Hanging halls
On the cliff.
Zhangzhugang — CC BY-SA 3.0 · CES at English Wikipedia — Public domain · Gustavo Muñoz Clos — CC BY-SA 3.0 · 林高志 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Nicor — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Zhangzhugang — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Felix Andrews (Floybix) — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Yumeto — CC BY-SA 4.0
A cluster of small timber halls clinging to a sheer cliff about 75 metres above the ground, on the west side of Jinxia Gorge near Mount Heng, one of China's Five Great Mountains; from afar it seems to hang in mid-air, hence its name. Legend says a monk named Liaoran began building it in 491 under the Northern Wei dynasty; Buddhist in origin, it brings together symbols of China's three traditions, Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism, and it has been restored many times over the centuries. The halls rest on oak beams set into holes cut into the rock, while most of their real support is hidden inside the cliff, and the overhanging rock above shields them from rain and sun; narrow walkways and wooden stairs link them above the drop. The gate ticket costs CNY 15, and climbing into the halls needs an extra ticket of CNY 100, with opening from 8:00 to 17:00, per visitor guides; many visitors are happy to admire it from below the cliff. The drive from Datong takes about an hour and a half to two hours, and the morning is best for photographs.
On the cliff.
Set in the rock.
By Mount Heng.
Jinxia Gorge, Hunyuan County, about 64 km south-east of Datong
Not necessarily: the CNY 15 gate ticket is enough to admire it from below the cliff, while climbing into the halls needs an extra CNY 100 ticket, per visitor guides.