The Former Residence of Pang Xiangui The Pang Residence is located at No. 99 Dongtoumen Street in the southeast of Pingyao Ancient City. It was the home of Pang Xiangui, manager of the local “Fuxinglong” draft bank in Pingyao County. The exact year of its construction is unknown, but the existing residence features architectural styles from the Qing Dynasty. The “Fuxinglong” draft bank was situated where the current pharmaceutical retail outlet on the west side of South Street stands. The Pang Residence faces south and consists of a two-courtyard complex with 22 rooms in total. …
Pingyao Guanyun Beef is not only a specialty of Shanxi but also a nationally renowned product. The beef has a bright red color, tender texture, and a delicious taste that is rich without being greasy, and lean without being tough. When buying packaged beef, don't go for the newest batch—beef that is about three months past its production date is the most flavorful and ideal for tasting or purchasing. Prices for Guanyun Beef within the ancient city are quite high...
Pingyao Railway Station is located in the northwest of the county town. The Tongpu Railway runs north-south, with direct access north to Taiyuan, Shijiazhuang, and other destinations, and south to Linfen, Yuncheng, and others. Most trains passing through Pingyao make a stop here. There are direct trains from Beijing, Taiyuan, and Xi'an to Pingyao. Railway station phone: 0354－56731…
Pingyao Catholic Church, also known as Pingyao Chengguan Catholic Church, is a Catholic church located at No. 2 Anjia Street in the southeast corner of Pingyao County, Jinzhong City, Shanxi Province, China. It currently belongs to the Yuci Diocese (Jinzhong Diocese). The church was established in the second year of the Xuantong era of the Qing Dynasty (1910), on a site that was formerly the Wudao Temple. Originally built in a European classical architectural style (Late Romanesque style), it is a brick-and-wood structure facing west with its entrance to the east. The front façade has three levels: the church sanctuary on the bottom, a music room in the middle, and a bell tower on top.
The Pingyao County Yamen is one of China's four best-preserved ancient government offices and the largest in scale. It features a typical six-courtyard quadrangle layout. Along the central axis from south to north are, in order: the screen wall, the main gate, the ceremonial gate, the main hall, the residential gate, the second hall, the inner residence, and the Immortal Tower. During opening hours, visitors can also enjoy the “County Magistrate’s Parade…”
A nationwide chain of creative print shops, each branch incorporates local characteristics and sells a variety of postcards, notebooks, and small goods. Address: Intersection of Beida Street and Xida Street, within the Ancient City of Pingyao, Pingyao County. Type: Arts and crafts / gifts...
The God of Wealth Temple is an attraction within the City God Temple in Pingyao Ancient City. To the west of the City God Temple lies the God of Wealth Temple — a unique place of worship. Its entrance gate is a two-story inverted Qing brick theater stage, the entry is a single-eave flush gable roof with half-hipped blue-green tubular tiles and a floral pendant gate, while the exit is a Qing brick archway, atop which sits the stage floor. Emerging from the archway and looking back, you’ll see the stage surrounded by carved railings, polychrome brackets, engraved horizontal beams, a single-eave roof adorned with alternating blue-green glazed tiles, and a hinged pavilion with a flush gable roof. A plaque inscribed with “???世” hangs above the stage opening, and on the front eaves pillars, there is a couplet: the upper line reads, “The resounding drums awaken dreams of wealth and luxury,” and the lower line reads, “The melodious strings soar to the jade towers of the immortals.” On the east and west sides of the stage are five-bay two-story viewing stands — though calling them stands isn’t entirely accurate. There are six vermilion transparent eaves pillars, with single-eave single-slope hanging roofs, and the second-floor stands feature carved railings, resembling “boxes,” hence they can also be called theater-viewing pavilions. The stage of the God of Wealth Temple is much smaller than that of the City God Temple, and the courtyard is relatively narrow. Opposite the stage is a three-bay Qing brick arched flush gable roof hallway, also called the Offering Hall. Behind the spacious Offering Hall is a two-story Qing brick three-bay structure. The first floor houses the God of Wealth Hall, where the shrine enshrines three deities of wealth: in the center is the “Literary God of Wealth” Bi Gan, to the east are the “Martial God of Wealth” Zhao Gongming and Guan Yu. The second floor is the Zhenwu Hall, enshrining the Dark Emperor, the “Fire Deity,” and the “Water Deity.” The fact that the two halls of the God of Wealth Temple share the same first floor is quite rare. Even more uncommon is that the three temples are situated within one large courtyard, standing adjacent to each other. The Kitchen God Temple is small and simple, the God of Wealth Temple is bustling with incense, the City God Temple exudes ceremonial dignity, and the divine realm ??? offers ??, all making for a memorable visit.
Among the residential buildings in Pingyao, the most legendary is the Old Residence of the Ji Family on Zhanma Dao Street. Located at Courtyard No. 8, Zhanma Dao Street, within the county town, the residence was owned by Ji Hutang, the 22nd-generation descendant of the Ji family. The Old Residence of the Ji Family, situated at Courtyard No. 8, Zhanma Dao Street, inside the ancient city of Pingyao, is now owned by Ji Hutang, the 22nd-generation descendant of the Ji family. He explains that the Ji family...
