Xuankong Temple, Datong, Shanxi

Built into the cliffs of Cuiping Peak on Hengshan Mountain, Xuankong Temple was first built in the late fifth century, more than 1,500 years ago. Backed by sheer rock faces and overlooking a deep valley, the temple’s wooden halls, pavilions, and walkways are linked together high above the ground. Built into the mountainside with remarkable ingenuity, the temple has endured centuries of wind and rain and still clings to the cliffs today.

Xuankong Temple is renowned not only for its daring architecture, but also as one of China’s rare surviving temples where Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism coexist and intertwine. Here, ancient architecture and the mountain landscape come together, reflecting a rich cultural tradition shaped by openness, mutual respect, and harmony among different schools of thought.

www.chinabound.cn  

Travel with ease in China, and with meaning.