These days, there are 48 temples of different architectural styles around the mountain region. Additionally, Wutai Mountain is home to some of the oldest existent wooden buildings in China that have survived since the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), such as the Nanchan and Foguang temples.
Lama temples also decorate the sides of the mountains with their traditional green and yellow architecture.
At the peaceful sacred sites, it is common to see monks chanting mantras and Buddhist devotees burning incense sticks and rolling prayer wheels as they ask for the good health and well-being of their relatives.
In the evenings, travelers can renew their energy with local food delicacies that include rabbit meat served with paprika and wild mushrooms grown on the sides of the mountain. One can also imitate the locals by drinking a small bowl of aged vinegar before the meal.
At our next destination, we needed to look up again to appreciate the beauty of the Xuankong temple, also known as the Hanging Monastery. Although I had seen pictures of it before my visit, I was still impressed to see up close that the wooden temple defies gravity by literally hanging in the air on the side of Hengshan Mountain.
The Hanging Monastery, located only 80 kilometers from Shanxi's second-largest city of Datong, is suspended 75 meters above the ground as if part of a magic trick.
In 2010, the architectural wonder won the dubious honor of being listed by Time Magazine as one of the "10 Most Precarious Buildings" in the world.
While climbing the narrow stairs that take travelers up to the temple, all I could think of was my mother's fear of heights and how much courage it would take someone like her to get to the top. But in the end, curiosity and a sense of adventure overcame my natural fear.
In order to calm the most anxious travelers, I must say that what you see is all part of a magical illusion.
The temple is not suspended in the air with the help of only fragile wooden posts, as it initially appears to visitors. In reality, a foundation of large beams, unseen by visitors, was inserted into the rock to secure the structure.
Therefore, no leap of faith is needed to enjoy the visit, as the temple has remained intact through various disasters during the last 1,500 years, including several earthquakes.
Only 100 km south of Taiyuan stands the ancient city of Pingyao. The town, which is listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site, is a living example of an ancient Chinese merchant center.
A 12 meter-high wall that stretches for 6.4 km protects the labyrinthine city, known as "Turtle City" because of its street layout that resembles the body of the hard-shelled reptile.
Pingyao is a charming combination of narrow streets, beautiful courtyards and enough shops to satisfy the most demanding souvenir hunters.
Our trip ended with a visit to the Yungang Grottoes, located about 16 km west of the city of Datong. The impressive site, composed of 51 grottoes that host thousands of ancient carved Buddha statues, reinforced the feeling that Shanxi is filled with cultural treasures that one may not be expecting but that are well worth looking for.
