Today you will go to the airport to check in for your flight to Datong, China. Due to the time difference, it is recommended to confirm the local time and depart 1 day in advance, the exact time is subject to the arrival time. You will be spending the night on the plane, which may be cold, so it is recommended that you bring warm clothing. We wish you a good night's rest.

Arrive in Datong. Your guide will await your arrival at the airport, after which you will check into the hotel for rest.
If time permits, we recommend free exploration: Visit Dongnanyi Historical and Cultural Block, or stroll along East Gulou Street. Ancient buildings lining the street showcase diverse architectural styles – from vermilion walls and dark-tiled roofs, to traditional square residential courtyards, and European-style structures, reflecting histories of different eras.

Dongnanyi Historical and Cultural Block: Located in the southeast of Datong Ancient City, this historical and cultural district preserves 18 heritage courtyards, 16 historical buildings, and 51 traditional compounds. Dongnanyi largely overlaps with the Li-Fang grid layout from the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534 AD), recognized by the Ministry of Housing as a "living fossil of the Li-Fang system." Wandering here opens a portal to the Ming-Qing dynasties – once a bustling merchant hub and poetic dwelling for literati, it embodies Datong’s historical memory.

East Gulou Street: Datong Drum Tower stands at the center of Yongtai Street in Pingcheng District. Originally built during the Ming Dynasty and restored in the Qing Dynasty under Shunzhi, Qianlong, and Xianfeng reigns, it exemplifies classic Ming tower architecture and ranks among China’s oldest surviving wooden drum towers. Adjacent East Gulou Street, historically significant, emanates unique historical charm today.

Itinerary: Yungang Grottoes → Shadow & Puppet Show (approx. 15 mins)→ Nine-Dragon Screen → Huayan Temple → Datong Ancient City
After hotel breakfast, we’ll enter the Yungang Grottoes – a millennium-spanning Buddhist treasure. This monumental cave complex, built during the Northern Wei Dynasty over 1,500 years ago, awaits exploration. Watch Shadow & Puppet Show recounting the millennium-old legend of revered Monk Tanyao carving the grottoes into mountainsides. The Nine-Dragon Screen, acclaimed as "China’s Foremost Spirit Wall," joins Beijing’s Forbidden City and Beihai Park screens as the "Three Great Ming-Qing Dragon Screens." Step into Huayan Temple, a sacred thousand-year sanctuary embodying Liao-Jin dynastic legacy and Buddhist philosophy. Finally, discover Datong Ancient City – this frontier city embraced by the Yan and Heng Mountains, once the Northern Wei capital and Liao-Jin secondary capital.

Yungang Grottoes: Unlike the Mogao or Longmen Grottoes which took centuries to complete, the Yungang Grottoes were a royal project executed through a nationwide effort in just 60 years during the Northern Wei Dynasty. As core testimony to Datong’s ancient capital status, its 45 existing caves and 51,000+ statues were fully unveiled in the 1500s Northern Wei period, representing the pinnacle of early Chinese grotto art.

Shadow & Puppet Show: As the lights dim, oxhide figures dance with life behind the screen, recounting the millennium-old legend of Monk Tanyao carving grottoes into mountainsides. Exquisite carving techniques breathe life into every line, rendering each detail vividly alive. On the puppet theater stage, Shanxi-accented arias weave through humorous tales that draw roaring laughter from the audience. Puppets spring to life in the artisans’ hands, their every gesture resonating with ancient artistry.

Nine-Dragon Screen : Datong, renowned as the "City of Dragon Screens," preserves nine dragon screens today. The most iconic is this 600-year-old Nine-Dragon Screen. Facing south, the screen measures 45.5m long × 8m high × 2.02m thick. Its massive body comprises 426 specially crafted seven-colored glazed hollow bricks – China’s largest and earliest dragon screen. Nine vividly colored dragons showcase imperial architectural mastery.

Huayan Temple : Located inside Qingyuan Gate of Datong Ancient City, this is China’s largest and best-preserved Liao-Jin imperial monastery. Among the nation’s oldest timber-framed Buddhist shrines, it spans 66,000m². With unique architecture, exquisite Buddhist statues, and precious relics, it stands as an eternal masterpiece of Chinese Buddhist culture. The temple’s statues and murals are magnificent, particularly the Smiling Maitreya with Clasped Hands and Water-Moon Guanyin murals – priceless artistic treasures.

