Datong city unveils tourist routes

Eight themed tourist routes around Datong, China, have been recommended by the municipal government of Shanxi province at a conference during the Datong Cultural Tourism Festival.

The routes will show tourists around the old Chinese capital and allow them to appreciate its ancient Chinese Buddhist architecture and experience modern life in the city, as well as taking them on a hike up Hengshan Mountain and to a remote frontier fortress.

During the Northern Wei Dynasty (AD 386-534) Datong was the Chinese capital and recently it has been attempting to rebrand itself as a rich tourist centre encompassing the beauty and virtue of the Jin Dynasty (AD 265-420).

It has been encouraging tourism with a series of conservation projects focusing on ecological improvement and the restoration of the city's historic buildings.

The city has also been working on improving cultural life with a number of projects, including the National Mineral Park and Creative Mine Industry Park, and new museums, theatres, art galleries, libraries and sports centres.