Hanging Temple 悬空寺Xuánkōng Sì

Why go to Hanging Temple

In a gorge below Mount Heng, about 65 km south-east of Datong, the Hanging Temple clings to a cliff face, its halls and pavilions linked by narrow walkways and apparently held aloft by slender wooden poles. It is unusual inside too: Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian figures share the complex, with the Buddha, Laozi and Confucius seated side by side in one hall.

The story

A temple has hung here for some 1,500 years, rebuilt many times since its founding under the Northern Wei. The famous stilts do less work than they appear to: much of the weight rests on crossbeams sunk deep into holes cut in the rock.

What to see at Hanging Temple

• "Zhuangguan" Inscription 壮观: Two huge characters meaning 'magnificent' are carved into the rock face below the temple. Tradition credits them to the poet Li Bai, but the present carving was re-cut in 1991 from an old rubbing.
• Flying Towers and Plank Walkways 飞楼栈道: Two three-storey towers cling to the cliff, joined by walkways wide enough for one person: an upper one of planks and a lower one cut into the rock. The stair treads are nailed in lotus patterns.
• Three Religions Hall 三教殿: At the top of the north tower, the Buddha, Laozi and Confucius share one hall. Other chambers below hold Buddhist and Taoist shrines, among them a Guanyin hall and a Taoist palace.
• Main Hall 正殿: The stone-based hall holds shrines on two floors, with side halls to either side. A channel cut into the rock above the temple is meant to divert falling stones.

How to visit Hanging Temple

Numbers on the walkways are controlled, so expect a wait in busy periods. Go through the main hall and its side halls, then climb the stairs to the two towers. Look back from the road or across the gorge for the full-length view, before or after you go in. Most people need an hour or two on site.

How to get to Hanging Temple

It's roughly 1.5 hours by car from Datong; most visitors hire a driver or join a day tour that also covers the Yungang Grottoes.

Where to stay

There is little to choose from beside the temple, so most visitors base themselves in Datong and make the trip as a day tour. Hunyuan county town is the closest base if you want an early start.

What to eat

• Hunyuan cold jelly noodles 浑源凉粉: Cold, springy jelly noodles dressed with vinegar, chilli oil and garlic, a speciality of Hunyuan county where the temple stands.
• Knife-cut noodles 刀削面: Ribbons of dough shaved straight into broth, a Datong signature that is also easy to find in Hunyuan.
• Oat-noodle rolls 莜面栲栳栳: Rolls of steamed oat dough dipped in a mutton or vegetable sauce, typical of northern Shanxi.

Tips for visiting Hanging Temple

• Climbing onto the walkways needs a separate real-name ticket with a strict daily cap: book online up to a week ahead, or arrive early for the limited same-day tickets.
• The galleries are narrow, steep and high; think twice if you dislike heights.
• For the classic full-length photo, look back at it from across the gorge.

Nearby

• Yingxian Wooden Pagoda 应县木塔 50 km
  A Liao-dynasty timber pagoda of 1056, five storeys outside and nine within
• Datong Ancient City 大同古城 60 km
  Rebuilt Ming ramparts around genuine Liao–Jin temple halls and a glazed dragon screen
• Yungang Grottoes 云冈石窟 70 km
  Giant Buddhas carved into a sandstone cliff some 1,500 years ago
• Mount Wutai 五台山 70 km
  Temples, a towering white stupa and yellow-tiled roofs below five flat-topped holy peaks
• Yanmen Pass 雁门关 90 km
  A Ming fortress gate on the Inner Great Wall, its ramparts running up the mountain ridges
• Foguang Temple 佛光寺 90 km
  A Tang timber hall of 857 on a quiet hillside, still filled with its Tang clay statues

Also within 30 km: Mount Heng (Beiyue Hengshan) 北岳恒山 (under 10 km), Hunyuan Confucian Temple 浑源文庙 (under 10 km), Yuanjue Temple Pagoda, Hunyuan 圆觉寺塔 (under 10 km), Tomb of Li Yumei 栗毓美墓 (under 10 km), Yong'an Temple, Hunyuan 浑源永安寺 (under 10 km), Lülüshen Temple, Hunyuan 律吕神祠 (under 10 km).

Trips with Hanging Temple

• North China’s heritage line: Beijing, Datong, Pingyao and Xi’an 9 days · Beijing, Datong, Pingyao and Xi'an

On the map

Open Hanging Temple on the illustrated map to see the terrain around it, what else is close, and to add it to a trip and plan the days.

Learn more

• Wikipedia
• Wikipedia (Chinese)