4 Days Private Pingyao & Datong Tour

After breakfast, prepare for an interesting 1-hour paper-cutting experience. Traditionally, when husbands travelled far for business, local women transformed their hopes and blessings into red paper cuts: coins for wealth, abacuses for smooth settlements, and camels for safe travels. Under the guidance of a skilled master, you’ll learn how to fold various patterns, add intricate details, and finally cut them with scissors. 

Then, we’ll drive to Qiao Family Compound, the former mansion of a Super Rich from the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911 AD). At its peak, this family possessed one-eighth of the country’s wealth. Enclosed by ten-meter (33-foot) high walls, there are 26 narrow and long quadrangle courtyards, designed to deter robbers and protect against sandstorms from the plateau. In addition to enjoying the carved art and ancient furniture, you’ll see three remarkable items in the main hall: a ‘surveillance camera’ made of mercury-coated glass, which reflected the scene inside and outside the room to prevent eavesdropping during discussion of trade secrets; a mirror adorned with rhino and auspicious clouds patterns, carved from precious ironwood and symbolizing hopes for promotion and wealth; and an octagonal lantern featuring nine-dragon-shaped carvings, awarded by the Empress Dowager Cixi (1835 - 1908 AD). 

Following that, your guide and the driver will escort you to the railway station for a 2.5-to-3-hour high-speed train to Datong. Upon arrival, your guide and the driver will escort you to the hotel for check-in. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Yungang Meigao Hotel (4 stars)

Today’s sightseeing will begin with a hotel pick-up, followed by a visit to the Hanging Temple. From the outside, the temple appears to be supported by only 27 wooden pillars, each with a diameter of less than 10 centimeters (4 inches); however, they do not bear any weight. Those crossbeams are the true heroes! They have slightly upturned ends, which are easy to deeply embed into rock holes, and are reinforced with secondary beams and iron hoops. The gap between the beams and rock holes is further secured with wedges, allowing the temple to stand for over 1,500 years. Accompanied by your guide, ascend the narrow plank road to explore meditation rooms, Buddha halls, and the bell tower in this ‘cloud temple’. Using an ultra-wide-angle lens can help you capture its dramatic position against the cliffs.

After that, continue our visit to the Yungang Grottoes, commissioned by an emperor from a nomadic tribe in the 4th century to revitalize Buddhism. Caves No.16 - 20 were first carved, where all Buddha statues are tall and imposing, dressed in traditional nomadic attire, dedicated to commemorate the emperor’s five ancestors. Caves No.1 - 15 were created during a period of prosperity, showing more refined and gentler faces on the statues, along with a greater diversity in cave designs. Other caves are relatively small, as Datong was no longer the capital at that time. During the visit, you may notice numerous holes in the Buddha statues, which were left during renovations. The statues were made of soft sandstone and easily eroded by wind, so earlier artisans would drill small holes, insert wooden wedges, apply mud, and finally paint them for repair. As the mud wears off over time, these small holes become exposed again. Fortunately, modern protection technology now uses chemical materials to fill in those damaged areas.

Finally, your guide and the driver will convoy you back to the hotel for rest.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Yungang Meigao Hotel (4 stars)

In the morning, your guide and the driver will greet you at the hotel lobby and then accompany you to visit the Huayan Temple in Datong Ancient City. Its upper part is superior in scale, with its main hall boasting an enormous plaque and majestic wooden arches. Upon entering, 20 Protective Deities flanking the main Buddha statues will captative your eyes, leaning forward as if peering down at the devotees below. In contrast, the lower temple focuses on detailed artistry. Admire the latticed ceiling dazzling with unduplicated decorations, mainly featuring rings, floral designs, and geometric patterns. Also, a Bodhisattva statue with clasped palms and bared teeth invites your close inspection. Its smile breathes life into the otherwise solemn ambiance of the Buddhist realm, earning it the nickname of ‘Oriental Venus’.

Outside the temple, you’ll see the iconic landmark Four-archway Building, which indicates the ancient city’s four main streets. Because Datong is surrounded by mountains on three sides, it held military significance in ancient times, and this building once served as a guide for those arriving to join the army. As trade increased in the city, it later became a gathering place for merchants to exchange the latest news. Continue our visit to the Nine-Dragon Screen east, a screen wall of a prince’s mansion designed to ward off evil spirits. It was made of 426 colorful glazed tiles, with the central dragon shining with a golden hue. These dragons have only four claws and parallel scales, which distinguishes them from the five-clawed dragon patterns exclusively used by emperors. In front of the wall lies a pool, where the dragons’ reflections will dance across the surface with the breeze, giving you an illusion that they are poised to leap from the wall!

If time permits, we’ll ascend the City Wall to observe the city’s square layout and street grid, which might be an early reference for the grid central layouts of Beijing and Xi’an. For those who wish to explore every corner in detail, renting a bicycle will be more efficient. If you’re up for it at your own expense, the guide will assist with bike rentals.

At the end of your 4 days Pingyao Datong tour, your guide and the driver will escort you to the railway station according to your departure train schedule. We look forward to travelling with you again on your next destination in China. Please feel free to share your ideas with our travel consultants! Wish you a happy and safe journey! 

Meals: Breakfast