When the temperature drops below zero, Datong gathers around the copper hotpot — a tall brass pot with a chimney down the middle, charcoal glowing inside, broth bubbling at the rim. It is the table-centre of a northern Shanxi winter. Datong has a long tradition of copper work, and the pots themselves are part of the region’s craft heritage. At the table they do a simple job extremely well: the tall chimney radiates heat and keeps a wide ring of broth at a rolling simmer, so everyone cooks their own dinner. What goes in the pot A classic Datong set pot is arranged in rings before the broth is poured in: thin-sliced mutton (the point of the whole exercise), prawns, meatballs, tofu, potato slices, glass noodles and napa cabbage packed against the wall. The broth itself is usually clear and mild — all the flavour comes from what you cook and what you dip it in. The dipping sauce The standard dip is sesame paste loosened with a little broth, plus garnishes: chive-flower sauce, fermented tofu, chopped coriander and garlic. Thin mutton slices need only a few seconds in the pot — fish them out while the edges are still curling. Practical notes Ordering is easy: ask for a set pot (people usually share one large pot) and add extra plates of mutton or vegetables as you go. Expect roughly ¥60–120 per person for a proper spread, depending on how much lamb makes it into the pot. It is a cold-season dish. From late autumn to early spring, restaurants with copper pots glowing at the door are a common sight across Datong.