Wutai Shan - Wutai Shan

The Wutai Shan(Chinese: 五台山) is a mountain range in the province Shanxi. The area got its name from its five peaks. It is one of the most important Buddhist mountains in China and was founded in 2009 UNESCO world cultural heritage.

background

In the middle of the five peaks is the small town of Taihuai. It consists almost entirely of temples, some of which are from the Tang Dynasty. The white dagba in the center of the city is striking. 100 temples are believed to have been active in the area in the past. Today there are around 50, which you can also visit. All temples are used religiously, which is why you should have a lot of respect when visiting. It is difficult to say which temple is important for the visit. The small, unknown temples are often much more beautiful than the large ones through which the streams of tourists roll. If you don't want to visit temples, you can climb the five peaks of the mountain. Tours to the same start from Taihuai.

getting there

With the train one comes after Taiyuan and from there you can continue by bus. The best way to get there is by coach. The cheapest is to buy a trip in a travel agency, so you don't have to worry about the overnight stay. There are several hotels in town, which correspond to Chinese standards.

Those who travel several times a day can also travel there Public buses be used.

These traffic from and to:

• Taiyuan East bus station (approx. 2 hours)
• Datong Forecourt of the train station (approx. 6 hours)

mobility

Since the temples are quite widely scattered, you need a car or bus to get to them. Modern trains run throughout the Wutai Shan area public buses. These can be used free of charge with the bus ticket, which must be bought with the entrance ticket. The three bus routes cover all of the main temples / valleys. The route overview is enclosed with the admission tickets. It is very easy to use. The bus stops are well marked and the buses run regularly about every 10-15 minutes. The buses are of western standard, although they are usually well filled. They are clearly marked with the line numbers 1-3.

kitchen

There are several restaurants in Taihuai serving Chinese cuisine.

security

One should be careful with the monks who try to pull money out of your pocket through fortune telling or others.

climate

In winter it is very cold and the Wutai Shan is not worth visiting.

Web links

• http://www.wutaishan.cn - Wutai Shan's official website