Tourists Entering One of the Notable Sites in Pingyao Ancient City 平遥古城
Pingyao is one of Shanxi province’s top attractions. Although China probably has hundreds of these “ancient cities” only a few of them have been elevated to the status of UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lijiang Ancient Town in Yunnan Province is a similar place with the same distinction. Pingyao made a name for itself when it was the financial center of China. Before modern banks were established, Pingyao was the place to be. Numerous Ming and Qing style houses were built within the city walls and most of them still stand today.
A Gate in the Pingyao Ancient City 平遥古城
Such distinction also earned them to be one of the top tourist draws of Shanxi province. It is a short train ride from Beijing so it was easy enough to get here. The rain probably kept most of the tourists indoors so I was free to take photos whenever I pleased. To explore the ancient city you need to purchase a ticket which will gain you entrance into several gated sites scattered around the city. You can spend an entire day exploring each of the sights here but be warned that you might get tired of it easily. The first few look great, by the end you probably don’t want to bother going in.
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