Datong

History

The city was named Píngchéng (平城) during the Dynastie Han. It was capital under the Wei of North (386 - 534), but lost in 494 its row with the profit of Luoyang. It was re-elected in Datong (= Grande Unit) in 1048.

Culture and religion

To approximately 16 km of the city are the Grottes of Yungang, one of the four most famous sites of Buddhist art of China. With their 252 caves and theirs: 51000 statues, they represent an exceptional success of Buddhist rupestral art in China. The majority of them were dug between 460 and 494. The majority of the caves nevertheless are closed with the public. Among around fifty to which one can have access, it is all the same possible to see chiefs of work like the statue of a Bouddha of 17 meters in the cave number 5.

Economy

Datong is the center of one of the principal mine fields of coal.

Topicality

It is at the hospital of Datong that is deceased the January 10th 2007 to defer it Lan Chengzhang, of the newspaper of Beijing China Trade News. It had been beaten with died the day before close to a mine of the district close to Huiyuan.

Administrative divisions

The city-prefecture of Datong exerts its jurisdiction on eleven subdivisions - four districts and seven counties :

the urban district of Datong - 城区 Chéng Qū ;
the mining district of Datong - 矿区 Kuàng Qū ;
the district of Nanjiao - 南郊区 Nánjiāo Qū ;
the district of Xinrong - 新荣区 Xīnróng Qū ;
the county of Yanggao - 阳高县 Yánggāo Xiàn ;
the county of Tianzhen - 天镇县 iānzhèn Xiàn ;
the county of Guangling - 广灵县 Guǎnglíng Xiàn ;
the county of Lingqiu - 灵丘县 Língqiū Xiàn ;
the county of Hunyuan - 浑源县 Húnyuán Xiàn ;
the county of Zuoyun - 左云县 Zuǒyún Xiàn ;
the county of Datong - 大同县 Dàtóng Xiàn .

See too

With 70km in the south east of the city, the suspended monasteries

External bonds

Plane of the town of Datong
Another plan of the town of Datong
of the center of the town of Datong
Photographs of Datong in '' Panoramio ''

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