Shanhua Temple in Datong city. [Photo provided to China Daily]

There are many lesser-known attractions to be found near some of the country's most popular tourist attractions. Wang Kaihao reports.

Exhausted by the overwhelming crowds that are a ubiquitous feature of popular tourist destinations all over China?

If you are and you want to keep your distance from the hordes of sightseers while still immersing yourself in the country's history and culture, it is unnecessary to seek out little-known and hard-to-get-to ancient villages. You will be surprised at the less-crowded scenic spots that can be found near the most popular attractions.

Datong, Shanxi

Many travelers say they have been to Datong, in the north of Shanxi province. Nevertheless, what they usually mean is they have been to the Yungang Grottoes, the Buddhist grotto complex dating back to the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534), that is situated on the outskirts of the city.

A UNESCO World Heritage site, the Yungang Grottoes are a must-see for many tourists. However, the city has other historical legacies equally breathtaking, if less well-known.

As the capital during the Northern Wei Dynasty, Datong remained a cultural hub in northern China for centuries afterward.

Buddha statues at Huayan Temple in Datong city. [Photo provided to China Daily]

For example, covering an area of 66,000 square meters, Huayan Temple was first built in 1038 during the Liao Dynasty (916-1125), ruled by Khitan people. They are believed to have been sun worshippers since, uniquely, the temple faces east. Such a large-scale and well-preserved complex from that time is rare. The halls in the upper temple feature exquisite murals from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). A sculpture displaying a smiling Bodhisattva is known as the "Venus from the East".

Shanhua Temple is another Liao Dynasty gem in Datong.

When I stepped into the temple, I was amazed by the great hall. The halls and pagodas also have elements dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907), widely regarded as one of the high-points of traditional Chinese culture. When I visited the temple, I was the only visitor in the courtyard, which gave me a sense of serenity.

There are more places to visit in Datong, such as Fahua Temple, and the Nine-Dragon Wall, a spirit screen to ward off ghosts, both from the early Ming Dynasty.

When people look for examples of what Chinese architecture was like 1,000 years ago, many visit Kyoto or Nara, because many of their old buildings are in style of the Tang Dynasty.

After visiting Datong, I wonder: Do we really have to go abroad to find such examples?

The colored statue at Shuanglin Temple in Pingyao city. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Pingyao, Shanxi

Historians often say: Visit Shanxi if you want to see cultural relics above the ground.

Indeed, the province has many splendid legacies from before the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), incomparably more than any other province in China. However, the problem is that they are scattered throughout the province.

Traveling south from Datong to the middle of Shanxi, Pingyao is another popular tourist destination. Its well-preserved Ming Dynasty walls are an iconic image of China, and are also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Shuanglin Temple is usually not part of visitors' plans, even though it is part of the inscribed World Heritage site and only six kilometers from the city center.

The origin of Shuanglin Temple is unclear, but it is speculated that the temple may have existed for about 1,500 years. Passing through a small gate to enter the temple, I felt like I had fallen into a wonderland of sculptures.

Most of the sculptures are earthen and wooden figurines of Buddhist deities. Most date back 600 years. In the main hall, there are even 500-odd vivid statues with various gestures that comprise one-fourth of the statues in the temple. They retain their bright colors despite their long history.

The creators of these masterpieces are unknown, but visitors cannot help but admire their imagination and creativity.

The Yangbian Great Wall of the early Ming Dynasty. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The Great Wall, Hebei

The Great Wall is among the top draws for any first-time visitor to Beijing, but most sections of the Great Wall near the capital city have been restored many times. Sometimes, it is hard to tell how they would have originally looked in the early Ming Dynasty.

If you want to see what the Great Wall would have looked like then, you should go about 100 kilometers west of Beijing to Huailai county for Yangbian Great Wall.

This 3-km section of the wall was constructed in the early years of Ming Dynasty, as a model for construction of the Great Wall elsewhere.

And, I realized the Great Wall is not necessarily built of bricks when I came here. Yangbian Great Wall was constructed by piling up big stones, which remain interlocked after more than 600 years, although the section is located in the wilderness and has hardly been renovated.

Time is eroding it, however. Locals told me that the stones are being worn away every day, although measures are being taken to prevent collapse.

I can't help but think that since the Great Wall has been a witness to the vicissitudes of China over the centuries, perhaps, it's better to let time take its toll rather than give it a brand-new facade after renovation.

South Shaolin Temple in Quanzhou. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Quanzhou, Fujian

Xiamen, a coastal city in Fujian province, always ranks highly as a tourist destination, especially in winter.

When so many people squeeze onto the island at the same time, you can imagine how busy it will be. Quanzhou, a city just next to Xiamen, has much fewer visitors.

Yet for tourists looking for traces of the past, Quanzhou is one of the country's most underestimated cities.

As an important hub on the ancient Maritime Silk Road, Quanzhou, known as Zayton at that time, was one of the world's busiest seaports from the 12th to 14th centuries, and attracted merchants from around the world.

A diverse culture was thus nurtured here, and the city is like a museum for different religions.

Just passing China's earliest mosque, dating back to 1009, I encountered a temple honoring Guan Yu (from 3rd century AD) and Yue Fei (1103-1142), two generals in Chinese history known for their loyalty. Students on their way to school or housewives back from market still stop by the temple and pay homage.

Local people in Quanzhou city play nanyin music as a hobby in their leisure time. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Other than that, Buddhist temples, Christian churches and Confucius temples are all in the same neighborhood.

The city has the best marionette troupe in China, and has been well-known for nanyin, a slow and mesmerizing music genre.

Both art forms originated in northern China during the Tang Dynasty and were brought here by migrants. They are well preserved because the city escaped the ravages of most of the major wars in the country.

It is also a place where you can relax just wandering through the alleys or watching a nanyin performance in a centuries-old house even though, like me, you may not understand a word of the local dialect.

Spoiler alert: A total of 16 monuments and sites in Quanzhou, categorized as "historical sites and relics of navigation and trade", have been nominated by China for inclusion as a World Heritage site in 2018. It's better to visit now before the city becomes the latest must-see destination for the crowds.