Shanxi Province, China
As Buddhist Caves were
tops on our request list, Li Dahua, Larissa and I flew to the northeastern
province of Shanxi to visit the oldest group—the Yungang caves. Here there are
over 250 caves, some dating as far back as the fifth century AD, carved out of
the living rock. They are remarkable. Many have immense central figures of
Buddha, some surrounded by thousands of intricately carved mini-Buddhas, others
by bodhisattvas, apsaras, or scenes from the life of the historic Buddha. The
best preserved still have wooden structures erected on the front, protecting the
statues and their colorful original paint from the elements. The caves are very
well set up to handle the hordes of tourists who come to visit.
Li Dahua chose the
Yungang caves because there were so many other interesting things to do in
Shanxi province. One night we spent in the UNESCO World Heritage city Pingyao . Our hotel, the Hongshanyi
made us feel as if we were living during the Ming dynasty. In fact, the
whole city retains much of its ancient character (14th—early 20th centuries) and
has more museums and temples than we could get to
Pingyao
Near the city, the
Qiao Jia courtyard complex is a well-preserved example of a Qing Dynasty estate,
built by a rich merchant for his concubines. It was here that "Raise the Red
Lantern" was filmed. We visited the Mother Goddess temple complex of Jinci, with
its Terrace of the Iron Warriors, a “flying” bridge, carved dragons, and eternal
spring. Another day we went to Wutai Shan, believed to be the abode of the
Bodhisattva of Wisdom Manjusri and one of China’s most sacred mountains. Our
driver dropped us off at the top of the mountain and we worked our way down,
going from temple to temple. From here, the drive through the lush mountains is
stunning. Another highlight of Shanxi is the Hanging Temple, a
monastery that has precariously clung 75 feet up the side of cliff for 1500
years.
Hanging Temple
In Shanxi, we spent
two nights in the booming capital city Taiyuan. We had a delicious dinner at the
Shanxi Guild Hall. The local oat noodles (Shanxi is known for its noodles) were
scrumptious—as was the little vial of vinegar served as a digestif. The new Shanxi Provincial Museum opened just
recently, and it is magnificent—spacious with state-of-the-art cases, absorbing
exhibits, glitzy yet informative brochures, and good labeling (much of which is
translated into English!)
Another two nights we
stayed in Datong, where the women have fabulous haircuts and shoes to die for.
There, we dined at Kaige
Feiniu Huoguo on a marvelous Mongolian hot pot featuring ever-so-thinly
sliced lamb and beef and a wide variety of vegetables. Delicious!
Mimi Santini-Ritt 2011