An Unforgettable Trip to Pingyao Ancient City
Introduction
Many friends advised me not to write travelogues anymore and instead shoot and edit videos for vlogs, saying that long travelogues are no longer popular. However, I write these for myself. Whenever I can’t remember the details of a past trip, I just open the webpage and read my old travelogues. It’s really nice. I’m not interested in making short – videos. I believe that the trivial matters of searching for travel guides, arranging itineraries, and booking hotels are also part of the meaning of travel. In this era of booming short – videos, before each trip, I still buy the latest local travel guidebook, read a large number of travelogues online, and make detailed travel plans. I’m more infatuated with this exploration process than the rapid spread of short – videos. I firmly believe that more anticipation will lead to the discovery of better scenery. I also hope that everyone can return to reading and find the original charm of travel. Now, let’s start this journey.
Beautiful Scenery Preview
- Pingyao Ancient City: The ancient city is full of historical charm. Every corner seems to tell a story of the past. The well – preserved city walls, ancient streets, and traditional buildings make you feel like you’ve traveled back in time.
- Yonglonghao Pingyao Lacquerware (Head Store): Here, you can witness the traditional craftsmanship of Pingyao lacquerware. The process of applying lacquer and polishing is a real visual treat. The artisans’ skills are truly amazing.
- Pingyao Zipeiji – Handmade Silverware: Located on the bustling Ming – Qing Street, this place is a must – visit. Attracted by the continuous sound of hammering, I found that the masters were making silverware on the spot. It was the first time I had such an intuitive look at the production process. The silverware here is not only a commodity but also a work of art, with every detail carefully polished and carved, truly reflecting the spirit of craftsmanship.
Travel Duration and Expenses
- Travel Time: July 21, 2020
- Number of Travelers: 2
- Per – capita Expenses: Over 800 yuan (including transportation, accommodation, and meals)
- Itinerary: Taiyuan – Pingyao – Qixian – Taiyuan
Food Recommendations
Furnace – cooked Food Culture
- Youcha (Fried Flour Porridge): It has a long – standing history. In the past, when Shanxi merchants, known as the top business group in ancient China, went to the frontier regions (now Inner Mongolia) to do business at a young age, their mothers and wives would make this delicious youcha for them. It was not only a convenient dry food on the way but also carried good wishes for their safety and success.
- Mooncakes: In Pingyao, making mooncakes during the Mid – Autumn Festival is a long – established tradition. Originally used for worshiping the moon god, the patterns on the mooncakes are mostly related to the moon and the jade rabbit, symbolizing good luck. The mooncakes are made of wheat flour mixed with vegetable oil and a small amount of water. The fillings are mainly crushed brown sugar, sesame, and dried fruits like melon seeds, peanuts, and walnuts. Nowadays, people also add raisins. Baked in an oven with a layer of honey on the outside, they are extremely delicious, thin, crispy, and fragrant.
- Stone – baked Cakes: As the name suggests, these cakes are baked on a large pot filled with carefully polished black spherical stones. This unique method allows the cakes to be evenly heated and gives them a special aroma. When the cakes are out of the pot, their uneven surfaces are quite interesting.
Jinsheng Furnace – cooked Food Shop
This shop is like a time – tunnel back to 100 years ago. The most popular product here is “Grandma Gu”. It comes in two customized flavors for customers. Made from natural grains and roasted nuts, with the unique seasoning of raisins and spices, it’s both nutritious and delicious, bringing vitality to the morning. The shop also offers a furnace – cooked food set meal for two. The well – known Grandma Gu serves as a warm – stomach drink, accompanied by various small cakes, noodles, and delicious side dishes like bowl – shaped jelly and beef.
Shanxi Cuisine
- Beef Copper Hot Pot: The pre – marinated beef is very flavorful and tender. When combined with local vermicelli, cabbage, soft tofu, and even the delicious black fungus, it restores the original taste of the ingredients to the maximum.
- Yellow Rice Cold Cake: This dish is so popular that it’s quickly cleared off the plate. The cold cake is refreshing and glutinous. Dipped in the special osmanthus sauce, it’s simply irresistible.
- Pingyao Beef: A world – famous specialty of Pingyao. The beef has a tender texture and clear grain, with a delicious and fragrant taste.
- Pingyao Bowl – shaped Jelly: A local specialty that resembles cold noodles but has a chewier texture. Drizzled with a sauce containing Shanxi aged vinegar and paired with cucumbers, it’s a real treat.
- Jiawu Eggplant: I didn’t like eggplants before, but this dish from Hongwuji changed my mind. Although it’s deep – fried, it’s not greasy at all. The outer layer is crispy, and the inside is tender and fragrant, with a hint of sweetness and the aroma of white sesame.
