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Typical Pingyo street

Pingyao (平遥; Píngyáo) is a small city whose old town is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

[edit] Get in

Pingyao has no airport. The closest major city is Taiyuan, two hours by train to the northwest. There are also regular buses you can just turn up at the bus station which is near the north gate and buy a ticket for ¥25, it will take 2 hours to get to Taiyuan bus station which is a ¥10 taxi ride away from the train station. You can catch a train to here from Wuhan, Chengdu, Datong, Zhengzhou, Xi'an and Beijing. All of these trains are overnight trains. Buses run to Xi'an and takes 6 hours, half the time of the train. There is now a high speed train from Taiyuan to Beijing (west railway station) which takes 3 hours and costs ¥157.

[edit] Get around

The Old City is small enough that you can do most locations by foot. But if you need to cross town between attractions, or are simply lazy, you can hire golf carts that wander the streets. Pay around ¥5 for a ride if a single person, around ¥15 for four people. It is also possible to rent bikes for ¥10 per day. pingyao tour

[edit][add listing] See

Scuplture at Shuanglin Si Temple

The main attraction in Pingyao is the Pingyao Ancient City, the best preserved Ming Dynasty walled city in China and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The majestic six-kilometer long wall, which includes six major gates and 72 watchtowers, encircles an old city which has little changed architecturally over the past 300 years. Some 40,000 people still reside within the city's 600-year-old walls, many living life much the way it has been lived here for centuries. Pingyao Ancient City consists almost entirely of shops, residences, temples and other structures which date primarily from the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties. This traditional ambiance is further maintained due to fact that nearly no new buildings have been built within the historic city walls and because cars are generally not permitted in the old city. Entry to the walled city is free, but admission to any of the 30 attactions inside the city requires a common ticket which costs ¥120. This ticket is good for two days, but the second day needs to be validated in the first afternoon. This can be done at the booth near Yamen Gate. A new city of Pingyao has been built just beyond the walls of the Ancient City of Pingyao, and many of the residents and government offices have been moved there.

• City Walls. Pingyao was originally established some 2700 yeasrs ago, during the reign of King Xuan (827-782 BC) of the Western Zhou Dynasty. The original walls were made of tamped dirt and were located to the northeast of the present location. The current wall--faced with bricks and stone--was started in 1370, making it over 600 years old. It is often said that the city wall is shaped like a tortoise--a traditional Chiense symbol of longevity--with the south gate and north gate representing the head and tail respectively. The east and west walls each have two additional gates, representing the tortoise's feet. A series of 72 watchtowers is distributed around the wall, and a now-dry moat encircles the entire city. At 10-12 meters high and 3-6 meters wide, this is a very major wall indeed, much larger than those normally seen around walled cities in China or Europe. One can still walk the 6 km long road atop the ramparts, with the outward-facing parapets punctuated by 3000 crenulations, or opeings for shooting.  edit

• Rishengchang Exchange House. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Shanxi merchants developed extensive trade routes throughout China and overseas, with Pingyao at the centre of this trade. In those days, traders paid for their goods with silver coins, and in those dangerous times it was unsafe for a merchant to carry large sums in silver from one city to another. In 1823 the first piaohao (alteratively translated as "exchange house", "draft bank," or "remittance shop") was opened, and these piaohao provided remittance services, accepted deposits, and made loans. Named Rishengchang, or "Sunrise Prosperity," this first exchange house established branches in different cities in China and abroad and used bank drafts to move money from one city to another. Subsequently, Pingyao became the center of the nation's banking industry, with over 50% of the country's piaohao headquartered within Pingyao's ancient walls. This original head office of the Rishengchang Exchange Shop--consisting of a series of rooms built around several courtyards--was restored and converted to a museum in 1995. Rishengchang Exchange House had a total of 43 branches located in key Chinese cities as well as in Japan, Singapore, and Russia. Altogether some 22 piaohao were headquartered in Pingyao, and they oversaw a network of 404 branches. Rishengchang survied for 108 years before collapsing in 1932. A number of other piaohao based in Pingyao have been restored and opened to tourists.  edit

