Home | Hotels | Hotels Video | China Flights | China Train Tickets | Main cities | China map | Contact us | Reservation Status  

Pingyao Travel China, Pingyao Tour Guide

Hotels for your stay in Pingyao    Pingyao News
China Pingyao City:
Pingyao

General Information:
Pingyao , one of China's ancient original cities, is one large ancient architectural complex composed of the complete city wall? streets and lanes? shops ?temples and civil dwelling houses. With a total area of 2.25KM2 and a present population of 42,000 urban citizens, the ancient city of Pingyao basically remains the historical features of the Ming and Sing Dynasties(A.D.1368--A.D.1911).
Initially built during King Xuan of the Western Zhou Dynasty(827B.C.--782B.C.),the ancient city of Pingyao has a history of over 2,700 years up to now. Since the implementation of the system of prefectures and counties in China in 221B.C.,Pingyao, as one of the primary cities in China, has been the seat of county government. The ancient city wall of Pingyao enlarged in the 3rd year of Emperor Hong Wu of the Ming Dynasty remains original.

Pingyao Attractive points:
The ancient city is in Pingyao County, Shanxi Province. The city wall was first built during the Zhou Dynasty (11th century - 256 B.C.) and was expanded in 1370, the third year of the reign of Ming Emperor Hongwu. Since 1997, it has been listed as a World Heritage Site. Now Pingyao city is the only one in China completely reserved as it was hundreds of years ago, no modern buildings, only narrow stone-plate street with many Chinese-style shops on the two sides.

The perimeter of this square city is 6.4km long and the city wall is the earliest and largest intact city wall in China. It is 12m high with an average width of 5m. The wall is rammed earth strengthened with a covering of bricks. Outside the city wall there is a moat, 4m wide and 4m deep.

The city has six gates, two each on the east and west and one each in the south and north side. All the gates project outwards and have two doors each. This has given the city the name "Turtle City" with the two gates on the south and north representing the head and tail of the turtle and four gates on the east and west as the four legs. The doors on the south and north stand opposite each other, like the head of the turtle extending out and two wells just beyond southern gate are like a turtle's two eyes.

Located on the trade route between Beijing and Xi'an, Pingyao developed into a merchant center where enterprising locals set up the nation's earliest banks. These institutions were the first in China to use checks, and business peaked in the 19th Century, when the city was the undisputed financial center of the Qing government.

Several old courtyards have been turned into museums, most notably the homes and offices of Pingyao's old tongs, or banks. One of the most remarkable aspects of a visit here is realizing that this remote place was immensely important to China's financial history.

Rishengchang and the Baichuan Tong, two of the most powerful banks in the old days, are now small museums that have been restored tastefully. The same can be said of the Yuanmiancheng Minfeng Hotel, where modern beds are replaced with old kang, or traditional coal-heated brick bed. The hotel's gray-brick courtyards and rooms haven't been over-restored (and there is the additional if slightly strange convenience of having an upstairs museum dedicated to an exhibit of drawings and photos that document the history of "three-inch golden lilies," or bound feet). The hotel, constructed about 500 years ago, actually is same old as others in the city, and thus is not so distinguished on the old street.

Most of Pingyao local people originated from a business family, because Shanxi and thus Pingyao has a long tradition and history in business. Shanxi Business People (Jin Shang) were quite famous in Ming and Qing dynasties. "Before my grandfather, we were quite wealthy. But everything changed after the revolution, and of course private business wasn't allowed for many years. But then it changed and now I'm doing business, just like my ancestors used to."

Despite such connections, that crucial four-decade gap was enough to shake up families like Ms. Liu's, and, in turn, the entire town. Ms. Liu had no idea where her original ancestral home was, just as she couldn't tell me anything about the family that constructed the building that now houses her shop. She was, however, careful to emphasize that modernization had plenty of benefits.

"This used to be a dirt road," she said, pointing at the cobbled street in front of us. "This whole area used to be very backwards, and many parts of it still are. For example, there are still big problems with sewage, even though since 1992 we've been trying to shift to a modern system."

