Pingyao, Shanxi

平遥，山西
What LP says: Surrounded by a completely intact 6km Ming dynasty city wall (claimed to be the last remaining in China), Pingyao is an exceptionally well-preserved traditional Han Chinese city offering a rare glimpse into the architectural styles and town planning of imperial China.

Pingyao was a thriving merchant town during the Ming and Qing dynasties when China's earliest tongs (banks) were set up. Pingyao rose to be financial headquarters of all of China during the Qing dynasty. After its heyday the city fell into poverty, and without the cash to modernise, Pingyao's streets remain unchanged.

Until the turn of the millennium, Pingyao saw few visitors. While the status of undiscovered jewel is long gone, the city is so well preserved that most travellers still site this as one of their favourite Chinese experiences. So far, general over-restoration has not taken place and several hundred homes have been deemed cultural relics and thus protected from being demolished or radically altered. In 1997 Pingyao was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

What KB says: You feel you've just walked into ancient China. It was like stepping into a set of a Chinese period drama, sans men with pigtails and ladies with elaborate hairdo(nt's). The main town area is within the city walls, and anything outside is pretty much forgettable. The best way to explore the town is by foot, or bike if you're skilful enough to
manoveur in between the hordes of people streaming down the streets.

Buildings here retain a huge Chinese flavour. Courtyards, red lanterns and wooden sign boards dot the town, and tourism yuan, or dollar actually, has caused a dozen of English signs to sprout. Indeed, there were quite a number of ang mohs during my visit.

The entire town is like a huge musuem showcasing the richness of the Chinese culture and it operates like one too. You buy a all-entry ticket and try to finish 20 attractions within a day. Being an imperial financial hub, there are more than a dozen museums related to the industry - banks, pawnshops and security bureaus (where the rich hired bodyguards for their treasure chests). Other highligts include a Yamen (magistrate), residences of the rich and famous, and news agency. In short, Pingyao brings you a couple of hundred years in time.

Of worthy mention is the gem 1 hour away from town - the Qiao Family Courtyard （乔家大庄）. This was the set for Zhang Yimou's Raise the Red Lantern （大红灯笼高高挂）, yeah, that Gong Li film. A massive house with 6 courtyards actually, this place took 3 generations to complete. The result? A house that spreads over 8700 sq metres, and figure this - 313 rooms. And probably as many red lanterns.


-- Photos from Pingyao can be viewed at
http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLandingSignin.jsp?Uc=4ywgyf1t.2e3jrcml&Uy=uuph1k&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0&UV=716709747802_979740878205 --