Pingyao | .: Lifestyle Inspired :.

If you ask me how i rate the ancient city of PINGYAO, i would say it will be my second favourite destination in China of all time. It nearly dethroned Xi’An from the top of my list. I don’t believe there’s another city in China that can match Pingyao’s combination of a relaxed atmosphere and ancient Chinese architecture. As my partner, Sherine, put it at the end of our three days in Pingyao: “I don’t think we could’ve come to a more lovely and romantic city than Pingyao.” I couldn’t agree with her more—much to my surprise.

The ancient town of Pingyao

Pingyao is a Chinese city and county in Shanxi province. It is renowned for its well-preserved ancient city wall. It was built in the western Zhou dynasty. As a result, it has a history of more than 2700 years. Many people may not know it very well. However, it is a very important city for knowing the ancient Chinese history and architecture. Pingyao is carefully preserved as an example of traditional Chinese city. It was the major commercial centre for the whole China in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Therefore, it was included in the World Heritage list in December, 1997. So, if you are keen on Chinese history and culture, you shall not miss Pingyao which presents you a real picture of ancient China.

The 7-hour soft sleeper train ride from Datong proved to be worth the extra as we arrived in Pingyao rested and ready to explore. Our hostel sent a rickshaw driver to pick us from the train station. The train station is about 10-15 minutes away from the ancient city of Pingyao.

Boarding my train from Datong to Pingyao

Inside my cabin for ‘Soft Sleeper’ train ride

View from side window

Just arrived in Pingyao

Pingyao train station

My ride to my hostel

Our hostel (YAMEN HOSTEL) is located in the centre of the old city next to the County Government Office “(Yamen)”. Yamen Hostel has an old world charm belonging way back to the Qing dynasty. It might be a hostel now but has all the amenities of a small hotel…beautifully managed by ever smiling girls, always willing to help. You enter into this low building and then walk through one courtyard after another to reach your room. The decor is of a rich old Chinese home but with a modern toilet attached. The room is huge with large windows and greenery all around the courtyard.

This is where i stayed…Yamen Hostel

The front counter of the hostel. Quite a character

The living room of the hostel

This is a courtyard hostel. So, they do have a big courtyard

The entrance to my hostel room

Welcome to my room

The door was ancient and unique. Comes with a heater

My bed…ancient Han style. Room only costs RM65 per night

As we began to walk around that next morning, however, we realized that this city was more than a dream, it was our chance to travel in time through China’s history and experience life as it was in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Our research prior to arriving in Pingyao told us that this city was founded in the 14th century by the Ming Emperor Hongwu and became well known as the financial and banking center of China. Fortunately for many tourists today, Pingyao has managed to avoid vast modernization for the 600 years since it’s founding by retaining most all of its ancient buildings, narrow stone-cobbled streets, and city wall, but as the city becomes a popular travel destination such preservation has been difficult to maintain. No less than three decades ago this city was virtually unknown, but in 1986 the city was designated a Chinese Historical and Cultural city by the PRC and later in 1997 was given full honors as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Our preliminary walk through the city was quiet, pleasurable, and surprisingly short. From one side of the city wall to the other was never more than 300 meters and to completely walk around its perimeter was only a quick 6.4 km. Although the architecture of the surrounding buildings is mesmerizing, what really caught my eye was the feeling that I was a suddenly part of a black and white movie. I couldn’t help but notice how grey and colorless the city looked having used stone to cover or build every imaginable structure. Cars were noticeably absent from the narrow streets, replaced by trotting donkeys and the occasional motorcycle, giving my ears a moment of relief from the city noise I had become so accustomed to hearing here in China.

Highlights:

The City Wall
Many city walls still exist in China – some old and ruined (like Kashgar) and others beautifully restored (as in Xi’An). Pingyao is unique in that its city wall is the earliest and most intact city wall in China. It rises 12 meters high with an average width of 5 meters and is surrounded by a small moat no wider than 4 meters. Very little restoration has been required throughout the years, meaning that what you see now is very close to how it was hundreds of years ago.