She was right, of course -- such considerations are impossible to ignore in a place where half of the residents still have no running water, and where 65 per cent of the roads are unpaved. After two days in Pingyao, I found that it was hard to say exactly where the city was going: in five years it could be an over-touristed example of bad restoration, or it could be a model for preservation in China. In either case, a visit to the city provides a glimpse of both old China and the difficulties that today's country faces as it tries to balance development and protection, money and relics. In the end I left Pingyao simply hoping for the best: that Ms. Liu enjoys good business, and that Mr. Wang's snooker table pulls in some cash, and that somehow his old carvings keep their place on the roof where they've hung since Qing days. Or maybe it was the Ming.

This has been the story in Pingyao, a small and isolated city that is home to some of the best preserved traditional architecture in all of China. For decades, Pingyao's relics were essentially protected by default, because citizens lacked the funds necessary to modernize their city. Today, as Chinese tourism rapidly develops, Pingyao residents are recognizing the unique value of their hometown, where the trick is to cash in on this resource without destroying it.

The Ancient Pingyao City Wall

First built about 2,700 years ago, the ancient city wall was expanded in the Ming Dynasty. It was the most well-preserved wall among the ancient historical and cultural cities in China. It is square, 10 meters high, 5 meters wide, and 5.4 kilometers in circumference. There are 72 terraces with battlements. A bird's-eye view of the city, the wall looks like a turtle, hence the name 'Turtle City'.

The Architectural Structures

As an outstanding example of Chinese Han Nationality cities in the Ming and the Qing dynasties, Pingyao¡¯s ancient architecture fully reflects the historical flavor of those periods. The ancient town has 4 major streets, 8 lesser streets and 72 lanes form a cross shape. The shops, firms and residences were built symmetrically along a 750-meter-long street runs from north to south as the axis, and the Market Tower located in the center.

Along the central street there were over 220 banks, inns, pawn shops, Chinese herb shops, silk shops, tea stores, antique stores and restaurants at that glorious time. The most famous one was Rishengchang, the first private banking unit in China. The folk residences display the noted feature in Pingyao which are a combination of artistry and practicability.

There are many stunning temples inside and around Pingyao. Shuangling Temple (Double Tree Temple), 6 km southwest from Pingyao is famous for its colorful sculpture. The Zhengguo Temple, 12km to the northeast features unique wooden structural architecture.

Chinese Financial House Museum ¨C Ri Sheng Chang

Ri Sheng Chang was established in the early Qing Dynasty. It was China's forerunner for organizing Chinese early finance system, handling remittance, money exchange, deposit, loan and other financial business. There were 35 branches in China's big and medium-sized cities. Its business covered Europe, America and Southeast Asia. The banking company had established a complete and strict management system because at that time the communication and transportation conditions are quite backward. For example, when a new employee came into the company, the manager always left several dollars in the yard to test the employee. If he returned the money to the manager, he passed the first examination. Second pass is the abacus, the main tool to calculate. Young people had to stand in the yard to practice abacus for several weeks, even in winter. What is more, the owner of the company did not involve in the daily business because he employed a general manager, and gave him some shares to attract him work harder and earned more money.

South Street (Ming-Qing Street)

With a length of 440 meters, the street used to be the commercial center of Pingyao ancient city. The traditional and orderly-located shops of the Ming and Qing Dynasties are still well preserved. The cross-street Town House, is the highest building of the city (18.5 meters high). On its top, you can take a whole view of the Ming¨CQing Street. Walking along the street, tourists can get the first-hand experience of ancient China. Meanwhile, local people are also quite honest and simple-minded.

Courtyard Residences in Pingyao

The courtyard residences in Pingyao are elegantly designed with local features. Standing for a long history, the buildings are still perfectly preserved. There are two types of residences ¨C commercial and civilian, which are all well known for their typical representation of China's traditional residences. One example of these courtyards is Wangs Compound House. Wang's family was originated from Shanxi Province, and after earning some money from their business and farm, the family took three generations to build its house, and now is called as Wangs' Compound House, which is at least two centuries old.

Qiaojia Dayuan (Qiaojiabu Folklore MuseuM Located in a large courtyard in Qiaojiabu village of the Qi County, Qiaojia Dayuan was the residential house of Qiao Zhiyong, a capitalist in the Qing Dynasty who attained his fortune in financial and commercial business in the periods of Emperor Jiaqing and Emperor Daoguang. With typical northern China architectural characteristics, the Dayuan (courtyard) is divided into 6 big yards and 20 small yards with 313 rooms and covers an area of over 8,700 sq meters.