Datong Ancient City: With over 2,000 years of history, Datong ranks among China’s Nine Great Ancient Capitals – serving as Northern Wei’s capital, Liao-Jin’s secondary capital, and Ming-Qing’s frontier stronghold. Three exceptionally preserved sites deserve visits: Huayan Temple (Liao-Jin Buddhist architecture), Shanhua Temple (Tang-style reconstruction), and the Nine-Dragon Screen (Ming glaze art pinnacle).

Itinerary: Datong → Hunyuan → Xuankong Temple (incl. eco-bus, excl. ascending visit) → Yingxian Wooden Pagoda → Shanxi Noodle Museum
After hotel breakfast, transfer to Hunyuan (approx. 70KM, 1.5-hour drive). Visit the Xuankong Temple‌, China's only architecture integrating Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. After touring, proceed to Yingxian (approx. 50KM, 1-hour drive). Upon arrival, behold the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda‌ – soaring 67.31 meters (equivalent to 20 stories) yet relying solely on interlocking wooden joints. It stands as China's tallest and oldest pure-timber pavilion-style pagoda. Conclude the tour and transfer to Taiyuan (approx. 240KM, 3.5-hour drive). Check into the hotel upon arrival.

Xuankong Temple‌ : Nestled on cliffs of Hengshan's Jinlong Gorge in Hunyuan County, Shanxi, this 1,400-year-old Northern Wei marvel perches 50 meters above ground. Its wooden framework clings to precipices above deep ravines. Half-embedded beams anchor into rock, with integrated pillars and interlinked corridors defying gravity. Surviving millennia of storms, its architectural ingenuity and mechanical principles showcase ancient artisans' brilliance. Recognized by TIME Magazine as one of the "World's Top 10 Most Dangerous Buildings," it reigns as Hengshan's premier wonder – a globally unparalleled spectacle!

Yingxian Wooden Pagoda : Also called Sakyamuni Pagoda of Fogong Temple, this structure in Yingxian County's Fogong Temple dates to Liao Dynasty's Qingning era (1056 AD). As the world's tallest and oldest pure-timber pavilion-style architecture, it shares "World's Three Miraculous Towers" status with Italy's Leaning Tower of Pisa and France's Eiffel Tower. It served as a location for ”Black Myth: Wukong”.

Shanxi Noodle Museum: "China to the world for noodles, Shanxi to China for noodles". Shanxi houses a museum dedicated to noodle culture, where exhibits fully showcase traditional farming heritage and noodle-making history. Simultaneously integrating Shanxi’s 5,000 years of humanistic history, folk customs, regional characteristics, and Shanxi merchant culture, it vividly presents over 280 noodle techniques and the culinary wisdom of the Loess Plateau through specialty dining and folk performances. Hailed as the "edible museum and living room of Shanxi people".

Noodle Show : Watch master chefs transform diverse noodle-making skills into captivating performances. With virtuosic craftsmanship, their hands expertly knead, pull, roll, and slice dough, morphing it into wondrous forms. Hand-pulled noodles thin as silk can thread a needle; chefs shave noodles over their heads while cycling unicycles. Few rival Shanxi people in elevating noodles to an art form – you’ll never grasp noodle diversity until you come to Shanxi.

Itinerary: Taiyuan → Jinci Museum → Pingyao Ancient City: Ancient City Wall, Rishengchang Draft Bank, Ancient County Government, Ming-Qing Street, Hanfu Walking Experience (3-4 hours, incl. costume & makeup, excl. photography), Paper Cutting(approx. 20mins), Hua Mo Making(approx. 20mins), Jin Merchant Melodies performance Experience

