Imagine this: you step onto Mount Haotian’s rim and find yourself wading through a sea of clouds.
On the outskirts of Datong City, Shanxi Province on the Chinese mainland, the Datong Volcanic Cluster emerges like a string of ancient beacons piercing the mist.
These volcanoes, the only group formed on the Loess Plateau, remain dormant—but their significance is far from extinct. Recognized among the six most famous volcanic clusters on the Chinese mainland, they tell a story of fire and wind carving this iconic landscape.
Nestled in the heart of one crater, Haotian Temple stands as a testament to human faith adapting to raw geology. It is the only temple on the Chinese mainland built inside a volcanic crater, its red walls and curved roofs framed by swirling vapors.
For any traveler seeking something beyond the usual skyline, Datong’s volcanic dreamscape offers a moment of reflection—where earth and sky blur, and every step feels like a pilgrimage across time.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
