and the comprehensive evaluation is 1, which is just usable!

7. Day 7 (August 23): Mount Heng, Hanging Temple

1. OK

1) The distance from Hunyuan County to Xuankong Temple and Hengshan main scenic area is about 4 kilometers and 6 kilometers respectively, three points and one line, and there are mountain roads connecting the three. There is no public transportation available, and self-driving is better choose.

2) If you have a Datong Travel Card, you will be exempted from the entrance fee for Hengshan Mountain. You can drive up the mountain directly for about 2 kilometers to the parking lot on the mountainside, and then buy a ticket to climb the mountain. Therefore, there is no cableway to the top of the mountain, and you can only walk. It is recommended that the elderly and those with insufficient strength take the cableway up the mountain directly at the gate of Hengshan Mountain.

2. swim

1) After entering the ticket gate of the temple group in the main scenic spot of Mount Heng, follow the tourist route. Beiyue Hengshan has three major characteristics, one is the magnificent natural scenery. The trees on the top of the mountain are verdant and green; the cliffs are steep and upright, and the cliffs hang high and stretch continuously; the strange pines stand tall and straight, as if they are arrogant. The mountain road is meandering, and being in it makes ordinary people like me suddenly feel like a hero. He thought to himself that Mr. Jin Yong had never been to Mount Heng, because such a beautiful, majestic and magnificent place would never give birth to a person like "Master of Extinction". Another feature of Hengshan is its profound cultural background. The cliff carvings that can be seen everywhere often make people stop and think deeply; Taoist temples and temples are densely covered, with countless plaques and couplets. , The heroic king with lofty aspirations! What to give and what to give depends entirely on the mood of the viewer. The third characteristic of Mount Heng is that Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism gather together, and gods from all walks of life sit around like a meeting of heroes. It seems that gods also need to be inclusive and harmonious society.

2) The Hanging Temple was built in the Northern Wei Dynasty, more than 1600 years ago. The temple was built on the cliffs of Mount Hengshan, with dangerous rocks on the top and the abyss below. With the support of the flying beams inserted into the rock wall and the pillars standing on the convex stone wall, it can survive more than 1600 years of wind and sun. Standing still in the sun, rain, and thunder, it is amazing! Climb on it and look at the surrounding steep cliffs, which is refreshing; walking between various buildings and wooden corridors, as if flying against the cliffs, makes people feel quiet and floats; of course, it will make people who are afraid of heights dizzy and weak. Sitting on the ground is not uncommon. What's more interesting is that in the small temple, the gods of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism are enshrined. Perhaps it is because of the difficulty of hanging the temple on the cliff, the great gods are willing to squeeze and make do. There is a huge lone stone at the bottom of the valley under the temple, on which there is a huge word "magnificent".

3. eat

1) Lunch: After getting off Mount Hengshan, I was hungry. I ordered a bowl of cold noodle at the nearby parking lot on the mountainside. The price was only 10 yuan, but the ingredients were authentic and the taste was pure.

2) Dinner: If you are on the go all day long, you must have a good meal anyway. After many inquiries, I came to Cai's Restaurant located on Hengshan South Road, Hunyuan County. The environment is clean, the service is warm, and the dishes are exquisite. It is said that the ancestor of the owner of the restaurant was an imperial chef, and there have been many famous chefs in the past. The only downside is that there are too many people, it is a bit noisy, and you have to wait for a seat. Most of the delicious places are like this. The comprehensive evaluation is excellent 3, and you can come again.

8. Day 8 (August 24): Nuanquan Ancient Town, Yu County

1. Line:

1) I was supposed to be on my way home, but my wife and daughter were still enjoying their trip, so I searched for nearby attractions on the Internet, and accidentally found this ancient town of Nuanquan in Yu County, Hebei. It takes 1.5 hours to drive about 80 kilometers from Hunyuan County. It is about 280 kilometers away from the capital, and it is convenient to go home.

2) Inside and outside the ancient town, as long as it does not hinder the traffic, you can park for free. The ancient town is an AAA-level scenic spot at any time, but there are no tickets. Tickets need to be purchased separately only when watching the tree flower performance.