After breakfast, visit Jinci Museum - a must-see site where "missing Jinci means missing Taiyuan". Transfer to Pingyao (approx. 110KM, 1.5-hour drive). Enter Pingyao Ancient City - "one ancient city, half of China's financial history". Explore:Pingyao Ancient City Wall‌: China's best-preserved Ming-Qing county wall and core UNESCO landmark. The city's backbone witnessing Shanxi merchant spirit. Rishengchang Draft Bank: Discover original drafts and secret codes, understanding the wisdom of "conducting nationwide business with paper notes". Ancient County Government: Where over 200 magistrates held court and governed during 600 years. Ming-Qing Street: The central axis and "Wall Street" of Shanxi merchants' golden age. 600m flagstone path connects draft banks, escort agencies, pawnshops and trading firms. The experience of visiting an ancient town in Hanfu, Paper-Cutting , Hua Mo Making. Dinner with Jin Merchant Melodies Performance. Then conclude the tour and check into Pingyao.

Jinci Museum : A cultural heritage integrating ancient Chinese sacrificial architecture, gardens, sculptures, murals and stele art. It showcases comprehensive architectural forms - halls, towers, pavilions, bridges and terraces. With intact structures from Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing, Republican to modern periods, it stands as China's sole complete architectural chronology and Museum of Ancient Chinese Architecture.

Pingyao Ancient City: Founded during Western Zhou's King Xuan reign (827-782 BC), this 2.25 sq km living museum transports visitors to Ming-Qing streetscapes. City walls, shops, temples and residences form a symmetrical layout with 3,980+ historic sites and nearly 400 preserved Ming-Qing dwellings - deemed living specimens for studying ancient Chinese cities. These ancient residences embody the city's soul.

Pingyao Ancient City Wall : Originating in Western Zhou period, this 2,800-year-old wall maintains intact Ming-Qing form. The current structure (built 1370 AD) stands 12m high like a slumbering bronze dragon. Its 3,000 battlements and 72 watchtowers symbolically correspond to Confucius' "3,000 disciples and 72 sages", blending military defense with Confucian culture. This wall is a 3D architectural textbook decoding Chinese civilization.

Rishengchang Draft Bank Museum: Occupying 3,820.6+ square meters and founded in the 3rd Year of Qing Daoguang Reign (1823 AD), this complex integrates the original sites of China's first draft bank (Rishengchang), second (Weitaihou), and seventh (Rixinzhong).  Founded in 1823 during Qing Daoguang reign, it pioneered nationwide silver transfer and deposit services until 1948. For 125 years, this "remittance leader" revolutionized China's financial industry with its "universal remittance" network.

Ancient County Government: Centered in Pingyao with origins in Northern Wei and finalized during Yuan-Ming-Qing periods. Among China's four best-preserved ancient yamens and the largest surviving county government complex. Its orderly layout reflects unique historical legacy across dynasties, acclaimed as "the finest ancient yamen".

Ming-Qing Street: Pingyao's most iconic thoroughfare lined with authentic Ming-Qing shops and residences. Strolling its flagstones immerses visitors in historical ambiance. Discover local snacks and handicraft souvenirs while savoring culinary delights.

Hanfu Walking Experience: visiting the ancient town in Hanfu: Tread Pingyao's stone-paved lanes through century-old trading houses. With sleeves fluttering in breeze, you'll feel transported to brush shoulders with Ming-Qing merchants.

Paper-Cutting:  A unique handicraft experience. Master artisans guide you hand-in-hand through folding and cutting techniques. As scissors glide, intricate lattice patterns and auspicious motifs spring to life on paper – perhaps a blooming peony or playful mythical beasts.

Hua Mo Sculpting: Hua Mo originated in the Han Dynasty, flourishing through the Tang and Song eras. More than culinary art, it embodies cultural heritage and emotional symbolism. The folk tradition "Steam Hua Mo for the New Year" signifies wealth and prosperity in the new year. Historically, jujube-adorned Hua Mo honored elders’ birthdays, while dragon-phoenix shaped creations graced weddings. These edible sculptures feature prominently in traditional ceremonies and life milestones, epitomizing Chinese ritual artistry

Evening Performance – Jin Merchant Melodies: This authentic Shanxi merchant culture spectacle integrates dance, aerobatic feats, yangko folk dance, suona horns, face-changing, and Er Ren Tai opera. A multidimensional showcase of Shanxi’s mercantile history and modern evolution.

