Nine Dragon Screen

» Datong, Shan Xi

Nine Dragon Screen Overview & Map Weather Transportation Information

There are three Nine Dragon Screens in China: one is in the Forbidden City of Beijing, another is in Beihai Park of Beijing and the last one lies in Datong, Shanxi Province. The Nine Dragon Screen in Beihai Park is the most special one, while the Nine Dragon Screen in Datong is the largest one of three.

The Nine Dragon Screen with a history of over 600 years is located at the center of Datong City. It is presently the oldest and largest glazed screen in China today. It is over 350 years older and three times larger than the one in Beihai Park in Beijing. Originally built in 1392, The Datong Nine Dragon Screen served as the screening wall for a prince's mansion during the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644).

The Nine Dragon Screen

The Nine Dragon Screen, built for the thirteenth son of Zhu Yuanzhang, the first Emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644), has been well preserved and remains intact to this day. It is made up of 426 specially-fired glazed bricks, with a height of 8 meters (about 26 feet), 2.02 meters (6.6 feet) thick and 45.5 meters (149 feet) long. The glazed bricks are in red, yellow, peacock blue, purple, and other overtones. The Nine Dragon Screen can be divided into three parts - the foundation, body and roof.

Foundation

The foundation is rectangular shaped with a height of 2.09 meters (6.9 feet). Its narrow middle section is composed of 75 glazed bricks with images of sacred animals such as elephant, tiger, lion, deer, horse, and kylin.

Body

The body of the screen consists of nine flying dragons with a golden-scaled, shiny-eyed dragon located in the center. The middle dragon is sitting on the axis of the mansion with other eight dragons flanked in pairs on each side.

On each side of the central dragon is a pair of light yellow dragons with their heads pointed East and tails pointed towards the central dragon. A second pair of elegant yellow dragons is next with their heads and tails pointed west. A third pair is ferocious-looking purple dragons which seem to be wrestling with the sea. The fourth pair is highly spirited dragons. The nine dragons are life-like and illustrating their ability of calling the wind and controlling the rainfall.

The areas around the dragons are supplemented with images of plants, mountains, stones, water and grass. These patterns along with the nine dragons compliment each other perfectly. The roof is covered with glazed tiles.

The pond

There is a pond with a stone bridge located in front of the screen. The reflection of the dragons becomes dynamic, especially when a breeze disturbs the surface of the water.

When to visit

The best time to visit the Nine Dragon Screen is from June to October due to monsoon season.

• Opening Hours: 9:00a.m. - 16:50p.m.
• Recommended Time for a Visit: One and a half hours

Getting there

Bus Route: You may take bus No.4 at the Datong Railway Station.

Attractions around » Datong, Shan Xi

Natural Scene

• Mt. Hengshan

Historical Site

• Yungang Grottoes
• Hanging Temple
• Wooden Pagoda
• Huayan Temple
• Nine Dragon Screen
• Shanhua Temple
• Niangzi Pass
• Yanmen Pass
• Pingxing Pass

