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1997

Route in China (CHINA - Datong)

Bec
2004-09-19 16:52:51

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/>Cave no. 6 contains a two storey pagoda in the base of which are carved four niches, two of which are shown below. On the left, a well preserved Buddha facing the entrance and a more faded one on the right of it.

I would have liked to take many more pictures but it was forbidden inside the caves. I am lucky to have taken this many which I could do only because there were very few visitors when I was there. Finally I offer you this large Buddha siting in cave no. 3, one of the larger ones of the eastern group.

I was all by myself on the no. 3 bus back to town, a rare occurrence in China. That night I had Sichuan chicken in a small restaurant on Xima Lu near the railway hotel. The meat was not fresh, so much so that I could not eat it. That was the only time I was served a bad meal in China. Two rare occurrences in the same day!

The next day I went exploring Datong on foot. This is the modern Post and Telecom office on Xinjian Xilu, just outside the ancient city walls.

The 12th century Huayan Monastery, one of Datong's major tourist attractions is just inside the city walls, on the same side of the street as the Post Office. It is however well hidden behind a screen of storefronts. I had to ask directions to two or three people before finding the alley Leading to it. This is but one of the several pavilions of the monastery complex.

The thoroughfare called Xinjian Xilu (Xinjian west road) in front of the Post Office changes name to Da Xijie (big west street) inside the walls and then to Da Dongjie (big east street) further east. It and the north south Da Nanjie (big south street) are Datong's main shopping avenues. Da Nanjie takes on more than half a dozen names as it crosses Datong from north to south. It can be confusing at first but one gets used to it.

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