One of the Four Ancient Cities of China, Successfully Recognized as a National Heritage Site, Finally Becoming Shanxi's Iconic Landmark

Shanxi, commonly known as Jin

due to its location to the west of Taihang Mountains

when mentioning Shanxi

vinegar and coal are the first words that pop into my mind

and there's also the Red Lanterns

This time the trip was to Pingyao County, located in Jinzhong

Pingyao Ancient City and Lijiang Ancient City, Langzhong Ancient City, Shexian Ancient City

are collectively known as the 'Four Greatest Ancient Cities' in China

It takes 10 hours from Beijing to Pingyao

Pingyao has two railway stations

Pingyao Station and Pingyao Ancient City Station

You must go to Pingyao Station

because Pingyao Station is only 1 kilometer from the ancient city

while Pingyao Ancient City Station is 5 kilometers away

Pingyao County is not very large

When you come out of the railway station, you can walk straight and turn left to reach the city

You don't need a ticket to visit the ancient city

But if you want to go to scenic spots, you need to buy tickets

Tickets can be bought separately, but it's best to buy a combined ticket

The combined ticket costs 130 yuan, including the Government, Rishengchang, City Wall, etc

Pingyao Ancient City is enough

There is one bustling ancient street

The other alleys are quite quiet

There are many inns on the street

The inns have characteristic kang beds or earth tube houses

During the Ming and Qing dynasties

There was a group of famous merchants – Jin merchants

They operated in salt and ticket businesses

Their fame is particularly due to ticket businesses

Jin merchants also left behind rich architectural legacies in China

when mentioning Shanxi

the image of Red Lanterns always pops into my mind

probably because that famous movie 'Red Lanterns'

Walking through the streets of Pingyao

every household hangs Red Lanterns

very festive

Pingyao's architecture is a typical quadrangle structure of the North

There are chimneys and small animals on the eaves

Rough but with inner meaning

The streets and commercial streets of Pingyao are unique

There are small vendors selling local specialties along the roads

Pingyao's famous beef and vinegar are also known

and some unknown northern pastries

But the commercialization in Pingyao is much less severe than in Lijiang

Walking on the street, you feel more relaxed and peaceful

This might be the magic of the North

Like many other attractions

Pingyao also has a large-scale live performance 'Again Pingyao'

Because I saw a similar stage play in Lhasa before

I was disappointed

The ticket price was expensive and wasted money

So I naturally gave up watching the performance in Pingyao

The first meal I chose in Pingyao was the number one backpacker restaurant at Maifeng

Shanxi cuisine is very famous

We ordered a dish

Dry-fried Tiao-Tiao

The texture is crispy and delicious

It's a mouthful of salted fried meat slicesAnd

Vinegar Beef

Pingyao beef with vinegar, the taste is extraordinary

And Shanxi cuisine –Cat Ears

When night falls, the Red Lanterns on the main street are lively

In fact, it's the main street that's bustling

Probably because it's very cold in the NorthNightlife ends early

The moon is bright

At that time, climbing the city wall would be very spectacular

Pingyao City

The next day, I contacted the hotel manager to book a car to Wangjia Courtyard

50 yuan for a round trip

Wangjia Courtyard is located south of Pingyao

About an hour's drive

There is also a famous Qiajia Courtyard

Located in the north of Pingyao

The two courtyards have their own characteristics

You can choose to visit one

Wangjia Courtyard is very large

Larger than the Forbidden City

The ticket price is also cheaper than Qiajia Courtyard

Wangjia Courtyard was built by the Wang family over 300 years

There are more than 300 rooms

The most talented elder and second elder moved to the side to form independent courtyards

Other relatives lived in the courtyard opposite the bridge

Wangjia Courtyard is built on the mountainside

There is a clear hierarchy

Like a huge castle

It's best to hire a guide to explain

Because the intentionality of the architecture is generally not easy to see

Each courtyard is similar

The beauty lies in the lintel and the small decorative elements on the handrails

The rooms are all arranged with earth tube houses

Even after so many years

You can still see the prosperity of the Wang family

The visit takes about two and a half hours

When I left Wangjia Courtyard, I went to a noodle shop

I ordered a bowl of knife-cut noodles

The taste is not very good

I miss the handmade noodles in Shaanxi

I returned to Pingyao County by afternoon

From the South Gate to the North Gate

It's enough to take a stroll

If you don't have a good sense of direction

You are likely to get lost in the ancient city

The ancient city is inhabited by many ordinary people

They don't do business or inns

Unlike the hutongs and courtyards in Beijing, it's unique

Browsing through the afternoon, I caught a glimpse of the sunset outside the city wall

I always feel that the sunset in the North is much bigger

It's closer to me

For dinner, I tasted the local

Willow Leaf Noodles

And I didn't have the appetite for the taste of 'Overwater Meat'

Because I couldn't buy a train ticket back to Taiyuan

So I chose to take a bus

Pingyao Bus Station is more impressive than the railway stationIt took two hours to arrive in Taiyuan

Taiyuan isn't very walkableAlso happened to be Monday

I gave up the plan to visit the museum

Basically, I focused on the activity around Liuyang Alley – Snack Street and other pedestrian streets

Liuyang Alley is a commercial street gathering place

This area also includes food street and other pedestrian streets

You can eat from street to street

The number one restaurant at Maifeng for lamb dumplings was our first stop

A lamb dumpling for 15 yuan with a few buns and fried dough twists

In the cold winter, drinking it is a good thing for the stomach

I originally wanted to go to the opposite side

Qinghe Yuan – Vinegar Factory and steamed bun

The steamed bun is made of dried bean curd, ginger, leek, lamb, ginseng, yellow wine, wine residue, lotus leaves, lamb oil

It's like the taste of bean curd porridge

It's so popular that I couldn't get a queue

So I gave up

And then I looked for a famous oneGod Fried Chicken

The taste is different from KFC, but the dipping sauce is a must

You must eat it with their dipping sauce

This is a good recommendation

Finally, I ate

Nuo Wang Temple's hot pot powder

The male passenger's evaluation isI've never eaten such delicious powder before

As a foodie, I recommend Qiaoying Vinegar Garden in Taiyuan

It's not worth visiting

At night, I rode a bike through Fifth Avenue Square

Taiyuan Railway Station is one of the most impressive railway stations I've ever seenIt's similar to Tianjin Station

The road in front of the station is very flat

Good planning

Good review