Nine Dragon Screen Highlights

Historical Relic in Great China

• Great Wall at Badaling
• Forbidden City
• Potala Palace
• Tian'anmen Square
• Great Wall at Mutianyu
• Great Wall at Juyong Pass
• Chengde Mountain Resort
• Kuimen
• Xi'an City Wall
• Hutong in Beijing
• Kong Family Mansion
• A-Ma Temple
• Dujiangyan Irrigation System
• Jiayu Pass
• Sacred Way
• Kizilgaha Thousand Buddha Cave
• Yumbulagang Palace
• Great Wall at Simatai
• Great Wall at Huangyaguan
• Binglingsi Grottoes
• Weijin Art Gallery
• Mural in Baisha Village
• Mawangdui
• Loulan Ancient City
• Dazu Rock Carvings
• Tangyue Archway
• Ancient City Wall of Pingyao
• Royal Tombs of Western Xia Kingdom
• Prince Gong Mansion
• Former Residence of Rock
• Grand Kuqa Mosque
• Great Wall at Jinshanling
• Liulichang Culture Street
• Shanhai Pass
• Former French Concession
• Shenyang Imperial Palace
• Hefang Street
• Chengyang Bridge
• Mapang Drum Tower
• Ling Canal
• Palgor Chorten
• Wenshuyuan
• Qiao Family's Compound
• Old Summer Palace
• Bell and Drum Tower
• Panjiayuan Collection Market
• Laolongtou
• Puppet Emperor's Palace
• Tiemen Pass
• Mu Family Mansion
• New Palace of Panchen
• Du Fu Cottage
• Nine Dragon Screen
• Imperial College
• Daxu Ancient Town
• Chongqing People's Assembly Hall
• Panmen Gate
• Quanyechang Bazaar
• Presidential Palace
• Strange Slope
• Yulin Grottoes
• Overhanging Great Wall
• Hulishan Fortress
• Niangzi Pass
• Ruins of St. Paul's
• Nanluoguxiang Alley
• Yuhuatai Martyrs' Cemetery
• OX Street Mosque
• Luoyang Bridge
• Site of the Zunyi Meeting
• Terrace of King Yu
• Astana Tombs
• Former Residence of Mao Zedong
• The First National Congress of the Communist Party of China Shanghai Site
• Ancient Culture Street
• Yanmen Pass
• Heptachord Terrace
• Great Wall at Hushan
• February 7 Square
• Pingxing Pass
• Star Ferry
• Monte Fort
• Former Residence of Sun Yat-sen
• Broad and Narrow Alley in Chengdu
• Yongle Palace
• Zhonghua Gate
• Badabu
• Ji'an City
• Chen Family Temple

Nine Dragon Screen FAQ & Travelers's Tips

  Weather

1. Are there any tips about the weather in Taiyuan?

  Food

1. What should I note when eating in Shanxi?

  Shopping

1. What speciality products does Shanxi have?

  Travel

1. Some tips on touring around temples on Mt. Wutaishan

• Are there any tips about the weather in Taiyuan?

  Shanxi province is located on the Loess Plateau and is windy and dusty. So you had better not dress in light color. Besides, the air is dry and you should take good care of your skin, and drink more water, or else your lips will be chapped.

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• What should I note when eating in Shanxi?

  The soil in Shanxi province is alkaline, so we strongly recommend you to drink a spoon of local mature vinegar before your three meals a day because the local vinegar could reduce the alkalescence and prevent intestinal disease.

  Proper diet is important. Do not eat too much. Eat more vegetables, fruits and drink more water in order to adapt yourself to the plateau-climate. You had better not smoke or drink.

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• What speciality products does Shanxi have?

  Pingyao beef, Pingyao lacquerwork, Shanxi mature vinegar, Shanxi red date, "Fen jiu" (a kind of famous Chinese hard liquor), mushrooms and tropaeolum of Mount Wutaishan and so on.

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• Some tips on touring around temples on Mt. Wutaishan

  The mountain area is scattered with many famous temples which are the highlights of Mt. Wutaishan tour. There are several aspects tourists should pay attention to, such as:

  • Monk in these temples should be styled "Shifu" or "Fashi" while the abbot styled "Zhanglao," "Fangzhang," or "Shanshi (Chan master)." All the forms of address show the respect for the monks. Monk in lamasery should be addressed as "lama," meaning great master. Do not call them "Heshang" or "Chujiaren" or even other insulting name.
  
  
  • When meeting monks in these temples, you should salute them by putting the palms together and lowering your head slightly or you can put upright one of your hand before chest and lower your head. Never shake their hands, embrace them, touch their heads or other unsuitable action.
  
  
  • When talking with the monks, you should not speak of killing, marriage and eating meat in order to avoid arousing their antipathy. Don't speak loudly, discuss casually, lampoon, touch the Buddhist figures or leave any mark on statues. You may stand and look silently or leave quietly if you come across the Buddhist ceremony. Take care of your kids lest naive children behave impolitely.
  
  
  • No smoking in the temples. Do not leave litter. Taking photographs is not permitted.
  
  
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