Here starts part two of our one day in Datong's old inner city. Here's Part One if you missed it. So after seeing some pretty cool stuff from atop the City Wall, we attempted to go take a closer look at some of the structures. Here's a few we were trying to find:
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Although we didn't find them all, and some that we found were closed, there was still so much to see!
The 9 dragon screen in Datong is considered a national relic of China and is all that's left of the mansion belonging to the 13th son of the first Ming Dynasty emperor and the largest of the last 4 remaining in China. In order to preserve this piece of wall, it had to be moved to its' present location. It's rather hard to find, not because it's hidden but because the exterior is quite unassuming, as is the ticket office. There aren't any large signages around not even at the ticket counter which looks like a window in a wall. Anyways, once inside, there's the fenced off wall with a small section of moat, a couple of stone benches and tables, a few stone tablets about 6ft high and a gift shop with some aggressive sales ladies, lol. I saw people walk in and walk straight back out, it's that small with little to see but the wall. We took about 45 minutes including checking out the gift shop. I didn't mind the small entrance fee because I like this sort of thing. Here's a couple of photos:
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I had a blast just walking around, all the old, genuine, ancient architecture mixed with the new replica as well as modern architecture was a sight to see. As was the people, the lifestyle and the ambience. We found it pretty amazing. Check it out:
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Huayan Plaza is right beside the Huayan Temple complex. It is like an ancient strip mall with modern shops like souvenirs, restaurants, coffee shops etc. Part 3 of our single day in Datong's "Inner Old City" is where we go inside to check out the Huayan Temple complex. So we'll conclude Part 2 with some shots around the plaza, just outside the Temple.
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