The Hanging Temple / Datong Attactions

The hanging temple stands at the foot of Mt. Hengshan, 65 kilometers (40 miles) from downtown Datong City. It dates back over 1400 years to the Northern Wei Dynasty. However, most of what you see today is reconstructions made during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties.

How could a building like this withstand the winds and storms of so many years? Hanging Monastery is an architectural wonder. A unique mechanical theory was applied to building the framework. Crossbeams were half-inserted into the rock as the foundation, while the rock in back became its support. Seen from below, Hanging Monastery appears to be a tumbledown castle in the air. Inside, Hanging temple provides the same scene as other temples.

The monk who built this temple had three reasons:
1. Find the most difficult place to built a house of worship to show his determination;
2. To avoid the terrible flood;
3. To promote the unity among Chinese people by combining the three main religions: Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism in this temple.

Today, with its unique architecture and culture, the hanging temple attracts more and more visitors all over the world going to visit.