• County Government Office ''(Yamen)''. Pingyao has been a county seat ever since the establishemnt of the prefecture-county system in the Qin dynasty, and the city has a well preserved yamen, or county government office, a complex which houses the home and office of the magistrate sent to act as mayor, judge, and senior official. This yamen consists of an archway, ceremonial gate, various offices, a prison, a court, meeting rooms, a residential area, and a garden. This yamen compound was built in 1346, during the Yuan Dynasty, but only one building remains from the Yuan period, the rest having been built during the Ming Dynasty. There are altogether over 300 rooms in the complex.  edit

• Temple of the City God. While the yamen ruled the "yang" of the human world, the Temple of the City God ("Chenghuang Miao") ruled the "yin" of the spiritual world. These two sites were situated so as to balance each other, with both on the same street and placed equidistant from Qing-Ming Street (South Street), with the yamen to the west and the Temple of the City God to the East. Visitors enter the temple, which consists of seveal courtyards and halls, through a magnificent three-gate wood archway. The main hall of the Temple is still very much in its original state and is clearly still in regular use. Elsewhere in the Temple visitors will also see a re-creation of heaven and hell, with every manner of torture shown in hell, from being cut to bits and being boiled to death, with happy families painted on the walls of heaven above. Unlike most City God temples, this one honors not just the City God but also the God of Wealth and the Kitchen God. The Temple of the City God was originally built in the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1227) and has undergone two major renovations due to fire in 1544 and 1859.  edit

• Ming-Qing Street. This street, named for the Ming and Qing Dynasties, has been the main comercial avenue in Pingao for centuries. Hundreds of shops line this busy street, most of them built in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Also called Nanda Jie, or South Street, Ming-Qing Sreet houses many courtyard houses--one-story compounds with rooms built around a series of courtyards--and a number of the main tourist sites. Today, many traditional-style shops line the street and sell food, snacks, specialities, paintings, furniture, calligraphy, and souvenirs. Also on this street is the City Tower; at 18.5 meters it is the tallest structure in the city.  edit

• Former Residence of Lei Lutai.  edit

There are also some excellent sights located near Pingyao. The following are introduced below in the "Get Out" section for Pingyao:

• Shuanglin Temple. A Buddhist temple complex founded 1500 years ago and containing over 2000 colorful sculptures of various gods. This temple shares a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation together with Pingyao Ancient City and Zhenguo Temple.  edit

• Zhenguo Temple. This 1000-year-old Buddhist Temple is the only remaining temple in China built in the architectural style of the Five Dynasties Period (10th century). It shares the UNESCO World Heritage Site designation together with the Ancient City of Pingyao and Shuanglin Temple.  edit

• Qiao Family Compound. One of several large family residential courtyard compounds built by successful Shanxi merchants in the Qing Dynasty.  edit

• Wang Family Compound.  edit

• Qu Family Compound.  edit

• Chang Family Compound.  edit

[edit][add listing] Do

• Lantern Festival. See the town decked out in red lanterns.  edit

[edit][add listing] Buy

Most of the Ancient City, at least the areas near the major attractions and the West Gate, are lined with shops that cater toward tourists. Standard Chinese bric-a-brac is for sale, at relatively high prices. This includes antiques although an alert shopper should beware of the preponderance of forgeries. Bargain hard and keep an eye out for stalls that sell handmade crafts right in the places where they make them. The city makes excellent cloth shoes, which you will see the locals wear as they march up and down the dusty streets.

Pingyao also has a large lacquerware manufacturing industry.

[edit] Money

There's an ATM of the Agricultural Bank of China a few meters out of the south-western gate of the Ancient City. Foreign Maestro cards accepted (checked on August 2006).

[edit][add listing] Eat

Pingyao's speciality is Pingyao Beef. It has an acquired, strong taste. Be careful in some of the more touristy restaurants: outrageous bills of ¥100 or more are not uncommon for a meal that appeared to be quite cheap. Be sure to ask about the price of any chef's specialities, and take a look at the bill as you are ordering your food.

[edit][add listing] Drink

Chinese beer, what else? There aren't too many clubs or bars, but you can sip a brew until midnight at many guesthouse restaurants. A place of particular interest to Westerners is Sakura, situated in the centre of the East/West street. Western food, music and drinks are available at a reasonable price.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

The Ancient City is full of guesthouses with Ming/Qing style beds. These are flat beds with ornate headrests that sit close to the ground. On the main street these beds can go for as much as ¥400. Poke around backstreets and this price can easily quarter. Fancy, Western-style accomodation tends to be located outside the Ancient City Wall.

