Datong
One of China’s most supreme examples of Buddhist cave art, these 5th-century caves are simply magnificent. With 51,000 ancient statues and celestial…
Must-see attractions in Shanxi
Pingyao
This fascinating Buddhist temple houses many incredibly rare, sublimely carved Tang, Song and Yuan painted statues. Rebuilt in 1571, it’s a mesmerising…
Shanxi
This picturesque temple littered with Taoist deities is an enjoyable place to visit by any measure. But what makes it exceptional are the painted…
Shanxi
This sprawling complex sits on the source of the Jin River in arid Shanxi. The earliest structures and the irrigation canal (which still gushes on rainy…
Shanxi
At the base of Spirit Vulture Peak (灵鹫峰, Língjiù Fēng), Tayuan Temple is the most prominent landmark in Wutai Shan and virtually all pilgrims pass through…
Datong
Housed in a contemporary building inspired by a dragon totem, this wonderful museum is chock-full of relics – religious, funereal, military, imperial and…
Datong
Yong‘an Temple at the foothills of Heng Shan (恆山) only unlocks its halls when there are visitors and for a good reason – this poised and serene 13th…
Pingyao
A good place to start your Pingyao experience is the magnificent city walls; they date from 1370 and are among the most complete in the nation. At 10m…
Shanxi
This well-preserved, magnificent Ming dynasty castle is the former residence of Chen Tingjing, prime minister under Emperor Kangxi in the late 17th…
Shanxi
Xiantong Temple – the largest temple in town – was erected in AD 68 and was the first Buddhist temple in the area. It comprises more than 100 halls and…
Twin Pagoda Temple/Yongzuo Temple
Shanxi
These gorgeous twin brick pagodas rise photogenically south of the Nansha River in Taiyuan’s southeast; they're lovely with the wind in their tinkling…
Pingyao
With vertiginous and dizzying cliffs alongside a deep gorge, this astonishing mountain area is a splendid day trip from Pingyao. Lined with precariously…
Datong
Alongside magnificently dilapidated earthen sections of the Great Wall that disappear over the top of Horsehead Hill (马头山, Mǎtóu Shān), a fabulous Gothic…
Shanxi
This 18th-century complex of courtyards covering 24,000 sq m is a fine example of a traditional private residence in China. Once home to a celebrated…
Pingyao
More castle than cosy home, this grand Qing dynasty former merchant's residence has been very well maintained (note the wooden galleries fronting many of…
Pingyao
While not as famous as Shuanglin Temple, Zhenguo Temple also houses a magnificent collection of old halls and ancient statues. Don't miss the still-living…
Shanxi
Smack in the centre of Daixian old town, this 14th-century drum tower will make up for all the times you felt let down by faux ancient towers or authentic…
Shanxi
This remarkable museum gives fascinating context to the fort-like settlements, ancient temples, and vernacular housing around Jincheng. Using fine…
Datong
Built by the Khitan during the Liao dynasty (AD 907–1125), this 66,000-sq-metre temple faces east, not south (it’s said the Khitan were sun worshippers)…
Shanxi
This very quiet temple near Dongye (东冶) contains a strikingly beautiful Great Buddha Hall that dates to 782, making it the most ancient surviving timber…
Shanxi
For extraordinary views, walk 2.5km south of Dailuo Peak to the isolated, maze-like Nanshan Temple. The six-hectare complex is built on a hillside 1700m…
Datong
Emblazoned with nine coiling dragons picked out in coloured glazed tiles, this is one of the finest yǐngbì (影壁) spirit walls in China (it has two…
Pingyao
Within the venerable halls of this astonishing temple, first raised in the Song dynasty, are some intriguing frescoes, including the hall at the very rear…
Shanxi
This supremely peaceful 550-year-old village, hugging a hillside with terraces of crops running up it, has hundreds of cave dwellings (窑洞, yáodòng)…
Shanxi
This pair of Green Lotus Temples are among China's oldest in Pure Land Buddhism. They're celebrated for their gorgeous Tang and Song dynasty painted…
Datong
Built precariously into the side of a cliff, the Buddhist Hanging Monastery is made all the more stunning by its long support stilts. The halls hug the…
Datong
This incredible city wall has been rebuilt from the soles up in what must be one of the most ambitious feats of engineering to hit Datong since, well,…
Shanxi
Luohou Temple is one of the earliest sites of Chinese esoteric Buddhism. It dates from the Tang dynasty and underwent restoration in the Ming and Qing…
Shanxi
This temple's main hall dates to 857 and contains a statue of Sakyamuni surrounded by other colourful statues with 296 arhat (罗汉, luóhàn) in the flanks…
Pingyao
An abandoned diesel engine factory is now a cinema-restaurant-souvenir shop complex, and the venue of the Pingyao International Film Festival. There's an…
Ningwu
Also known as Wannian Ice Cave (literally, 'Million-year Ice Cave'), this naturally occurring ice cave 2300m above sea level in Luya Mountain is 50km west…
Datong
Built in 1056, this riveting five-storey tower is the world’s tallest (67m) and China's oldest wooden pagoda. Constructed with red pine without a single…
Shanxi
Raised in the Tang dynasty and restored in the Ming, this serene Confucius Temple features gateway arches with striking green glazed tiles, shapely…
Datong
Datong’s old town has been extensively resurrected at colossal expense to put Datong back on the map. The former mayor ploughed a fortune into trying to…
Shanxi
Tāngdì Miào, a 600-year-old Taoist temple, is Guoyu's oldest building. It's well preserved with nine rooms and an operatic stage; the latter has Cultural…
Shanxi
Located 14km southwest of Qiao Family Compound is this refreshingly undeveloped ancient town with a courtyard mansion (渠家大院, Qújiā Dàyuàn) and Qing…
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
Shanxi
Built in 1870, the neoclassical house of worship was badly damaged during the Boxer Rebellion but today stands magnificently amid modern buildings. The…
Zhenghongbao Canyon Great Wall
Datong
Some 70km northeast of the city is this sleepy farming village just off the highway, set within the ruins of a bǎo (fort) that once served the Great Wall …
Shanxi
Bìshān Temple is Wutai Shan's largest shífāng chánsi (十方禪寺): Buddhist monks of any denomination are welcome to stay and eat here for free. The austere…
Datong
This working cathedral – also called the Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mary – is an astonishing sight once you find it and stand before its twin…
