The Hanging Temple, also known as Hanging Monastery or Xuankong Temple, was built more than 1500 years ago on Mount Hengshan, one of the sacred mountains in China. The temple sits 50 meters above the ground and uses the cliff as an invisible support. This 32-meter long temple has an unique architectural structure and is often considered a forgotten wonder given its miraculous foundation. The outer view of the Hanging temple resembles a tumble-down castle yet it has the same interior as a traditional temple. It is also believed, based on a legend, that the construction of the temple was begun by a single man from the Northern Wei dynasty and repairs and extensions were made later. The monastery was built on the cliff like so as to shield the temple from floods, while the mountain peak protects it from rain and heavy snow, and also prevents harsh sunlight from falling on the temple.
Apart from its spell-binding structure, the temple is a real landmark in light of religion and faith. In this temple, not one but three religions are being practised for years, namely Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. These religions are practised and represented in the temple through 78 statues and several carvings inside it. The statues of Lao-Tze, Sakyamuni, and Confucius are also enshrined in the Hall of Three Religions at the temple. The significance of three different religions under the roof of one temple reflects the idea of Three Teachings Harmonious as One from the Ming and Qing dynasties.
The Hanging Temple with its eccentric architecture and religious significance has attracted many locals and tourists over the past hundreds of years and the temple is worth seeing on your next visit to Datong.
The Monastery is 85 km from the center of the City of Datong. The most suitable mode of transport is by taxi. The trip will cost you CNY 150 and will take about 1 hour 30 minutes to reach the Hanging Temple, via S-45 Tian Li Gao Su.
You may also take the bus from Datong Train station to Hunyuan County, which takes costs CNY 22. After this, you may take a taxi to the temple which costs CNY 30. The entire journey would take about 2 hours.
Sunday: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Monday: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m..
Tuesday: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Thursday: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Waiting Time
1 hour to 1.5 hours waiting at the entrance during peak hours
Entrance Fee
The entry fee per person is: CNY 130 (18.60 USD)
Time you can spend
2 hours to 3 hours
Weather
Be the first one to start a thread.