Evening Special Accommodation: Pingyao Hotel: Built during Qing Dynasty as merchant lodgings for out-of-town traders. Featuring Shanxi merchant architectural traditions with carved beams, painted rafters, and lantern decorations - quintessential northern Chinese residential style.

Itinerary: Pingyao → Hukou Waterfall (Shanxi side, incl. eco-bus) → Yunqiu Mountain
After breakfast, drive to Hukou (approx. 280KM, 3.5-hour drive). Visit Hukou Waterfall - China's second largest waterfall, the world's largest yellow waterfall, and a spiritual symbol of the Chinese nation representing unyielding perseverance. After touring, transfer to Yunqiu Mountain (approx. 110KM, 2-hour drive) for accommodation.

Hukou Waterfall : Straddling the Shanxi-Jixian and Shaanxi-Yichuan border, this waterfall forms where the Yellow River traverses the Qin-Jin Gorge of the Loess Plateau. With 40-meter width and 30-meter drop, it ranks as the Yellow River's largest cascade and China's second grandest waterfall after Guizhou's Huangguoshu. Renowned since ancient times for its grandeur, Tang poet Li Bai immortalized it: "The Yellow River's waters surge from heaven, rushing seaward never to return."

Itinerary: Yunqiu Mountain → Talpo Ancient Village: Tie-Dyeing Experience (approx. 30 mins) →  Ice Cave → Wang Family Grand Courtyard
After hotel breakfast, transfer to Yunqiu Mountain - a 2,600-year-old Taoist sanctuary housing the miraculous Ice Cave! Stroll through Talpo Ancient Village, experiencing Jin-South folklore within stone-walled dwellings. After touring, drive to Lingshi (approx. 220KM, 3.5-hour drive). Tie-Dye Experience, an encounter with indigo and white, crafting a gentle keepsake uniquely your own. Visit China's most opulent residence-Wang Family Grand Courtyard - 1.6 times larger than the Forbidden City, acclaimed as "China's Premier Folk Dwelling" and "Forbidden City of Civilians". Evening check-in at ancient castle hot spring hotel for relaxation.

Yunqiu Mountain: Located in Xiangning County, Linfen, Shanxi, this national 5A scenic area integrates geological wonders, Taoist culture, and ancient villages. Highlights include: Geological Wonder Museum: Features China's largest natural ice cave complex formed 3 million years ago. Living Cultural Heritage: Preserves 11 ancient villages, including 2,500-year-old Talpo Village showcasing Jin-South intangible heritage. Biodiversity Treasury: 89% forest coverage with abundant negative oxygen ions, rare species, and medicinal plants.

Talpo Ancient Village: Within Yunqiu Mountain 5A Scenic Area, this rare Jin-South cave-dwelling cluster boasts 2,500 years of history. Recognized as a "living fossil of millennium-old vernacular architecture," it entered China's Traditional Villages List in 2014.

Tie-Dye Experience: Master artisans guide your hands through folding ropes, soaking cloth, and dye-vat immersion. Watch pristine fabric bloom with cascading blues. Every crease and knot transforms into singular patterns. Sun-dried fabrics breathe with botanical fragrance as they cure. Carry home your handcrafted textile – a tangible memory of Talpo.

Yunqiu Mountain Ice Cave: Formed through glacial movements 3 million years ago, its core attraction – the Ice Cave Group – stands as a natural miracle, where icicle stalagmites, columns, and waterfalls remain unfrozen year-round. During midsummer, the temperature differential at the cave entrance exceeds 25℃. Translucent blue ice contrasts magically with surrounding forests. Wearing complimentary jackets, visitors touch 300-million-year ice walls in -10℃.

Wang Family Grand Courtyard: The pinnacle of Qing residential architecture. Built between 1662-1820 by the Wang clan along mountain terrain, its wang-shaped layout resembles a coiled dragon. Covering 250,000m² (88 courtyards, 776 rooms), it surpasses the Forbidden City's 150,000m². Exquisite brick, wood, and stone carvings embody profound cultural significance.

