Datong's Lesser-Known Attraction: Fahua Temple and the Glazed Tile Stupa

📍Fahua Temple in Datong was originally built during the Ming Dynasty. The historic Fahua Temple no longer exists, with only the Fahua Temple Stupa preserved. What we see now is a restoration on the original site. 🌟Compared to Huayan Temple and Shanhua Temple, Fahua Temple is a lesser-known spot in Datong, with few visitors. It features red walls, a white stupa, and a glazed tile paifang, making it very photogenic. ✅Must-See Highlights: 1️⃣ Glazed Tile Paifang 👉This is the mountain gate, a three-bay, four-column, seven-story glazed tile paifang. The upper part is decorated with yellow and green glazed tiles, with dazzling cloud and dragon patterns. The winged corners curve upward, and the dougong brackets are layered, giving it a grand appearance. The lower part has red walls and carved white marble decorations, creating a rich color palette. 2️⃣ Bell Tower and Drum Tower 👉After entering the mountain gate, the bell tower and drum tower stand on the left and right. They have octagonal, round dome-shaped roofs with two levels, resembling Mongolian yurts. They reflect the cultural characteristics of the Liao, Jin, and Yuan northern ethnic minorities, differing greatly from the usual bell and drum towers seen in temples, making them very rare. 3️⃣ Murals inside the various halls 4️⃣ Fahua Temple Stupa 👉A protected cultural relic of Shanxi Province and the only remaining glazed tile stupa in Datong, it is entirely white and thus commonly called the "White Stupa." From a distance, you can notice the stupa’s neck is slightly tilted. 5️⃣ Blood Sutra in the Sutra Library 👉The blood sutra is located on both sides of the sutra library, written by Master Wande who mixed his blood with ink to copy it, which is very striking! ✅Fahua Temple is laid out along a central axis. All visiting routes follow this axis straight ahead. The route is: 👉Mountain Gate ➡️ Heavenly King Hall ➡️ Three Warriors Hall ➡️ Pilu Hall ➡️ Fahua Stupa ➡️ Sutra Library 👉After touring the central axis, visit the east and west side halls. ✅Visitor Information: ⛩️Address: No. 137, Dadong Street, Datong Ancient City, Pingcheng District, Datong, on the east side of the ancient city near Heyangmen. ⏰Opening Hours: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM 🌟Admission: Free, no reservation required 🚍Transportation: Near Heyangmen North Bus Stop