Day
1
Arrive in Pingyao (L)
Transfer via: Train (Train from Beijing, Xian or Taiyuan, train tickets excluding)
Sightseeing: The Ancient City Wall, The Rishengchang Draft Bank, The Ming and Qing Street
Upon arrival in Pingyao, our local guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel. After a rest, start the tour with the visit to the Ancient City Wall in Pingyao Town is located in the middle of Shanxi Province. First built about 2,700 years ago, it was expanded in the Ming and Qing Dynasty. It is the most well-preserved wall among the ancient historical and cultural cities in China, and also an early and largest city wall in Shanxi Province. The present city wall is mainly in the form and structure of Ming Dynasty, with a total length of 6.4 kilometers.
Rishengchang Draft Bank is a financial institute which appeared from Qing Dynasty, the earliest draft bank is Rishengchang Draft Bank, whose owner is Mr. in Pingyao County of Shanxi Province. It was mainly devoted in handling remittance, money exchange, deposit, loan and other financial business. There were 35 branches in China's big and medium-sized cities. Its business covered Europe, America and Southeast Asia. And the Rishengchang Draft Bank had been the financial center of China for about 100 years.
The Ming-Qing Street is located in the South Street of the town. With a length of 440 meters, the street used to be the commercial center of Pingyao ancient city. The traditional and orderly-located shops of the Ming and Qing Dynasties are still well preserved. The cross-street Town House is the highest building of the city (18.5 meters high). On its top, you can take a whole view of the Ming–Qing Street. Walking along the street, tourists can get the first-hand experience of ancient China.
Day
2
Pingyao (B, L)
Transfer via: Train (train tickets excluding, but we can arrange it as per your requests)
Sightseeing: Qiao Family's Compound, Shuanglin Temple
After breakfast, we will have a visit to Qiao Family's Compound. Qiao Family Compound is a grand courtyard of a rich family in Shanxi with the family name of "Qiao". It is 12 kilometers northeast of Qixian County. This family compound has become extremely famous because of the film "Raise the Red Lantern" directed by Zhang Yimou. Qiao Family Compound was first built during Qianlong Years of Qing Dynasty and covers an area of 8724 square meters. It is comprised of six big courtyards and 20 small courtyards, with 313 houses in total.
Then we will drive to Qiaotuo Village to visit Shuanglin Temple. The temple is a Buddhist temple with a long history. All cultural relics inside the temple, such as the pagoda trees planted during the Tang Dynasty (618-907), stone tablets from the Song Dynasty, bells from the Ming Dynasty, colored sculptures and ancient constructions, are considered invaluable. The colored sculptures have won great acclaim in the world. The Shuanglin Temple was constructed on a large scale, but was reduced to ruins during many years of war. It was renovated during the Song Dynasty (960-1279) and renamed Shuanglin Temple. What remains of the temple today are mainly the ruins of the Ming (1368-1644) construction.
In the afternoon, you will be transferred to the railway station for your train to next destination.