Pingyao Grand Theater is located at the Nine-Dragon Wall in the ancient city, west of the Confucian Temple and the Temple of the God of Wealth, south of the Kuixing Tower, and east of the ancient city wall. Originally named Lile Hall, it was first built in the 42nd year of Emperor Kangxi’s reign during the Qing Dynasty (1703), and historically served as a distinguished venue for official receptions, merchant leisure, theatrical performances, and banquets. The esteemed master Qi Gong inscribed the name for Pingyao’s “Grand Theater”...
Hunqi Zhai Courtyard is located at No. 7 Hulu Du Lane, Pingyao Ancient City. It is a free attraction not covered by the general admission ticket. Built in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, the courtyard was originally the ancestral property of Ji Yugang of Rishengchang Exchange Shop, later served as the former residence of Lei Renmin, Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, and is now the home of Master Geng Baoguo, a renowned arts and crafts artist. It is the largest, oldest, and best-preserved ancient residential complex still existing in Pingyao...
In September of the third year of the Republic of China (1914), Rishengchang was sealed and placed under bankruptcy restructuring due to guarantee liabilities. Thereafter, its business gradually declined, barely managing to sustain its operations through "collecting payments to repay debts." By the 21st year of the Republic of China (1932), when Rishengchang Ticket Office transitioned into operating as a money shop, it had been in business for a total of 109 years. During this period, in the 18th year of the Daoguang reign (…
A group of girls dressed in Ming Dynasty attire walk delicately down the middle of the street. Their blue costumes are absolutely lovely, and the music perfectly complements the ancient streets of Pingyao...
Visiting the ancient city of Pingyao during the Spring Festival? How could you miss the excitement of the “Pingyao Chinese New Year” event? Every year from the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month to the 16th day of the first lunar month, the “Pingyao Chinese New Year” festival takes place in the ancient city, showcasing local Spring Festival traditions through street lantern displays, folk performances, New Year customs experiences, opera shows, joint calligraphy and painting exhibitions, and photography activities...
Pingyao Shuanglin Temple Colored Sculpture Art Museum is a Buddhist art museum. On December 3, 1997, the 21st session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee passed a resolution to include “Ancient City of Pingyao” in the World Heritage List, of which Shuanglin Temple is one part. Shuanglin Temple was originally named Zhongdu Temple, and in the Song Dynasty, it was renamed Shuanglin Temple based on the Buddhist scripture that speaks of “Shuanglin entering nirvana…”
Chao Mountain Academy is located in the fourth courtyard along the central axis of the Pingyao Confucius Temple. Just past the Hall of Clarifying Human Relationships lies the largest academy in Pingyao, now converted into the country’s largest imperial examination museum. When Chao Mountain Academy was first established, the social and economic conditions of Pingyao were already different from those during the Kangxi era, but Shanxi merchants were experiencing rapid development, and the draft bank banking industry was also gradually...
The China Pingyao International Photography Exhibition is an international photography event with distinctive traditional Chinese cultural characteristics, operating according to international standards. Each edition of the exhibition features hundreds of outstanding photographers and photography institutions from China and around the world, attracting over 100,000 professional photographers and amateur photography enthusiasts from all corners of the globe to visit the exhibits...
The exhibition content of the Pingyao Beef Museum is divided into the Preface Hall (Merchants of Shanxi Across China), Pingyao Historical and Cultural Hall, Pingyao Beef Heritage Skills Hall, Xingshenglei Hall, Pingyao Beef Pioneer Lei Jinning Hall, Shanxi Merchants' Noodles Hall, Empress Dowager Cixi in Pingyao Hall, Zili Cheng Hall, Farming and Herding Ode, Ox-Plowing Eulogy, Taotang Laurels, Shanxi Merchants Training Center Hall, the Echoes of Pingyao Beef…
The imperial examination system was established in the Sui Dynasty, refined in the Tang, reformed in the Song, declined in the Yuan, flourished in the Ming, and came to an end in the Qing, lasting over a thousand years. Countless Chinese scholars devoted their lives to the pursuit of academic success through the classics, guided by the principle that “those who excel in learning can serve in office,” striving relentlessly for official positions. The merits and demerits of the imperial examination system are open to debate...
Jilin Temple (Zhenjun Mansion), located on the east side of the southern section of South Street in Pingyao Ancient City and facing west, has an uncertain exact date of establishment. Originally the ancestral temple of the Liang family, it shares heritage roots with Jixiang Temple within the ancient city as part of the Liang clan’s ancestral property from Liangguan Village in Pingyao. To distinguish it from the Jilin Temple on North Street, it is also known as Liang Jilin Temple, South Jilin Temple, or Zhenjun Mansion. It is a Taoist site...
Pingyao County Yamen Museum The county yamen follows the hierarchical layout of feudal China, with civil offices on the left and military on the right, front for administration and rear for residence. There are six courtyards along the central axis, from the outside in: the Main Gate, Hall of Justice, Gatehouse, Second Hall, Inner Residence, and Immortal Tower. The Hall of Justice is also known as the “People’s Hall,” and the Inner Residence as the “Diligence and Caution Hall.” Along the eastern side, from north to south, are the Flower Hall, Changping Granary, and the Zan...