Geographic & Historic Maps on Datong City, Great Wall of China, nearby Gobi Desert Satellite Image including the position of Datong and Buddhist Holy Mountain Area of Wu Tai Shan, North Shanxi Province.
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This page was last updated on: December 4, 2008
The Datong Report
Introduction to Datong
Datong Landmarks & Monuments
Datong City& Area Maps
Datong is a small provincial city in the North of North-China's Shanxi Province with a Long History. Founded no less than 2000+ years Ago during the Han Dynasty and not very long after the founding of China as a unified State, the city first originated as PingCheng, a stronghold and garrison City, located on China's Northern Frontier nearby a pass on the Great Wall of China, the pass to Inner Mongolia. Buried in the safety behind the newly built and connected Great Wall, the city was allowed to develop further and became a flourishing
trading post, market and stop-off point on the Silk- (and Tea-) Road. Much later,
during a decline of China's Central Powers, North-China was unified under the
flag of the turkmenic Toba Tribes. The resulting 5Th Century Northern Wei
Dynasty (364AD - 584 AD), chose Datong as their Capital of North China.
During this period, the small city grew immensely in importance and became
a flourishing city on the Silk Road along which buddhist influences were
carried into China (and beyond). As a result the nearby Yungang village
(west of Datong) with its Caves became an important Buddhist site and
Monastery, growing slowly into a multitude of Caves with thousands of smaller
and larger Buddha images and Statues locally known as Cloud Ridge Caves.
was constructed at Datong. As such Datong had once more become an imperial city and became an
even more essential stronghold in the defenses of the Northern Border. In the following 2 centuries Datong
would repeatedly be at the center of Battle, as Mongols were probing defenses in the North. During one such
Mongol excursion the outer layer of the Great Wall in North Shanxi was penetrated by a 50.000 strong Mongol
army and Datong was occupied. Furthermore, in the ensuing Battle for control of the City and the
Northern Border an amassed Chinese army was clumsily defeated and the chinese Yingzong Emperor
was captured. He was held hostage by the Mongols for 6 years after which he was able to return to his
Throne. Later during the Ming Dynasty, in 1540 AD and 1550 AD respectivily, Datong, the stronghold on
the North Shanxi defenses on the Great Wall of China was again at the Center of battle between the
Northern invaders and the Chinese Armies. Now protected by high mud-brick defensive Walls, the City
survived through relatively unscathed. The city was never again fell to the Mongol hordes, untill a period
of weak defenses fell in with the collapse of the Ming Dynasty. In 1649 AD Datong, the border city was sacked and nearly raised to the ground. The City and Palace were destroyed, leaving the Datong 9 Dragon Screen as one of the few remaining structures. As an important outpost and strategic strongpoint it was immediatly rebuilt (1652 AD) by the newly established Ching Dynasty (Shu Tzi reign period). Only after the introduction of trains
and railroads in China during the last throws of the Ching Dynasty and the connection of Datong to China's
railway system (Ping-Shui R.R.), the position of the city changed once more. Datong grew in size and became an industrial city and transportation hub of raw materials (Coal mainly) and machinery.
During the Japanese Invasion and occupation, first of Manchuria, and following of China entire, Datong became a strategic point in the Japanese advance from Beijing (Hebei) west-wards. Located on the only railway line into
Yungang Grottoes - or Cloud Ridge Caves, the Official Electronic Ticket to the United Nations World Heritage Site.
The Ticket to the Main Shrine Hall of Lower HuaYan Monastery inside Datong City.
The Ticket to Upper HuaYan Monastery adjacent the Lower HuaYan Monastery.
Northern Shanxi and located at the pass to Inner Mongolia (where japanese sponsored skirmishes had already occured with Mongolian "rebels"), Datong became a main focal point of military action. Japanese attempts to penetrate West from the Coast inward via Datong and TaiYuan, both railway hubs, were met by inadequate forces from the National KuoMinTang Army and by the much more efficient guerilla forces of the early chinese communist Party and it's legendary 8Th Route Army, who had just arrived in North-China from their "Long March". In the initial fases a battle was fought at the Great Wall Pass at Datong delaying the Japanese advance considerably (as was the case at TaiYuan). Not much later (after 1938) the area of Datong, and all of Shanxi Province were occupied by Japanese Forces, who were however continually harrassed by chinese
guerilla's from local villages (and the 8Th route army operating from Yenan, Shaanxi south and across the
Yellow River). Japanese Forces were concentrated along railroads in an attempt to protect supply lines and
Datong was an important garrison city and essential for the occupation of all of China. The country-side of
Shanxi was mainly communist-controlled by the end of 1938. After the second world war and the
establishment of the Peoples Republic of China in 1949 AD Datong was once again forgotten and only grew
as one of the industrial centers of the North. Today's Datong, locally also known as Mei Du, the Coal Capital,
is a mainly industrial city counting around 270.000 inhabitants working in the (Coal) mining and related
industries. There is a large coal fired powerplant on the suburbs of Datong and the city is home to a
pharmaceutical company and a normal university. Datong is the second largest City in Shanxi Province after
the Capital TaiYuan. Due to the Coal Industry it is also one of China's Most Polluted Cities, the sky turning
gray with soot at some days. Datong is still home to a military Garrison and Academy attracting many recruits
from all over North China. The Cities main attractions are HuaYuan Monastery,
Read the inside story of the World War II Battle for North-China, a travel diary and journalistic masterpiece by James Bertram, one of the few that travelled with the communist armies in their earliest hours on the world stage.
The China Report
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Scene from the Old Inner City of Datong, with a view of (restored) traditional buildings, unpaved Hutong and Drum Tower in the far distance.
The beautiful Photo-Journey of Wang Miao and Shi Baoxiu, all the way from the Pamir Highlands in Central Asia, through North China to Beijing along the Silk Northern Route. A jewel of a Book !!
Mu Ta Pagoda, one of the last remaining wooden Pagodas. Only 65 Km from Datong.
ChinaReport.comat
Yungang International Hotel - Great 4 star-service on stonesthrow of all city sites !
The Cliff-hanging Monastery of HunYuan Village near Datong.
A Satellite image of China and East-Asia, with a super-imposed schematic Map of the location and Path of the Great Wall as constructed during the Reign ofthe Ming Dynasty. Included for reference are City names, geographical features
of landscape, Names and locations of Passes on the Great Wall on the Great Wall of China.
Please browse around the City of Datong and wider Area using our Geographic & Historic Maps. Find out more about the City and Area through our many Photographic Reports on the main historic landmarks and Monuments and their rich history.
A Full listing of Datong City Landmarks, Monuments, Hotspots and other sites of importance in alphabetical order. Search through the list to find your Full Report and Photo-Virtual Tour of each monument or landmark within the City, or find Yungang 1000 buddha Caves, Hunyuan Hanging Monastery or other Monuments of the Area surrounding Datong.
Datong Railway Station
The Main and only Railway Station of Datong City, located inside the Northern "New" City of Datong and some distance away from Datong's Old City and historical monuments. As the arrival point for many, the Main Station is home to a number of essentail Services and the local CITS Office and Service.
More information Coming Soon !!
nearby Great Wall of China at YanMenGuan Pass, the 11 Century Mu Ta Pagoda near Yingxian, one of the oldest wooden buildings in the world, and the Holy Mountain Area of Wu Tai Shan (3382 Meters), revered since the days of the 1st (Ch'In) Emperor and littered with some of the most historic buildings in North China including several wooden Pagoda's and no Less than 8 monasteries. Datong is also known as the Northern Gateway to the Roof of North China, the Wu Tai Shan Mountain Area.
