Pingyao Ancient City: The beauty of the fusion of history and modernity

👍🏻Recommendation reason: Coming to Pingyao Ancient City is like traveling back to the ancient "Wall Street"! This is the most complete extant ancient county town in China, with 2,800-year-old city walls, bustling streets from the Ming and Qing dynasties, and Shanxi merchants' banks where one ticket is accepted throughout the country, and old buildings everywhere that tell stories. During the day, you can visit the city tower to see the blue bricks and gray tiles, and at night, you can walk through the streets and alleys to see the swaying lanterns. Even the air is filled with the aroma of Pingyao beef. History lovers, foodies, and those who love taking photos can all find happiness here. 🗺Attractions introduction: Must-visit core area • Pingyao Ancient City Wall: The 6-kilometer-long "guardian of the ancient city". Climbing up the city wall, you can overlook the chessboard-like layout of the entire ancient city. The mottled marks on the wall tiles are all marks of time. It is recommended to come in the evening to watch the sunset gild the city wall, and any photo you take will have a movie-like feel! • Ming and Qing Street: The entire street is lined with time-honored shops in the style of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Signs selling lacquerware, paper-cuts, and aged vinegar sway in the wind, as if you can see the lively scene of Shanxi merchants riding horses to do business in the past. Remember to visit the "Rising Sun Bank" to see how ancient banks "connected the world"~ • Chenghuang Temple & Xietongqing Bank: The paintings and wood carvings in Chenghuang Temple are very exquisite, and they are very effective in praying for wealth (a must-go for those who are into metaphysics!); Xietongqing Bank has an underground vault, where you can see the ancient "safe" for storing money and the scene of silver exchange, which is both educational and interesting~ Surrounding bonus points • Wang Family Courtyard (1 hour’s drive): Known as the “Folk Forbidden City”, the Hongmenbao complex has layers upon layers of buildings, and the brick carvings, wood carvings, and stone carvings are even more exquisite than those in TV dramas. After visiting it, you can only sigh, “The rich families really know how to live!” 🚗 Transportation to attractions: • Self-driving: Navigate to "Pingyao Ancient City Parking Lot". There are many parking lots around the ancient city. The parking fee is about 30-50 yuan a day, which is very convenient. • Public transportation: ◦ High-speed rail: Take the high-speed rail from Taiyuan South Station to Pingyao Ancient City Station, which takes 30 minutes. After exiting the station, take a taxi to the ancient city in 15 minutes. ◦ Bus: There are long-distance buses from Taiyuan, Xi'an, Shijiazhuang and other places directly to Pingyao, and the journey takes 3-5 hours; ◦ Inside the ancient city: Walking is the best way to explore. You can also rent a bicycle (20 yuan/hour) or take an electric car (30 yuan/person, for a circular tour). 🗺Travel route: One-day run version (suitable for tight schedule) Morning: Climb the ancient city wall (the South Gate section is the most spectacular) → Visit Rishengchang Bank → Eat bowls for breakfast at Ming and Qing Street Noon: Check in at the time-honored "Jinshenglu Food Store" and eat Pingyao beef stew + sea buckthorn juice Afternoon: Visit Chenghuang Temple to pray for wealth → Go to Xietongqing Bank to see the underground vault → Buy lacquerware/paper-cuts as souvenirs Evening: Walk the streets when the Ming and Qing street lanterns are lit, buy a bunch of candied haws, and sit on the street to watch the Jin opera performance (the atmosphere is great!) Two-day slow travel version (recommended!) Day 1: In-depth tour of the core area of ​​the ancient city (same as the previous day’s route, but slower pace) Day 2: In the morning, go to Wangjia Courtyard to experience the luxury houses of Shanxi merchants. In the afternoon, go back to the ancient city to visit Pingyao County Government Office to see how the ancient county magistrates judged cases in court. In the evening, watch a live performance at the "See Pingyao Again" theater outside the ancient city (the plot is super tear-jerking, remember to bring tissues!) 🍱Food recommendations: • Pingyao beef: a must-eat! The meat is firm and chewy, salty and tasty, and can be taken away in vacuum packaging. It is a good souvenir. • Bowl holder: A cold cake made from buckwheat noodles, topped with sesame paste, chili and garlic juice. It is very appetizing in summer and it’s very affordable at a roadside stall for 5 yuan each! • Kǎo lǎo lǎo: a noodle-filled nest, dipped in mutton sauce or tomato sauce, with a chewy texture. The old brand "Hongwuji" makes it very authentic~ • Fried pork: A classic Shanxi home-cooked dish, the meat slices are smooth and tender, served with black fungus and cucumber, and mixed with rice. You can eat two big bowls of it! • Oil tea: Salty and fragrant fried noodle oil tea, sprinkled with twisted dough sticks and almonds. A bowl of warm tea in winter is a standard breakfast for locals. 💰Cost related: • Tickets: Free entry to the ancient city, 125 yuan/person for a combined ticket to the scenic spots (including 22 small attractions, valid for 3 days), half price for students and seniors over 60 years old; • Performance: "See Pingyao Again" 238 yuan/person, immersive experience of the Shanxi merchants' story, worth the ticket price! • Food and Beverage: 50-100 yuan per person. Snack street restaurants are cheaper, and regular restaurants are more expensive but not a rip-off. • Shopping: Polished lacquerware (platters, jewelry boxes), Pingyao beef, Shanxi aged vinegar, it is recommended to buy them in regular stores on Ming and Qing Street, the price is negotiable~ 📌Other tips: 1. The cobblestone roads in the ancient city are bumpy, so wear comfortable sneakers! Taking photos in Hanfu will turn out great. There are many Hanfu rental shops in the ancient city (50-100 yuan/set, including makeup). 2. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons. There is an international photography exhibition in April, and the weather is clear and cool in October. Remember to bring a hat when it is exposed to the sun in summer. When it snows in winter, the ancient city looks like an ink painting, but some small shops will be closed. 3. Find a local tour guide to explain (about 100 yuan/hour), otherwise visiting the ticket number and money house may be like visiting an empty house. Only after listening to the story can you understand what "Shanxi merchant wisdom" is. 4. Don’t go to bed early at night! Before the lights in the ancient city are turned off (around 22:00), taking photos on Lantern Street when there is no one there will give you a sense of time travel. Any stop will be like an ancient movie. Pingyao Ancient City is really the kind of place that becomes more interesting the more you walk around. Even the brick carvings on the corners and the door knockers of old shops hide stories. It is a good place to calm down and slowly experience it. When you come here, remember to post it on your Moments with the caption "I am in Pingyao, but my soul is in the Ming and Qing dynasties". It's amazing!