Evening Special Accommodation: Chong Ning Castle Hot Spring Hotel – China's Premier Castle Hotel:
Constructed in 1724 (Qing Yongzheng era) as part of Wang Family Courtyard 4A Scenic Area, this largest and earliest among the "Five Wang Forts" crowns the highest hill. Witnessing the Wangs' transition from farmers to merchants to officials, its Shanxi merchant-style architecture features traditional kang beds and natural hot springs, immersing guests in timeless poetic charm.

Itinerary: Lingshi →  Mianshan Mountain: Daluo Palace, Zhengguo Temple, Yunfeng Temple, Baofu Rock → Shuitao Valley →  Zhangbi Ancient Castle →  Bell and Drum Tower of Taiyuan

After hotel breakfast, take a coach to Mianshan Mountain (approx. 21km, 35 mins). Visit: Grand Luohall -The World’s Premier Taoist Temple, Yunfeng Temple (built within Baofu Rock) -Mianshan’s only Buddhist temple, Shuitao Valley -Mianshan’s picturesque highlight. This ravine boasts not only stunning natural scenery but also cliff inscriptions by renowned scholars adorning the rocks, immersing visitors in poetic charm.Then travel to Taiyuan (approx. 150km, 2 hrs) to explore Zhangbi Ancient Castle. This 1,600-year-old "pocket-sized" fortress walls in military ingenuity and veils ancient mysteries within its tunnels, awaiting you to unravel its legends.

Mianshan Mountain: Located 20km southeast of Jiexiu City, Shanxi, it features majestic peaks and extraordinary landscapes. Steeped in the history of the Spring and Autumn Period’s Jin State and recognized as the birthplace of the Cold Food and Qingming Festival traditions, it stands as a sacred mountain harmonizing natural wonders and cultural heritage. Its "Four Wonders" are: spectacular cliffs, perilous pathways, elegant cypresses, and sea of clouds.

Grand Luohall: Mianshan’s iconic religious complex. Perched vertically over 100 meters above ground on the eastern cliff of Baofu Rock, its "hanging palace clinging to precipices" is hailed as the "World’s Premier Taoist Temple". Legend holds that Jie Zitui retreated here with his mother and witnessed the Taoist supreme realm, the "Great Luo Immortal Realm". Blending Ming-Qing architecture with modern techniques, its towering pavilions, majestic halls, carved beams, and painted rafters exude opulent grandeur with classical elegance.

Zhengguo Temple: Houses at least 15 preserved Buddha statues, forming the world’s largest known group of such relics. Dating from the Tang to Ming dynasties, these statues vary in height, build, and facial features, their ages discernible in their visages. They have maintained their original postures at the time of nirvana for over a millennium.

Yunfeng Temple: Originally named Baofu Temple after Baofu Rock. Founded during the Three Kingdoms’ Cao Wei period (over 1,700 years ago). Facing west, it rises 60m high, extends 50m deep and 180m long across two levels. Its "embrace" shelters over 200 halls and dwellings, encapsulating two millennia of history—truly "one of a kind under heaven".

Shuitao Valley: Mianshan’s core natural attraction, acclaimed as the "Jiuzhaigou of the North". This serpentine, 5km valley shifts with the seasons: vibrant greenery in spring, cooling waterfalls in summer, crimson foliage in autumn, and icy cascades in winter—resembling a living landscape painting.

Zhangbi Ancient Castle: Entering here is like opening a weighty history book. It conceals a five-tiered military defense system, apex of ancient military wisdom. Underground, 10km of crisscrossing tunnels form a three-dimensional labyrinth with intricate mechanisms. Above ground, battlements, embrasures, and walls create an impregnable "Underground Great Wall".

Authentic Exploration Experience: Delve into the mysterious ancient tunnels to explore the three-tiered system, witnessing ancient ingenuity. Discover military facilities like prisoner camps, stables, and commanders’ posts. Follow marked routes to exit, rest while enjoying the scenery, then return via signage.

Bell Tower Street: Named after its ancient bell tower, this historic bustling street in Taiyuan stands as another emblem of splendor in Dragon City. A grand bell tower, weathered by time, witnesses the vicissitudes of history and has kept company with the moonlit skies for millennia.

After breakfast at the hotel, you will be sent to the airport according to the flight time to return home!