A temple in the air

Hanging halfway up a sheer cliff face, as if gravity had simply chosen to look the other way, Xuankong (Hanging) Temple in Datong, Shanxi province, clings to the near-vertical rock of Cuiping Mountain, concealing its 1,500-year-old secret of stability.

Wooden beams, carved and fitted without a single nail, anchor themselves deep into the mountain's body. More than architecture, it is a meditation in wood and faith, a place where visitors from across the world come to gasp, not just at the vertigo, but at the quiet audacity of ancient Chinese people.

With the popularity of the video game Black Myth: Wukong, which sets some of its scenes against the backdrop of Xuankong Temple, the scenic spot is becoming a must-see for tourists at home and abroad, especially those who admire ancient Chinese architecture.