• Harmony Guesthouse, 165 Nan Dajie, (harmonyguesthouse@asia.com). Expect to pay about ¥40 for a dorm bed and between ¥80-120 for a private double..  edit

• Yamen Hostel, affilated with Hostelling International, ☎ +86 354 5683539, [1]. You can call them to arrange a free pick up from the train station. The staff speak English. Expect to pay about ¥35 for a dorm bed, and maybe ¥80 for a double. Discounts for HI members..  edit

• Zhengjia Hostel, 68 Yamen Street (in the Old City), [2]. Is a great place for rest. Gives a good atmosphere with a very friendly staff. Free internet access and laundry service. Breakfast included and Wi-Fi in rooms. Rooms average ¥160 (single) to ¥240 (triple).  edit

[edit] Get out

Pingyao Ancient City shares its UNESCO World Heritage Site listing together with Shuanglin Temple and Zhenguo Temple, both located just a few miles away. In addition, Pingyao can also serve as a good base for visiting the nearby Shanxi merchant family compounds.

• Shuanglin Temple, (In Qiaotou Village, about 7 km southwest of Pingyao Ancient City.). This Buddhist temple complex was founded 1500 years ago and contains over 2000 colorful sculptures of various gods, warriors, Buddha, and other characters, some over 1000 years old. Construction on Shuanglin Temple started during the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534) at about the same time that the Yungang Grottoes in northen Shanxi were being sculpted. The existing buildings in the complex--ten halls arranged around three countyards--date from the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties. As distinctive as the architecture may be, the highlight of this temple, however, is the amazing collection of terracotta and wood sculptures, over 2000 in total. The clay sculptures were made with wooden molds and generally were produced in the Ming Dynasty. Together they form one of the most impressive collections of Ming sculptures, noted for their vivid colors, fine workmanship, and expressive postures. Key buildings in the temple complex include the Hall of the Heavenly Kings, the Sakyamani Hall, the Hall of the Bodhisattvas, the Wusheng Hall, and the Hall of Arhats. Entry fee included in Pingyao ticket, or ¥25.  edit

• Zhenguo Temple, 12 km northwest of the Ancient City of Pingyao (Can be reaches by bus or taxi from Pingyao.). Zhenguo Temple is a 1000-year-old Buddhist Temple located to the north of Pingyao. It is the only remaining temple in China built in the architectural style of the Five Dynasties Period (10th century). It shares the UNESCO World Heritage Site designation together with the Ancient City of Pingyao and Shuanglin Temple. Zhenguo Temple was first constructed in 963, during the Northern Han Dynasty, when it was known as Jingcheng Temple. The name changed toZhenguo Temple around 1540, in the Ming Dynasty. This impressive temple complex is divided into two sections, built around front and back courtyards. At the center of the front courtyard is the most noteworthy building in the temple, the Hall of Ten Thousand Buddha, one of the oldest wooden buildings in China. Orginally constructed in 963, this square-shaped hall was restored in 1815 when the brick walls were added. Inside the hall are 11 statues. The plump-looking sculptures, all with distinctive facial expressions, date from the Five Dynastive Period and are considered to be important works of art. The intricate roof design is also considered a noteworthy feature of this historical building, with the tall bracket sets considered a rarity in an ancient temple. In the back courtyard is the Hall of Three Buddha, with the Guanyin Hall and the Hall of the King of Hell on either side. They contain noteworthy sculptures and frescoes.  edit

• Qiao Family Compound, Qi County (Approximately 30 km north of Pingyao and 54 km south of Taiyuan. There are buses from Taiyuan to Qixian; one should ask the driver to let you off near the Qiao Family Compound prior to getting to Qixian. From here it is a short taxi ride to the entrance.). This extensive compound was originally constructed in 1756 by Qiao Guifa, who made his fortune selling tea and bean curd in Inner Mongolia. He returned to his hometwon in Qi County and built his dream house, which was then expanded by later generations of Qiao's. This magnificent complex is laid out in the shape of the Chinese xi character, meaning "double happiness." After entering through the main gate, one finds oneself on a long path leading to the main hall, which is the family's ancestral hall. This path divides the compound into southern and northern sections. Both halves have three courtyards each, and these six courtyards in turn include 20 smaller courtyards, 313 rooms, and a number of gardens spread out over a two-acre piece of land. The compound impressed visitors not just for its size but also for the exquisitie craftsmanship displayed in the brick carvings, woodwork, murals, and inscribed tablets. The wide variety of different roof styles is particularly interesting to see, and there are over 140 chimneys in the compound, each having its own design. Zhang Yimou's popular film, Raise the Red Lantern, was filmed here.  edit

