Pingyao Travel Guide

Pingyao Ancient City is one of the four best-preserved ancient cities in China, with a history spanning over 2,700 years. The city’s architecture reflects feudal traditions, following the layout of “ancestral temple on the left, altar on the right,” and Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang’s policy of “high walls.” Its city walls, streets, and alleys form a massive pattern resembling the traditional Bagua, or Eight Trigrams. Pingyao is also home to Rishengchang, China’s first banking institution, which led the development of banking in ancient China and played a major role in Pingyao’s historical financial significance.

As you stroll along Ming and Qing Street, the city tower with its grand, sweeping eaves catches your eye. The red lanterns hanging along the street, the historic shops, and traditional architecture transport you back centuries to the bustling days of the Shanxi merchants. The strong presence of Shanxi merchant culture, with its gray-walled courtyards, sunset-draped city towers, traditional drum performances, and vibrant folk customs, offers visitors a sense of nostalgia and tranquility. The surrounding residential compounds, like the four famed family estates, add to the city’s charm with their intricate designs and high-hanging red lanterns.