Nine Dragon Wall, Datong, Glazed-brick dragon wall in Datong, China

The Nine Dragon Wall is a glazed-brick screen wall 45.5 metres long, 8 metres high and 2.02 metres thick, built in 1392–1396 in front of the Ming prince Zhu Gui's palace in Datong. It has three parts: a top section with lotus and flying dragons, a body with nine dragons in different poses against clouds and waves, and a carved base. The dragons have four claws, as the prince was not the emperor.

The structure was built during the Ming Dynasty and stands as the oldest of its kind in China. Its construction reflects the artistic and craftwork skills of that historical period.

Locals call the prince who built it "Lengzheng Daiwang", the muddled prince, and tell of a rain-bringing rite: in droughts people washed the black dragon, the second from the right, to summon rain. The dragons' claws have four toes, not the emperor's five, since a prince's wall could only show pythons.

The monument is easily accessible and there are clear pathways for viewing the wall from different angles. Visitors should allow enough time to examine the details of the carvings and glazing up close.

The wall was dismantled in August 1954 to make way for a road and rebuilt 28 metres south of its original spot, with grey bricks filling gaps; some pieces were reportedly put back in the wrong places. Look for the two wells behind the wall, said to have been split open by lightning, one bitter and one sweet.