3 Days Pingyao Essence Tour

Day 1

Arrive in Pingyao

Transfer via: Train (Train from Beijing, Xian or Taiyuan, train tickets excluding)
Sightseeing: Shuanglin Temple, Wang Family Courtyard

Upon arrival, you will be met by your local guide and then 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.

Then we will continue drive to see the Wang Family Courtyard, it is the largest-existing folk residence cluster in China and a model of the merchant family's residence in North China's Shanxi Province, demonstrating the quintessence of Chinese architectural art and cultural values. The Wang Family Courtyard is situated in Jingsheng Town, 12 kms east of Lingshi County, 35 kms from Pingyao. This luxurious residence covers about 45,000 square meters with 123 compounds and 1,118 rooms and took about half a century (1762-1811) to build.

Day 2

Pingyao (B, L)

Sightseeing: Pingyao Old Town, The Ancient City Wall, The Rishengchang Draft Bank, The Ming-Qing Street.

Today we will have the full day visit The Old Town of Pingyao, it is in Pingyao County, in the center of Shanxi Province. It was constructed during the reign of King Xuan of the Western Zhou Dynasty (C.1100-771B.C.) and has been the county seat ever since the establishment of the prefecture-and-county system in ancient China. Today, Pingyao looks much the same as it did during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties and is the best-preserved historic town in the regions populated by the Han ethnic group.

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 3

Pingyao/Departure (B)

Transfer via: Train (train tickets excluding, but we can arrange it as per your requests)

Enjoy some leisure time today until your guide will transfer you to the railway station for the train to next destination.