• Wang Family Compound, Near Lingshi Town (Buses from both Taiyuan and Pingyao connect with Lingshi,which is the nearest large town. From Lingshi one can take either a bus or taxi to the Wang Family Compound.). With 54 courtyards and over 1000 rooms, this massive compound is one of the largest of the residential complexes built by successful Shanxi merchants. It is, for instance, four times the size of the Qiao Family Compound. The Wang family started in farming and expanded into trading, then became officials. As the family grew in size and as they prospered, more and more coutyards were added to this residential complex, which was first constructed in the mid 1600s. Just as important as the scale of the complex is the distinctive architectural style and artistic finishing. As one moves from courtyard to courtyard, one can see an impressive collection of decorative lattice screens and windows, shaped openings between rooms and courtyards, and graceful roofs. The houses and courtyards feature carvings everywhere--in stone, brick, and wood--from the eaves of the houses and ridges of the roofs to window frames, timber joints, and doorways. Paintings, calligraphy, and Qing Dynasty furniture also decorate the houses.  edit

• Qu Family Compound, Qi County, Dongda Street. (North of Pingyao and slightly north of the Zhenguo Temple.). The Qu Family Compound is another extended family residence built near Pingyao Ancient City by a successful Shanxi merchant clan over a number of generations. This 300-year-old compound was very unusual in having five layers of courtyard, and the entire compound has 8 large courtyards, 19 smaller couryards, and 240 rooms overall. One enters the compound from a street built in the Ming and Qing Dynasties and which still retains the architectural feel of that period. Despite its great size, it is said that what is seen here represents only about one-fifth of the Qu family's estate. The Qu family was a very successful example of the Shanxi merchant, and their estate used to occupy most of the eastern half of Qi County. Overall, they owned 10 compounds containing over 1000 rooms. During the Sino-Japanese War, the Japanese occupied the compound, and the family had to temporarily relocate their head office to Chengdu. A Japanese observation post built above the roof of one of the buildings in the complex still remains. A few blocks away from the main compound is the Changyuchuan Teahouse, which also belonged to the Qu family. The ticket to the Qu Family Compound also includes entrance to a series of six museums in the area, including those dedicated to rulers, scales, mirrors, and vessels for measuring rice. The most interesting one is an abacus museum which includes a pagoda built completely from 668 abacuses.  edit

• Chang Family Compound, Dongyang Town, southwest of the Yuci District in Jinzhong City. (It is located about 40 km southwest of Taiyuan). Like the other family compounds, the Chang Family Compound was built over several generations by a wealthy merchant family to house the many branches of this successful clan. The Chang Family Compound is the largest of the Shanxi merchant family manors; despite its impressive size, however, what remains today is just one quarter of the original 600,000 square-meter compound, which contained over 1500 rooms. As the family prospered and grew in size, the Changs placed a great emphasis on education. This academic focus produced many scholars, painters, and calligraphers, and for this reason this compound is more interesting artistically than some of the other compounds in the region. Each of the courtyards, which are laid out along a 1 km long road, is somewhat different, but the themes throughout are very similar, with grey buldings, archways, smaller courtyards, and gardens in each one. The courtyards are filled with carvings in brick, stone, and wood, and there are many examples of carving which are of very high quality. The garden in one of the courtyards contains a collection of carved stone lions of various shapes and sizes. Originally there were 108 lions in the collection; today only 50+ remain. Behind these couryards is a large garden, designed in both the northern China and southern China styles, purportedly because the Chang family had to entertain visitors from both north and sourth. A 29-meter tall Guanji Tower in this garden is the tallest structure in the compound and offers expansive views over the entire compound from the top.  edit