Pingyao Ancient City - The Best-preserved Ancient City in China
Pingyao Ancient City Facts
Pingyao Ancient City, with over 2700 years of history, still keeps its authentic layout and style intactly: long ancient city walls, elegant residences and courtyards, vertical and horizontal streets and alleys, scattered banks and escorts, all marked a prosperous county during Ming and Qing dynasties. Named one of the Four Most-preserved Ancient Cities in China, it was also a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site which was listed with Shuanglin Temple, Zhenguo Temple in 1997.
Why Visit Pingyao Ancient City?
● A long history of over 2,700 years
Pingyao Ancient City was founded in Western Zhou Dynasty in 8th century BC, and got extension in Ming and Qing Dynasties. Up to now, it has survived from wars and modernization, being an older well-preserved ancient city in China than Lijiang Old Town, Huizhou Ancient City and Langzhong Ancient City, three other top ancient cities in China.
● The Most Complete Ancient County-level City in China & An Excellent Example of Han Chinese City of Ming & Qing Dynasties
Pingyao has been the seat of county government since Qin Dynasty (221 BC). In 1370, the city wall was rebuilt and expanded, packed with bricks. Many watch towers, gate towers were added during its reconstruction period followed. Except the 6 barbicans, 4 turrets and 72 watch towers and former defensive settings on the ancient city wall, there are over 400 ancient residential houses located along the criss-crossed streets and lanes, famous ancient government office, former bank, shops, escort agencies, temples retained inside. The whole complex seems travel through time and space, unfolding a living scene of traditional daily life, commerce and religion vividly.
● A Treasure House of Ancient Chinese Dwellings
Ancient city walls and financial institutions are only a small part of the architecture legacy of Pingyao Ancient City. Its overall settlement, architecture style, construction skills, materials, design, decorations of the ancient residences are the historical and cultural heritage that will really shock you when seeing.
Layout and Architecture Structure of Pingyao Ancient City
Built completely in accordance with traditional urban planning style and layout principle of cities of the Chinese Han nationality, Pingyao Ancient City keeps the basic layout which reflects the popular urban planning concept during the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
Circled by the ancient city wall, Pingyao Ancient City lies like a slightly tilted square. When seen from a bird's eye perspective with some imagination, it is more like a turtle. The Southern Gate is like the head, Northern Gate is the tail and the two wells outside the Southern Gate are the eyes, gates in the east and west are the symbols of its limbs. The interlaced network of avenues, roads and lanes presents the complicated lines on turtle shell.
Inside the city walls, the street pattern is a shape of “ 土” and the architectural layout is followed by Chinese Eight Diagrams. All keep the style of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Four avenues, eight streets and seventy-two lanes interweave with one another. They have clear functions and good-ordered layouts.
The residences are all Siheyuan (quadrangle courtyard) made of black bricks and layered grey tiles in clear axes and bilateral symmetry, most decorated with exquisite wood carvings, brick carvings and exquisite paintings. Besides, there are some temples and rows upon rows of ancient shops on both sides of the streets.
Top Highlights to See in Pingyao Ancient City
Ancient City Wall of Pingyao 平遥古城墙
Remoulded in 1370 during early Ming Dynasty, the ancient city walls with a circumference of 6,163 meters are still largely intact and considered among the best-preserved ancient city walls in China. With 12 meters high and 3-6 meters wide on top, the city walls have six barbican gates. The north and south sides have one gate each, and the east and west sides have two gates each, making Pingyao ancient city like a still turtle. There are 3000 embattlements and 72 watch towers on the walls which is said to symbolize the 3000 disciples of Confucius and his 72 saints. That perfectly testifies the far-reaching influence of Chinese Confucianism. Get up onto the walls, you can see many interesting military equipment and enjoy a great perspective of the whole ancient city, and external moat and farmlands.
Rishengchang Former Bank 日昇昌票号
Rishengchang Former Bank or Rishengchang Draft Bank is the first modern bank in China, which prompted national financial circulation and development industry and commerce in Qing Dynasty. It created Wall Street business nearly 200 years ago, verifying the great fortune and flourishing economy of Pingyao at that time. In 1823, the intelligent shopkeep Lei Lvtai and rich merchant Li Daquan co-founded Rishengchang Draft Bank at the West Avenue, to ease the issue of capital flow. Monies (cashes) were sent by escorts, which took lots of time and robbery happened frequently. As the first private financial institution managing deposit, loan and agiotage, Rishengrang soon became the economic lifeline in 19 century of Qing dynasty by rigorous operation system. It even established more than 30 branched nationwide, extended business to Japan, Singapore and Russia in 1940s in its heyday. The history of Rishengchang lasts over 100 years, but its occurrence and development provides valuable reference materials.
Today, Rishengchang Former Back has been renovated into a museum of over 20 exhibition halls. In the three courtyards, old math tools, account books, currency, bank operation system, original living and working scenes are displayed for tourists to learn about China’s banking history.
Ming and Qing Dynasties Street 明清一条街
Stretching on the central axis of Pingyao Ancient City for over 400 meters, the Ming & Qing Dynasties Street, also called South Street, is the most important and prosperous commercial street in the ancient city. This landmark street is lined with 78 ancient shops, covering nearly all sectors of commerce, such as bank, pawnshop, pharmacy, butcher, smoke shop, grocery store, silk and stain shop, etc. All are historical witnesses of the thriving economy of the Ancient City of Pingyao. See it you can quickly understand why it was the important financial and trade center from the 19th century to the early 20th century. Now, the street is one must-see cultural and historical spot, giving tourists a great chance to discover antique charm of Ming and Qing Dynasty, taste local snacks and find local handicrafts.
Temple of the City God 城隍庙
Built in early Ming Dynasty, Pingyao’s Temple of the City God is one of the well-preserved such temples in China. Lying in the east of the ancient city and facing the Government Office, the temple is a quite building complex with splendid wooden architectures and brick carvings around. It consists of memorial archway, temples of different gods, theater stage, praying hall, principal hall and sleeping palace in the two linked courtyards. Except the co-worship of three gods, the delicate buildings with colored glazes are the main highlights of the temple. When you view the colored tile on the roof and the vivid statuary in the halls and frescoes on the walls, don’t forget to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere here.
Pingyao Ancient Government Office 古县衙
Located in the center of Pingyao ancient city, the Government Office was built in North Wei Dynasty and formed its current scale in Ming and Qing dynasties. With a history of over 600 years, it was the administration location in Feudal China, like today’s court to justice and upholding the public’s trust. There are kinds of cruel torture and ancient jails displayed for tourists to know the process of trial. And it’s a fun to watch how the governor to settle a lawsuit in the ancient way, performed by real persons. Divided into three parts, the huge office has judicial hall, screen wall, archway, living quarters and other functional zones. According to its architectural layout and function settings, it is truly a microcosm of a royal palace.
North China First Escort Agency 华北第一镖局
As a special delivery business in ancient China, escort agency developed to its peak in Qing dynasty with the frequent logistics needed to protect. The North China First Escort Agency, a great escort agency in Qing dynasty, was established by three outstanding armed escorts, who are Wang Zhengqin and Zuo Erba, Dai Erlv. With the trend of exchange service of Rishangchang Draft Bank, escort agencyies were perished gradually.
Now it has been changed to a museum, mainly telling the story of these three escorts and the escort agency history in Qing dynasty. In the front yard, there are some essential escorting stuffs displayed, including the flag (the logo), vehicles, containers, weapons, etc. And there is field for practicing martial arts for tourists to have more knowledge about the ancient escort agency.