Rishengchang Ticket Number was located on the bustling section of West Street, known as the "First Financial Street of the Qing Dynasty," in the ancient city of Pingyao. Established in 1823, it was China’s first ticket number—arguably the country’s first bank. At its peak, its branches spanned nearly the entire nation. Today, Rishengchang has been transformed into the China Ticket Number Museum...
Here you can pick up some rather interesting little items without spending much, such as classic-style ornaments and old-fashioned locks. They can serve either as personal mementos or gifts for family and friends. Located on South Street in the ancient city, the entire street is made up of quaint, classic Chinese architecture. Walking down the street gives you the feeling of traveling back in time. The street...
Shuanglin Temple (Third Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units) Era: Ming Dynasty Address: Qiaotou Village, 6 kilometers southwest of Pingyao County Shuanglin Temple was originally named Zhongdu Temple, deriving its name from the ancient title “Zhongdu” (Central Capital) of Pingyao County. The exact founding date of the temple is uncertain. According to the “Auntie’s Stele” from the fourth year of Daguan in the Northern Song Dynasty (1011 AD), which still exists in the temple, Zhongdu Temple was established in the second year of Wuping during the Northern Qi Dynasty (571 AD)...
Hundred Rivers Pass was once one of China’s top ten ticket houses. Established in the tenth year of the Xianfeng reign during the Qing Dynasty (1860), it ceased operations in the seventh year of the Republic of China (1918). Its financial backer was Qu Yuanzhen, owner of the Qucun Estate in Qi County. The business primarily operated silk shops, money shops, and tea shops, accumulating substantial capital over half a century of commerce and earning a reputation as one of the Eight Great Wealthy Merchants of Shanxi...
Pingyao County Yamen is located in the center of the ancient city. It was first built during the Northern Wei Dynasty, took shape during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties, and the oldest surviving structure dates back to the sixth year of the Zhi Zheng era of the Yuan Dynasty (1346), which is over 600 years ago. The entire yamen faces south and is symmetrically laid out along an axis, stretching over 200 meters from north to south and more than 100 meters from east to west, covering an area of 2,600…
Pingyao is the birthplace of Shanxi merchants' culture. The draft bank culture embodies the essence of Shanxi merchants' culture and elevated it to a higher level and status. Understanding modern Chinese history or studying modern Chinese economic history without knowledge of Shanxi draft bank culture would be a major omission. It would also be a shortcoming in building a socialist market economy with Chinese characteristics...
China’s first escort agency was the “Xinglong Escort Agency,” founded outside the gate of Shuntian Prefecture in Beijing by our fellow Shanxi native, the invincible martial artist Zhang Heiwu. Other historically renowned agencies include the “Tongxinggong Escort Agency” established by Wang Zhengqing from Pingyao County, the “Tai Fen Escort Agency” by Dai Erlü from Qixian County, and the “Changlong Escort Agency” by Zuo Erba from Wenshui — all have left their marks in history. Shanxi people founded the most escort agencies, and did so earlier than anyone else.
Before entering the museum, let me briefly introduce two major features of Weisuchang: First, it is the former site of Weisuchang Draft Bank, the second-largest of the "Wei" Five-Union Banks in China, which holds an extremely important position in the history of China’s draft bank development. Second, the museum houses nearly a thousand precious cultural relics, including the Hundred Gourd Treasure Bed, Ming and Qing porcelain...
The China Biaoju Museum is located in the middle section of South Street in the ancient city of Pingyao, facing east. Covering a total area of [square meters], the museum’s 10 exhibition rooms use detailed and abundant physical exhibits to objectively and comprehensively narrate the historical facts behind the emergence, management, and operational organization of biaoju — a unique industry. It reveals how biaoju made special contributions to the circulation of goods in the later period of China’s feudal society…
Qingxu Temple is a provincial-level key cultural relics protection unit and the largest Taoist temple in Pingyao Ancient City. It was first built in the second year of the Xianqing era of Emperor Gaozong of Tang (657 AD), boasting a history of over 1,300 years. Covering an area of more than 6,000 square meters, it consists of three courtyards along a central axis, which are arranged in sequence with structures such as a memorial archway, a transitional hall, and the Dragon-Tiger Hall...
