Jinzhong, Pingyao Travel Practical Map

Author: Yang Liyi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-01-01
Features: A Practical Atlas of China's Hot Tourist Destinations, New Route Guide, New Information Report, The Best Travel Companion! This atlas introduces the main scenic spots in Jinzhong and Pingyao with simple and practical diagrams, beautiful photographs, and detailed text. Jinzhong is located in the central part of Shanxi Province, with geographic coordinates of 111°23′-114°28′ east longitude and 36°39′-38°06′ north latitude. The region administers 2 cities and 9 counties, covering a total area of 16,376 square kilometers. After 48 years of development and construction, Jinzhong's economic and social strength has continuously grown, and the urban area has seen significant improvements. It has gradually formed an industrial system with a wide range of specialized industries, including textiles, coal, machinery, chemicals, and food.
Jinzhong belongs to the temperate continental monsoon climate zone. Spring is windy and dry, summer is relatively warm, autumn is clear and pleasant, and winter is relatively cold, with distinct seasons and a large diurnal temperature difference. The region boasts rich and diverse tourism resources. Its natural and cultural tourism attractions are unique and exquisite. Traditional local specialties are renowned both domestically and internationally. Pingyao Ancient City, a national historical and cultural city, is located within this region.
In terms of cultural tourism resources: the Qixian Folk Museum, the former residence of Kong Xiangxi, Pingyao—the "Heavenly Bank"—with its famous Rishengchang exchange bureau, the Zhenuo Temple, the Yuci City God Temple, the Taigu White Pagoda, and more are exquisite and world-famous. Natural tourism resources include Mount Miandao in Jiexiu, Lingshi Gypsum Mountain, Yunlong Mountain in Heshun, Matian Scenery in Zuoquan, the extraordinary springs of Heshun He Mountain, and the "Seed Stone" in Lingshi, all of which are magnificent and breathtaking. Additionally, local specialties such as Jinzhong paper-cutting, Pingyao beef, Taigu cakes, Taigu western claws, Pingyao polished lacquer products, Hongshan ceramics, Qixian glassware, Yushu Ejiao, and "Guolingji" wine have added brilliance to Jinzhong's tourism industry.
Pingyao Ancient City is one of the four best-preserved ancient cities in China. The former name of Pingyao County in Shanxi Province was "Gutao." In the early Ming Dynasty, walls were built to defend against southern invasions. In the third year of the Hongwu era (1370 AD), the old walls were rebuilt and expanded, with bricks added to the entire structure. Subsequent repairs and renovations were carried out in the Jingtai, Zhengde, Jiajing, Longqing, and Wanli dynasties, with ten updates to the city towers and the addition of defense platforms. In the 43rd year of the Kangxi era (1703 AD), four grand city towers were built on all sides because the emperor passed through Pingyao during his western tour, making the city even more magnificent. The total circumference of the Pingyao city walls is 6,163 meters, with walls about 12 meters high, dividing the approximately 2.25-square-kilometer Pingyao city into two distinct worlds. Streets, shops, and market towers inside the walls retain the Ming and Qing architectural style, while the area outside is called the new city. This is a place where ancient and modern buildings harmoniously coexist, inspiring endless reflection. The main image of the postcard captures this charm.
Aerial views of Pingyao Ancient City are even more astonishing. The square-shaped city walls resemble a turtle, with six gates—north and south each have one, and east and west each have two. The southern gate is the turtle's head, with two wells outside symbolizing its eyes. The northern gate is the turtle's tail, the lowest point in the city, where all accumulated water flows out. The four side moats on the east and west sides are paired, with the upper and lower western gates and the upper eastern gate opening southward, resembling turtle claws extending forward. The lower eastern gate's outer city gate opens directly eastward, according to legend, because the builders feared the turtle would crawl away and stretched its left leg straight, tying it to the Lutai Platform twenty miles away. This seemingly whimsical tale reflects the ancient people's deep reverence for turtles, which were considered symbols of longevity and sacred in their eyes. The turtle symbolizes the hope of borrowing the power of the turtle deity to ensure the city's permanence, invincibility, safety, and eternal existence.
Pingyao is the prototype of a well-preserved ancient county from the Ming and Qing dynasties in China. On December 3, 1997, at the 21st session of the World Heritage Committee in Naples, Italy, UNESCO decided to include Pingyao Ancient City as a whole, with its ancient city walls, government offices, streets, residential areas, and temples, on the World Heritage List. It serves as a physical specimen for studying China's political, economic, cultural, artistic, and religious development. Pingyao Ancient City was built based on Chinese Han cultural and architectural principles. The city walls and buildings within are still preserved in their original 14th to 18th-century appearance.
To commemorate this significant event in Chinese cultural history, the National Postal Administration issued a special commemorative postcard titled "World Cultural Heritage—Pingyao Ancient City" on August 18, 2000, with a set of 10 designs, all priced at 60 fen, with a total issuance of 500,000 sets. The designs include: the ancient city walls, Zhenuo Temple, the Daxiong'en Hall of the Confucian Temple, the Shuanglin Temple, the market towers, the Qingxu Temple, the Rishengchang exchange bureau, Ming and Qing residential areas, Pingyao Shanhua, and an aerial view of the ancient city. This was China's first attempt to issue special commemorative postcards with different main images and postal values. Additionally, to respect the wishes of stamp collectors, only one domestic postal rate of 60 fen was issued. Each postcard features two images, highlighting the outstanding examples and characteristics of urban architecture during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Together, the 10 postcards present a complete picture of Han Chinese cultural, social, economic, and religious development.
Travel Tips:
1. Transportation: Pingyao Ancient City is about 40 kilometers from Qiao Family Courtyard. There are special small vans from Qiao Family Courtyard to Pingyao, costing around 50 yuan per vehicle.
2. Accommodation: Staying in the ancient city is very convenient, with many traditional residential inns. Prices vary, but they can be very high during peak season. Famous inns like Tianyuankui and Yunjincheng are located on Ming Street.
3. Tickets: Pingyao Ancient City implemented a unified ticket system of 85 yuan starting from September 15, 2002. Two students can share one ticket, but there are no half-price tickets. The ticket is valid for two days and covers all attractions. Without the unified ticket, you cannot enter the city walls or Rishengchang, but some private museums and security companies allow price negotiations. It is recommended to buy the unified ticket.
4. Local specialties include Pingyao beef, with the Guanyun brand being the best, available near the security company. You can also buy some yellow wine at Changshengyuan (the locals will tell you that the host of the former program "One Minute World" was once here).