- Vinegar – flavored Stewed Noodles: Different from the traditional Shanxi noodles you usually see, these hand – made noodles are not boiled in water but stewed with the soup of the dishes. Drizzled with a little vinegar, they are dry but extremely delicious.
- Sour – soup Buckwheat Noodles: A local specialty in Pingyao. The sour soup gives it a unique and pleasant taste.
Desserts
- Seabuckthorn Juice Fried Yogurt and Red Bean Yogurt: These are delicious and refreshing, perfect for cooling off on a warm day.
- Liangxiansen’s Yogurt Shop: This yogurt shop is not just a place to buy yogurt. The walls are covered with messages, and there are fridge magnets with Pingyao – themed elements and commemorative silver notes related to the local banking culture. It’s a place full of cultural atmosphere. The young and friendly shop owner is very passionate. He said that although the decoration of the shop can be replicated, the skill of making fried yogurt is hard to be replaced, which is why there is only one such shop in Pingyao Ancient City.
Travel Tips
Specialties
- Pingyao Lacquerware: Yonglonghao is a well – known brand. It is a national intangible cultural heritage and a inheritance site of Pingyao lacquerware painting and decoration techniques. For over 24 years, it has been steadily promoting its brand. With a strict production process and high – quality control, every piece of lacquerware is a pure – handwork masterpiece. Most Pingyao locals know about this famous brand, and some older people can even tell its story.
Accommodation in Pingyao
When choosing accommodation in Pingyao, I focused on the convenience of transportation and cost – effectiveness. After nearly a week of consideration, I chose Deshenglou Inn near the City Tower. It turned out to be a great choice. The room was of a suitable size with a unique design, and the price was only 100 yuan per day. The inn has a two – story structure with a courtyard in the middle and a small stage in the center, giving a very warm and cozy feeling.
Scenic Spot Tickets
- Ticket Types: Entering Pingyao Ancient City through its six gates is free. The so – called “ticket” refers to a pass that includes 22 small scenic spots inside the city. Before December 31, 2020, visitors could make an advance reservation for free tickets on weekdays. The full – price pass is 125 yuan per person, and the half – price ticket is 65 yuan per person. There are also separate tickets for Shuanglin Temple (35 yuan per person, 15 yuan for half – price) and Zhenguo Temple (25 yuan per person, 10 yuan for half – price). Children under 1.2 meters, active – duty military personnel, disabled people, and seniors over 60 can get free tickets with valid certificates. Teenagers under 18 (including 18 – year – olds) and students can buy half – price tickets with valid certificates.
- Single – spot Purchase: It’s not possible to buy tickets for a single scenic spot. The pass system is very cost – effective for most tourists who want to visit multiple attractions.
- Must – visit Scenic Spots: If you have enough time, it’s recommended to visit all the 22 scenic spots. But if your time is limited, you can choose some famous ones like the County Yamen, Rishengchang, Confucian Temple, City God Temple, Xietongqing, Escort Bureau, and the Ancient City Wall.
Transportation in Pingyao
- Geographical Location: Pingyao Ancient City is located in the central part of Shanxi Province, under the jurisdiction of Jinzhong City. It’s suitable for tourism throughout the year, and autumn is the peak tourist season due to its pleasant and cool climate.
- Self – driving: The highway exit of Pingyao Ancient City is in the south. After getting off the highway, keep going straight without turning left or right. Along the way, there are several parking lots, such as the Tourist Center Parking Lot on the right – hand side of the road, the Xiaonanmen Parking Lot, the Xiximen Parking Lot (also known as the “Seeing Pingyao” Parking Lot), and the Beiguan Parking Lot outside the north gate of the ancient city. You can choose the parking lot closest to your accommodation for convenience.
- By Train: There are two stations in Pingyao, a high – speed railway station and a regular railway station. The high – speed railway station is about 8 kilometers west of the ancient city, and there are buses and taxis available to reach the ancient city. The regular railway station is within the urban area of the ancient city, and you can reach the ancient city on foot after getting off the train.
“Seeing Pingyao” Performance
It tells a story of blood – line inheritance. In the late Qing Dynasty, the owner of a Pingyao bank, Zhao Yishuo, mortgaged all his property to bring back the blood – line of the manager of a branch in Russia. Although he and 232 escort guards died on the way, the Wang family’s blood – line was preserved. It’s a real – life performance, but sometimes it can get crowded.
Light Show
Every night at 8 o’clock, there is an 18 – minute light show on the south – outer city wall, jointly created by Zhang Yimou and Wang Lei, a winner of the Golden Horse Award. Divided into five chapters, it comprehensively showcases the history, culture, and present glory of Pingyao Ancient City through high – tech means. It vividly presents the changes of Pingyao Ancient City over the years, making the audience feel as if they are in the long river of history.
