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Pingyao Location: Pingyao is located in the Shanxi Province, a highlight of Shanxi Travel, which is close to Xi'an and Beijing. Pingyao to Xi'an and Pingyao to Beijing are quite convenient by flights and trains.
Pingyao History: Pingyao is an ancient county of glorious history, and its people has created trade legends. This county has been kept well in its original look, like ancient buildings. Among many attactions, Pingyao Ancient City is definitely eye-catching to you.
Pingyao Ancient City was first built between 827 B.C-782 B.C, rebuilt in 1370 A.D., and it is one of the Four Most Preserved Ancient City. Pingyao Ancient City, has been preserved all its ancient features, and tells us what an ancient city exactly looks like. And as a whole city, it was listed as World Heritage in 1997.
Believe me, Pingyao Ancient City will win your heart for her. She is like an old woman telling ancient fantastic stories, displaying a panoramic, grand picture in front of you, still you could walk into every corner, every buildings to see her closely and feel her. In Pingyao Ancient City, you can see the city walls, well-organized buildings, well-paved roads, you can feel her bloodflowing in everywhere and her breath, filled with the China culture, ancient life, and specific arts.
Pingyao Ancient City
County Government Office(Yamen). It is the building where governmental officers work, deal with governmental affairs, and live. The well-preserved County Government Office was built in 1346 A.D., located in the center, and covers an area of 26,000 square meters. In here, you can see the structure of ancient Chinese government office, and how officers deal with affairs.
Rishengchang Bank(Rishengchang Piaohao), is the early form of modern bank in China. Rishengchang Bank had big business in the whole country at that time, and once controlled the Qing Dynasty in economic. At past times, Shanxi people were good at running business and trading, and it is a good prove of this.
Temples of Confucianism, and Taoism. Confucian Temple is a place where people worship Confucius and respect Confucianism. The Temple you see was rebuilt in 1163, making it the oldest Confucian Temple existing. Temple of Qingxu(Qing Xu Guan), a temple of Taoism, was first built in 657 A.D., and once named Taiping Guan.
City Wall. Pingyao city wall was first between 827 B.C-782 B.C, and rebuilt in 1370, with dozens of maintenances in later days. It functioned as a protection project, with watch towers, crenels and turrets.
Qiao Family Courtyard
Qiao Family Courtyard, located in Qi county, was first built in 1756. It is a big house, belonged to a family, Qiao, and it was designed in a traditional northern residential style. It covers 4,175 square meters, and has 313 rooms protected by walls in four sides, 10 meters high. This residential house not only has great buildings, but precious relics about ancient people’s life in various fields, like decorations, sculptures, and paintings.
Wang Family Courtyard
Wang Family Courtyard, located in Lingshi county, 35 km from Pingyao Ancient City, belonged to a famous family, Wang. Wang Family Courtyard had been built in 300 years in the Ming and Qing dynasties, covering an area of 250,000 square meters. It has many buildings, including hundreds of rooms and temples, and gardens. It, as Qiao Family Courtyard, has great value in architecture and culture.
Zhangbi Ancient Castle
Zhangbi Ancient Castle, located in Longfeng Town of Jiexiu City(介休市), is a mixed unite with military, living, production and religion. It presents many valuable things, like ancient cultural relics, tunnels, and temples. One of the most wonderful things is that its layout is made according to Chinese astrology.
♦ Must Bring:
Passport, tourist visa, credit card, mobile phone or other electronics , notes of emergency contact, & numbers of emergency calls.
♦ What to pack:
Clothes, medicine, umbrella, sunglass, flashlight, whistle.
♦ Don’t forget:
book a flight, or a train, and maybe book yourself a hotel according to your itinerary.
♦ If you like:
camera, sketch book, notebook, and ipad for drawing, taking pictures, and taking notes.
♦ Be aware:
no lighter and knife on flight.
♦ Clothes in different seasons
Spring and Autumn: sweater, coat, long sleeve shirts, trousers, sneakers.
