On 10–12 February 2025, my son and I paid a visit to Pingyao County, Shanxi Province. It was a very enriching experience, and I would like to share how the trip was with you.

We took the high-speed train from Beijing Fengtai to Pingyao Gucheng (meaning "ancient city"), which took 3 hours and 40 minutes.

Beijing Fengtai Station officially opened for operation on June 20, 2022, and is one of the largest railway transportation hubs in China.

We took a bus to the South Gate, where there is a grand park in front.

Pingyao Ancient City

Located in central Shanxi Province, Pingyao Ancient City is one of the best-preserved ancient county towns in China. It was originally built during the reign of King Xuan of the Western Zhou Dynasty (827–782 BC), and has a history of over 2,800 years. The city features intact city walls, streets, temples, and residential buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties, showcasing the essence of ancient Chinese urban planning and architectural art. In 1997, Pingyao Ancient City was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, becoming one of the only two ancient cities in China to be recognized in their entirety(the other is Lijiang).

The last time I was here was in 2008. The most significant difference is that it is far more popular and vigorous. There are a large number of people walking around, numerous restaurants and shops, and even a considerable number of bars. I think it brings a lot of benefits to the city: people's livelihood improves, more jobs are available, many houses have been renovated and look nicer. In this way, the city's heritage is carried forward due to tourism.

Pingyao Ancient City at night

Our guesthouse

On February 11, we joined a mini-bus trip to the Wang Family Compound, which is located 35 kilometers from Pingyao Ancient City.

It is situated in Jingsheng Village, Jingsheng Town, 12 kilometers east of Lingshi County, and is a residential architectural complex built by the prestigious Jingsheng Wang family from the reign of Emperor Kangxi to that of Emperor Jiaqing during the Qing Dynasty. The earliest part, the You Cui Alley, was formed in the third year of Kangxi (1664), while the latest section, the Shi Lv Fort, was completed in the sixteenth year of Jiaqing (1811).

The scale of the Wang Family Compound is extremely grand. From the late Ming Dynasty to the late Qing Dynasty, the Wang family undertook extensive construction projects over a period of 300 years. Particularly during the reigns of Emperors Yongzheng, Qianlong, and Jiaqing, a major construction project was initiated or completed every eight to ten years. This left behind hundreds of courtyards and 1,118 rooms, covering a total area of 250,000 square meters. Of this, 45,000 square meters were designated as provincial-level key cultural relics protection sites. By 2005, over 30,000 square meters had been restored and opened to the public.

As an outstanding example of traditional Chinese architectural heritage and a treasure of folk residential art, the Wang Family Compound was rated as a national 4A-level tourist attraction in 2004 and was designated as a “National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit” by the State Council in 2006. It is widely acclaimed as the "Number One Residence of Chinese Folk Houses," the "Chinese Folk Forbidden City," and the "Forbidden City of Shanxi."

As the Yuanxiao Festival draws near, we were fortunate enough to witness a Shehuo Performance by the villagers of Jingsheng Village.

On 12 Feb we took a taxi by Didi to Shuanglin Temple which is located in Qiaotou Village, 6 kilometers southwest of Pingyao County.The original construction date is hard to verify due to its ancient origins, but it was reconstructed in the second year of the Wuping era of the Northern Qi Dynasty (571 AD). The temple, facing south and oriented north, covers an area of about 15,000 square meters and features a layout of three successive courtyards. It currently houses over 1,600 colored sculptures, representing the essence of clay sculpture art from the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. It is acclaimed as the "Treasury of Oriental Colored Sculpture Art." In 1997, Shuanglin Temple, along with Pingyao Ancient City and Zhen Guo Temple, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

From Shuanglin Temple, we took a taxi to Pingyao Gucheng Station, a ride that took only a few minutes, and continued our journey to Taiyuan City, which is only a half-hour train ride away.

Pingyao Gucheng Station

Pingyao is famous for its beef, vinegar, hotpot and noodles. Here are the pictures.

Check out the videos from our trip: Pingyao, Wang Family Compound & Shuanglin Temple

Yours Truly

Angie Guo - Charmissoin Travel