The Shanhua Temple, in the south of Datong's walled city, was originally founded during the Tang dynasty. The present buildings date from the Jin dynasty (12th century), making this one of the best-preserved complexes of pre-Yuan Buddhist architecture in northern China. The main Mahavira Hall — the largest wooden hall surviving from the Jin period — contains 24 clay sculptures of heavenly kings and divine generals arranged around the central Buddha group, their expressions and postures ranging from serene to ferocious.
The temple is often visited alongside the Huayan Temple a short walk away. The grounds are spacious and relatively uncrowded compared to the Yungang Grottoes, and the courtyard — with its ancient pines and stone stelae — has a calm that rewards anyone willing to sit with it for a while.