Heng Mountain, or Bei Hengshan, is one of China's Five Great Mountains and the larger sacred landscape behind the famous Hanging Monastery. Its ridges, temples, and stairways give a fuller sense of why this corner of Shanxi became a place of Taoist and Buddhist pilgrimage.
Many travelers rush only to the monastery, but the mountain is worth extra time if weather and legs allow. Expect steps, exposed views, and a more physical day than Datong's city temples. Clear days reward the effort with broad views across the dry northern hills.