2. swim

1) Nuanquan Ancient Town is located about 15 kilometers west of Yuxian County. It is known as the "No. 1 Fort in the World". The ancient castle is square, with a width of about 1 km from east to west and from north to south. The city walls are already incomplete, most of which are rammed earth walls about 2 meters high. Only the two gates in the north and south retain their original appearance. They are tall and straight, like Tiexiongguan, with ancient charm still there. Interestingly, the entrances of the two city gates are not on the front, but on the side. In Nanbaomen Urn City, there is the God of Wealth Hall outside, the Ksitigarbha Temple and the ancient stage inside. The ingenious architectural concept makes the four integrated, which hides a part of the evil spirit for the fort gate used for military defense, and adds a part of it. Peaceful, amazing. In the small courtyard in front of the main entrance of the Dizang Temple, there is a screen wall, and the brick carvings of Shuanglong Xizhu are very smart and exquisite. Different from the South Fort Gate, although the North Fort Gate is also integrated with a small temple, the entire Fort Gate and Urn City are tall and mighty, appearing murderous. Between the North and South Fort Gates is a straight-through street, with antique buildings facing the street and many shops, lively but not noisy; the lanes on both sides are deep, with many courtyards, quiet but not deserted. Walking happily on the stone road that has existed for thousands of years, looking up at the sky, the clouds are rolling and relaxing; looking down at the ground, the flowers are blooming and falling. Taste a few snacks, hum a few old tunes, walk and sit at your own pace, without the cramped feeling of walking through the reinforced concrete in the city and the oppressive feeling of walking under the glass curtain wall. Unknowingly, the pressure and fatigue all over the body were shaken off, the mind was clear and the body was light, and there was no question of the way home!

2) About one kilometer eastward from Beiguanbao Gate, you will find Nuanquan Academy, also known as Wang Min Academy, which was the family school of Wang Min, Shangshu of the Ministry of Industry in the Yuan Dynasty. There is a 100-meter-square pool on the north side of the academy. It is said that it is the water source of the ancient town. On the south bank of the pool, there are several ancient willows, with green buds and drooping branches, verdant as a cover. Under the ancient willows is a place for reading, two courtyards, peaceful and peaceful. Because the pool water is passed through the academy, it has achieved the pleasant state of "there is no heat in May and June, and there is the sound of books in the second and third watch" of the academy; for this alone, the ancient students who study here make us envious. In the northeast corner of the academy, there is a Kuixing building, three stories high, brick and wood structure, with pointed corners; according to the old man who is relaxing downstairs, there is a statue of "Kuixing Diandou" enshrined on the top floor. Wherever the pen in his hand points, there will be It is very effective for literati to enter the imperial examination.

3) Exit the south gate of Nuanquan Academy and walk about 100 meters, then turn left and walk east about 100 meters, you will find Huayan Temple, which is also a national key cultural relics protection unit. The main hall is on the top of the mountain with single eaves, a Tang Dynasty building, simple and grand. There is a three-fold screen wall at the original mountain gate in front of the temple. Inside the screen wall is a circular pool. Although it has dried up, the ancient charm is still there. It is said that this pool was originally connected to the pool of Nuanquan Academy, which means "round sky and place".

3. Eat: In the ancient town, restaurants are densely packed, and all of them sell local specialties. Eight bowls, dried tofu, and pea paste are all delicious; you can sit anywhere and enjoy your food.

Nine, board and lodging general comment

1. Classification of grades: high-quality products are more enjoyable, good products can be re-purchased, mid-range products are acceptable, and poor products are not acceptable.

2. Overall review of the hotel:

3. General comments of the hotel:

10. Postscript: Eight days in a hurry, the white horse passed the gap. The beauty of Datong is one of ten. things, available information. Come at your fingertips, benefit others and please yourself. Don't sigh that the days are short, poetry and wine are happy. Hugh sighs at the end of his life, and is full of ambition. Great rivers and mountains, live as you like. Leshan Leshui travels thousands of miles. Home is on the road, very happy. Gaotang is in Anhui, and he misses it very much. Serving at the knees, the National Day can be expected.