Tianjixiang Museum. It is the only merchant museum in Pingyao Ancient City. It was founded by Mr. Cui Changming, the chairman of the county’s collectors’ association. In the past, a merchant house was a place for conducting business and trade. What you have come to today is the former site of Changshengwei, the most famous foreign goods trading firm in Pingyao over a hundred years ago...
Located at No. 105 South Street in the ancient city of Pingyao, Tongxinggong Escort Agency was founded in the fifth year of the Xianfeng reign during the Qing Dynasty (1855) by Wang Zhengqing from Nanliangzhuang, Pingyao. The exhibition hall is housed in a Ming Dynasty building and provides a comprehensive and systematic introduction to the entire history of Tongxinggong Escort Agency—from its establishment and development to its eventual closure—spanning from the Xianfeng period of the Qing Dynasty to the early years of the Republic of China. It also shares knowledge about the martial world of escort agencies...
Xietongqing Draft Bank was founded in 1856 (the sixth year of the Xianfeng reign) on South Street in Pingyao. The bank's investors were the Wang family from Niedian, Yuci, and the Mi family from Wangzhi Village, Pingyao County. Xietongqing comprised five courtyards. The first courtyard housed: the Counting Room, the General Accounting Office, and the Interregional Accounting Office; the second courtyard included: the Business Hall and the Interregional Correspondence Office; the third courtyard contained: the Assistant Manager’s Office, the Ancestral Worship Room, and the Manager’s Office;…
Zhenguo Temple is located in Haodong Village, northeast of Pingyao County, Shanxi Province. Originally named "Jingcheng Temple," it was first built in the seventh year of the Tianhui era (963 AD) during the Northern Han Dynasty of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. The temple fell into disrepair during the Ming and Qing dynasties. In the 20th year of the Jiaqing era (1815 AD), the main hall, Wanfo Hall, was rebuilt to resemble its original structure. The temple complex is divided into front and rear sections…
The China Chamber of Commerce Museum is located at No. 15 East Street, Pingyao County, covering an area of over 900 square meters. It includes eight exhibition rooms such as exhibition halls, research rooms, and industrial-commercial association meeting rooms. It recreates the history of chambers of commerce with detailed documentary materials and authentic cultural relics, and provides an in-depth introduction to the background, development, organizational structure, and historical significance of Chinese chambers of commerce…
The City God Temple is located in the middle section of Chenghuangmiao Street within Pingyao’s old city. The entire temple complex faces south and covers a total area of 7,302 square meters, consisting of four courtyards. It is a well-structured Taoist temple rich in religious, historical, and cultural significance. In addition to the main hall and the bedroom palace, it mainly comprises four major sections: the Six Ministries Hall, the Earth God Shrine, the Kitchen God Temple, and the God of Wealth Temple...
Not far east from Huiwulin, you’ll find Weifenghou, once one of the “Wei” Five United Banks. It has now been converted into an Ancient Residential Architecture Exhibition Park, displaying items related to traditional dwellings—mainly building materials and furniture. The grand entrance of Weifenghou is instantly recognizable as a Republic-era building blending Chinese and Western styles: hexagonal Roman columns, a triple-arched portico, and column capitals…
City walls were important military defensive structures in ancient China. The Pingyao City Wall boasts a long history and remains remarkably well-preserved. Legend has it that construction began during the reign of King Xuan of Zhou (Ji Jing) in the Western Zhou Dynasty, making it over 2,700 years old. Originally, the wall was very low, but to meet military defense needs, it was expanded and rebuilt in the third year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty (1370), transforming into the...
The Shanxi Grand Merchants' Furniture Museum is located at No. 109, South Street, in the ancient city of Pingyao. Built on the former site of Baichuantong, one of China’s top ten banking houses, it covers an area of 1,071.2 square meters. The residence features exquisite architecture and an impressive presence, with over 70 treasure exhibition rooms housing tens of thousands of artifacts. The collection spans a wide range of categories, is abundant and dazzling, …
Pingyao lacquerware originated in the Kaiyuan era of the Tang Dynasty, flourished during the Ming and Qing dynasties, and has a history of 1,200 years to date. It is one of China’s four major lacquer art forms, historically a renowned product of Shanxi Province, and the foremost of the “Three Treasures of Pingyao.” It has won numerous national gold and silver awards. Yonglong Brand was registered in November 2003 and will obtain ISO 9001 quality system certification. The Pingyao Lacquerware Art Museum...