Here you can watch farming activities in every season, ceremonies of sacrifice and ancestral warship, wedding ceremonies and daily life. Through which you¡¯ll have a view of the folk customs of Shanxi during the period of late Qing Dynasty.

wANG'S Dayuan (Qiaojiabu Folklore Museum the Wang's Compound, titled as the "First House of the Chinese Folk Residence", is located in the south of Shanxi Basin under the foot of the Mianshan Mountian, the only one in Shanxi Province into West China Folk Residence, the first volume of "Collection of China Folk Residential Buildings". The residence was built from about the 1660s to 1800s, covering area of 150,000 square meters, of which 45,000 are defined as provincial preserve, including the building cluster, in Gao's Gliff, the cluster in the Hongmen Blockhouse, Yi'an Garden, Danpu Garden, ancestral temples, etc.

The Wang's Compound are built along with the tendency of the hills, in massive scale, harmonious layout, and completely functional. The styles of the South China and the and the North China are combined in the building art and decoration skills, formulating a unique workmanship model, presenting a wonderful art style rooted in the land of China.

Shanghui Hotel of Folkloric has a history of over 300 years, and is a typical Chinese-style building. Different from hotels in western standards, this local hotel will give tourists an unique experience, as if living in a Chinese family.
Main Cities in China Travel and China Hotels

Beijing Hotels China Guangzhou Hotels China Shanghai Hotels China Hongkong Hotels China Qingdao Hotels China Hangzhou Hotels China
Beijing Canton Shanghai Hong Kong Qingdao Hangzhou



Search China Hotels China Hotels:
Please Select a City:
Find Your Hotel With China Map
Check-in:
Show Calendar
Check-out:
Show Calendar
Currency Adults Child

Search China Flight Ticket China Flight:
One Way Round-Trip
Departure city:
Destination:
Departure date:
Return date:




China Hotels info

Beijing Hotels, Shanghai Hotels
Guangzhou Hotels, Shenzhen Hotels
Hangzhou Hotels, Yiwu Hotels

China Travel info

Embassies and Consulates
China Health
China Currency
China Visa

China Tourist info

China Itineraries
Traditional Holidays
What to see in China
Weather in China

China Business info

Fairs and exhibitions
Shanghai Expo.
Canton Fair, Yiwu Fair
Institutional offices
China investment guide
Doing business in China

China Vacation info

China Map
China Travel Tourism News
Harbin Ice Lantern Festival
Hotels Reservation

China Province:

Hubei, Inner Mongolia
Jiangxi, Shaanxi, Tibet

China Cities:
China Introduction
Beijing Travel Info
Changchun Travel Info
Changsha Travel Info
Chengde Travel Info
Chengdu Travel Info
Chongqing Travel Info
Dali Travel Info
Dunhuang Travel Info
Guilin Travel Info
Haikou Travel Info
Hangzhou Travel Info
Harbin Travel Info
Nanning Travel Info
Ningbo Travel Info
Qingdao Travel Info
Shanghai Travel Info
Shenyang Travel Info
Shenzhen Travel Info
Suzhou Travel Info
Taian Travel Info
Tianjin Travel Info
Weihai Travel Info
Wuyishan Travel Info
Xiamen Travel Info
Xian Travel Info
Yangzhou Travel Info
Zhuhai Travel Info

| Home | Hotels | Hotels Video | China Flights | Flights Schedule | Pickup Service | Travel Packages | Affiliate | Add your hotels | Interprete Italiano-Cinese | Contact | Site Map | Link | FAQ | About Us
Copyright © 2001-2024 China Hotels Reservation - All Rights Reserved
Europe Office: ChinaHotelsReservation- Via Gerolamo Forni 64 - 20161 Milano - Fax 0291390522
China Office: China Travel(Hualv) Business co.,Ltd. - Tel 0086-577-88555070 Fax 0086-577-88522570
Xishan Donglu Xicen Gongyu 7 Zhuang 802 - 325005 Wenzhou China