Datong Nine Dragon Screen is one of the only three Nine Dragon Screens in China. The other two are inside Beihai Park and the Forbidden City, both in Beijing. The one in Datong, Shanxi Province is the oldest and largest of the three, about 300 years earlier and two times bigger. It is not only representative of Chinese dragon culture, but also colored glaze art.
Datong Nine Dragon Screen Wall was constructed in 1392 during the Ming Dynasty. It depicts nine distinct dragons made of colored glaze, symbolizing imperial power. The vivid colors and details make it an artistic masterpiece along with great historical significance. It has become an important stop for those who travel to Datong.
Fast Facts about Datong Nine Dragon Screen
- Location: Datong Ancient City Da Dong Street No. 18, Pingcheng District, Datong City, Shanxi Province
- Tickets: Free
- Hours: 8 am-6 pm in the summer; 8:30 am-5:30 pm in the winter
- Recommended Visit Time: 1.5 hours
- Best Time to Visit: April to October
- Suited to: anyone interested in Chinese dragon culture, imperial history, and art
Historical Background of Datong Nine Dragon Screen
Purpose of a Screen Wall
Datong Nine Dragon Screen is, by category and purpose, a screen wall (Ying Bi), which serves as a barrier wall outside temples, palaces, government offices or mansions in ancient Chinese architecture. In its function, it is similar to a folding screen or a bead curtain, which all provide privacy to a certain extent, but unlike a door, they don’t block off the outside entirely.
History & Tradition
In Chinese history, there have been Dragon Screens with one, three, five, seven, and nine dragons. Among them, Nine Dragon Screens represent the highest status. Only the Emperor, the Empress, Princes, and Princesses could have Nine Dragon Screens outside their mansions or palaces.
In 1392, the first Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang built Datong Nine Dragon Screen Wall for his 13th son, Zhu Gui. Zhu Yuanzhang had 26 sons, each was given a mansion and a screen wall with varying numbers of dragons.
Legend & Story
Legend has it, that Zhu Gui was arrogant and overbearing. One day, he was visiting his brother Zhu Di in Beijing. He saw the Nine Dragon Wall outside his mansion. Out of jealousy, Zhu Gui insisted on building a Nine Dragon Wall for himself in Datong and making it even greater than Zhu Di’s.
Three Parts of Datong Nine Dragon Screen
Datong Nine Dragon Screen Wall is 45.5 meters (149 feet) in length, 8 meters (26 feet) in height, and 2.02 meters (6.6 feet) in thickness. There are three parts to it, its base, body, and top.
In its base part, the screen is built upon a sumeru throne, a Buddhist symbol of the center of the universe. There are two rows with carvings of different animals and mythical creatures. The bottom row has Qilins, lions, tigers, deer, flying horses, and rabbits. The row above has small dragons in patterns of “two dragons playing with a pearl,” complementing the nine main dragons nicely.
The highlight of Datong Nine Dragon Screen is of course the nine dragons. Each with different symbols and patterns like clouds, pearls, ocean waves, fire, and so on. The colors and details of all of the carvings are so vivid and realistic, the dragons and other creatures all appear to be in motions with different characteristics.
One small detail demonstrates the difference in status between Datong Nine Dragon Screen and the other two in Beihai Park and the Forbidden City. Unlike the dragons in Beijing, which all have five claws representing the ultimate imperial power, the ones you’ll see on your Datong tour only have four.
The top and sides of the screen are decorated with tiles in colored glaze, resembling the sky, clouds, the sun, and the moon.
How to Get to Datong Nine Dragon Screen
If you’re traveling to Shanxi from other cities or countries, fly into Taiyuan Wusu International Airport or Datong Yungang Airport. You can also take a train to Datong South Railway Station.
From Datong, you can take a taxi from pretty much anywhere in the city to Datong Nine Dragon Screen Wall. Or take bus No. 4 to the Nine Dragon Screen stop.
Attractions Nearby Datong Nine Dragon Screen: Other Things to Do in Datong
- Huayan Temple is China’s largest and best-preserved temple from the Liao and Jin Dynasties. Its architecture and statues make it famous all over the country.
- Shanhua Temple is a time-honored Buddhist temple built in the Tang Dynasty. It houses well-preserved structures and important relics.