Summer: T-shirt, shorts, sunglasses, hat, sandal, slipper.
Winter: down jacket, beanie, mittens, boots.
→Pingyao Weather Notes: please check Pingyao Climate & Weather.
Pingyao is in the middle of Shanxi province, 100 km from Taiyuan. Pingyao is a county, doesn’t have an airport, but has two railway stations Pingyao Railway Station(2 km toPingyao Ancient City) , and Pingyao Ancient City Railway Station( 10 km to Pingyao Ancient City), and one bus station.
►By flight. Flight to Taiyuan, or Xi’an, then take a train to Pingyao.
►By train. Most fast trains go to Pingyao Railway Station, and high speed bullet trains go to Pingyao Ancient City Railway Station. Most cities do no have direct trains to Pingyao, and in this case, transfer to Taiyuan is one of your choice, then go to Pingyao from Taiyuan.
Trains to Pingyao
| Duration | Price/CNY | |
| Datong | 6-7.5 h | 110.5 (Fast trains/Hard sleeper) |
| Hohhot | 11 h | 159 (Fast trains/Hard sleeper) |
| Beijing | 4 h | 183 (High speed bullet train/Second class seat) |
| Xi’an | 3 h | 150 (High speed bullet train/Second class seat) |
►By bus. Bus is recommended to short-distance trips, and to Pingyao, it is not a good choice, but good to shuttle around Pingyao county. No. 103 and No.108 public buses go throughPingyao Ancient City Railway Station, Pingyao Railway Station and Pingyao Ancient City .
Attractions in Pingyao are all about historic and cultural sites, therefore, weather won’t affect its beauty and value, but to your physical feelings. The best time to visit Pingyao is from May to November, especially September, October, and November. But please avoid national holidays in China, because it will be crowded.
Autumn and Spring have cool days, but early spring and later autumn could be a bit cold, Summer is a little cold, while Winter is very cold.
How Many Days in Pingyao/ How Many Days Pingyao Needed
| One day tour |
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| Two day tour |
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♦ Recommended Tour packages: 4 Days From Taiyuan to Pingyao
♦ Notes:
This does not count your arrival time and departure time.
If you have much time, you could go to other attractions in Pingyao, like Shuanglin Temple, Chang Family Compound.
Close to Pingyao Ancient City: hotels in and out Pingyao Ancient City.
Many hotels are refurbished from ancient buildings of local style, so you could have a special night to experience local life. If you do not want this kind of hotels, modern hotels are available too.
Pingyao is a county in Jinzhong(晋中), located in the middle of Shanxi province, 100 km from Taiyuan.
Pingyao Ancient City is the best preserved ancient county with its original buildings and layout, presenting us a great picture how ancient people live, do business and have fun, involving all fields of their life.
Pingyao International Film Festival also builds a name for it.
Hang around in Pingyao Ancient City & see Qiao Family Courtyard and Wang Family Courtyard
Eat Pingyao food and snack
Watch Youjian Pingyao Show(又见平遥)
Pingyao beef
Oat noodles & Kaolaolao(莜面栲栳栳)
Sliced noodles(刀削面)
Paper-cutting
Lacquerware
Easy to go. Travelling on your own in Xi’an won’t be a problem to you, in that you will find modern facilities and English-speaking staff to meet you need.
English will do. Airport, railway station, metro use both Chinese and English signs, attractions has English-speaking tour guide.
Smart phone, big helper. Most staff on flights, trains, and in hotels, stores and restaurants can speak English, still body language, and smart phone will do you a big favor.
Useful apps. Google Maps or Baidu Map, Google Translate or Youdao Translate.
VPN. VPN is what you need to browse some foreign websites and log in some foreign apps.
If online booking of flight, train, attraction entrance ticket won’t work, please go to the ticket office.
If you are in need of a single tour service, like car rental, please contact us. We offer tour packages, and also single tour service.
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