Having just arrived from Datong, I was first struck by how small this wall seemed. Obviously it wasn’t built with large trucks in mind, so the South Gate is quite narrow to pass through and I loved seeing the carriage-car indentions in the stone road. Being on top of the wall doesn’t feel as high as in Xi’An, yet Pingyao’s small size and tiny buildings allowed me to see the entire city and even the other side of the wall – something I couldn’t do in Xi’An. We had the option to rent a bike to ride around, but we decided it would be more enjoyable to walk the uneven stones on foot. It was along this wall we were able to see the most ancient parts of Pingyao, its homes, as well as the countryside which surrounded the city.

Pingyao City Wall. The city is within the four walls and my hostel is inside

The North gate

Sunset at Pingyao City Wall

Sunrise at Pingyao City Wall

East gate

Ri Sheng Chang Financial Museum
Ri Sheng Chang Exchange House, established in the early Qing Dynasty, became a financial powerhouse in China, boasting numerous branches throughout China, and a financial system which would be the foundation of China’s banking future. Even though I have no real interest in banks, I was not disappointed by the time I spent looking around this fascinating museum. If you’re a fan of architecture, as I am, you’ll love the courtyards, offices, and buildings. If you admire ancient furniture you’ll find yourself eagerly anticipating each new room and what treasures it might hold. If you love old coins and money you’ll find more than you can handle. Finally, if you have any interest in Chinese history whatsoever you’ll be drawn in by how a small city could have a profound impact on such a large empire.

All signs throughout the museum had been translated, although not always correctly, into English, but there were some things I just didn’t care to read. This bank had closed in the early 1900’s after a long and successful history, but they didn’t leave without a tiny bit of bitterness. Almost every sign made the clear accusation that the bank’s failure was a direct result of western competition or interference. The more I read and walked around the more I felt like I was on trial for the murder of this banking system, regardless of the fact that it was before my time and I had paid money to enter the museum. Thankfully this wasn’t enough to ruin my experience.

County Government Office and Jail
Not much is written about this place in travel books or internet sites, but since it was included in the general admissions ticket we decided to take a look. Again we were pleasantly surprised by the simple beauty and great amount of history here. At this Government Office you’ll be able to see a proper court of law as well as experience what a Chinese jail cell is like while walking around beautiful ponds, grand courtyards, and large trees.

Although all of this history was staring us in the face, we were unfortunately not able to soak most of it in because very little sign direction or literature was found to guide us. Even still, taking pictures in a Chinese jail cell was plenty enjoyable.

County Government Office and Jail

Zhangbi Ancient Village
Zhangbi Ancient Village also known as Zhangbi Ancient Castle is one of the National Heritage Conservation Units and at the same time was named as one of the Top 10 Charming Town by CCTV in year 2005. Zhangbi Ancient Village is well known for its unique architecture where it looks like a castle on the ground but in fact, there is a long tunnel which connects this castle with the world outside underground. It had been a multi-purpose castle which served as a military center, residential area, production site as well as religious activity throughout the history. The entire tunnel which remains until now was built since year 617, with total length of ten kilometers. The tunnel was either two or three levels with the width for one or two persons to pass through while the average height of the tunnel is below 1.8 meters. However, many sections of the tunnel had been destroyed due to earth quakes and floods throughout the years. The original plan of the tunnel had no where to be proved but it is still an interesting historical site to visit anyway.

Zhangbi Ancient Village and underground tunnel used during war time. I am going to explore the tunnels now

Inside the tunnel

Where the commander will sit and lead

The exit

with a local

Wang’s Family Courtyard
Within day-trip distance from Pingyao lies China’s most extravagant Qing Dynasty residence after the Forbidden City of Beijing. Absolutely colossal in size and shrewdly preserved during the Cultural Revolution, this once-private complex has opened to the public only in recent years, and is still fairly unknown to foreign visitors.

Wang’s Family Courtyard, or Wang Jia Da Yuan, has remained under the tourism radar for decades, under cover as a destitute farming commune on the Loess Plateau. Even today most Chinese citizens outside of Shanxi Province have never heard of it, and only in the past several years has it slowly become a popular day-trip for visitors to Pingyao.

Wang’s Family Courtyard was once the greatest of the great Jin Merchant family compounds in the region, all within 2 hours drive from Pingyao. The clans of Qiao, Qu, and Cao all had their own fortified complexes, with the Qiao’s being the most famous thanks to the filming of several high profile TV dramas and movies, including Zhang Yimou’s Raising the Red Lantern. But in terms of size and grandeur, nothing can beat the immense fortress of the Wangs.

Wang’s Family Courtyard