Atlas of China
Shanhua Temple 善化寺Shànhuà Sì
4A scenic area · National heritage site · Datong, Shanxi
- Time needed
- About 1 hour
- Days to budget
- Half a day
- City
- Datong
- Region
- Shanxi
- Type
- Heritage
- Listed as
- 4A scenic area, National heritage site
About Shanhua Temple
A Buddhist temple just inside the south gate of Datong's old city, popularly known as the South Temple, which keeps buildings from both the Liao and Jin dynasties. Its Daxiongbao Hall dates from the Liao and is one of the largest surviving halls of its type in China; it holds Jin-dynasty clay statues of the Five Tathagatas and the Twenty-four Devas. The gate building and the Sansheng Hall are of the Jin, and a glazed five-dragon screen wall moved here in 1980 from the former Xingguo Temple stands in front of the gate.
How to get to Shanhua Temple
Just inside the south gate of Datong's old walled city, in the centre of the city.
Nearby
- Datong Ancient City 大同古城 under 10 km
Rebuilt Ming ramparts around genuine Liao–Jin temple halls and a glazed dragon screen - Yungang Grottoes 云冈石窟 10 km
Giant Buddhas carved into a sandstone cliff some 1,500 years ago - Yingxian Wooden Pagoda 应县木塔 60 km
A Liao-dynasty timber pagoda of 1056, five storeys outside and nine within - Hanging Temple 悬空寺 60 km
A wooden temple pinned to a sheer cliff, seemingly propped up on stilts
Also within 20 km: Datong Drum Tower 大同鼓楼 (under 10 km), Guandi Temple, Datong 大同关帝庙 (under 10 km), Nine-Dragon Wall, Datong 大同九龙壁 (under 10 km), Huayan Temple, Datong 华严寺 (under 10 km), Xingguo Temple, Pingcheng 平城兴国寺 (under 10 km), Pingcheng Site (Northern Wei capital) 平城遗址 (under 10 km).
On the map
Open Shanhua Temple on the illustrated map to see the terrain around it and what else is close, and to add it to a trip.
Open Shanhua Temple on the map