Datong has a long history, with tributaries of the Sanggan River and the Yuhe River running north-south within its borders. Formerly known as Pingcheng, Yunzhou, and Yunzhong in ancient times, it was renamed Datong during the Liao Dynasty. It was once the capital of the Northern Wei Dynasty, the capital of the Liao and Jin dynasties, and a major town of the Ming and Qing dynasties. It was located between the Great Wall and the Great Wall, and was a key border area in the north. It was a place where Hu and Han cultures blended, with a unique culture formed by the integration of multiple ethnic groups.
Datong is one of the first batch of historical and cultural cities in China, one of the first 13 larger cities in China, an excellent tourist city in China, a sculpture city in China, one of the ancient capitals of China, one of the top 200 cities with Chinese characteristics and charm, a national transportation hub city, the most ecologically competitive city, the most potential city for tourism and cultural development, a national garden city, a national demonstration city for new energy, a world-renowned Chinese cultural and tourism city, one of the top ten sports and leisure cities in China, a summer resort tourism city in China, a model city for dual support in China, one of the top ten characteristic tourism cities on the Silk Road, a national level tourism reform and innovation pilot zone, a city on the most beautiful China list, a beautiful mountain and water city, the most investment potential tourism destination city, the most investment potential summer resort tourism city in China, and one of the top ten ice and snow.