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This residence belonged to one of Pingyao's more influential banking families. There is a complex of rooms that give the visitor a good look at the architecture of the period.
Open 8am to 6:30pm
Y120 part of the Pingyao Museum flat fee.
Written Jul 5, 2007
Address: Upper Ximen Dajie
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The Town Bell Tower is lovely structure that dominates the Nan Dajie street in the central part of the old town. It’s open for tourist and at a humble height of 18.5m the visitor gets great views of the grey tiled town. Try to go early in the morning or late in the afternoon for good light.
It’s open from 9am to 5pm.
It's apart of the Y120 ticket for the Pingyao museums, the guard will punch your ticket.
Updated Jul 5, 2007
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The Rishengchang Financial House is the first bank in China, if not the world. It started as a small dye shop until the owner introduced a system of checks and deposits for its other branches. Eventually, other businesses, individuals, and even the government of China used the bank and its 57 branches around China. The Japanese invasion of China in the 1930’s and the advent of Western banking systems ended Pingyao’s prosperity and isolated it from the modernization other towns received leaving the ancient town untouched from the ugliness that plagues the majority of China’s ancient cities turned modern overnight.
The museum has over 100 rooms including living quarters, kitchen, offices, stable house, gardens etc. These people were wealthy.
Open 8am to 7pm
This museum is part of the Y120 flat fee charged for most of the Pingyao musuems.
Updated Jul 5, 2007
Address: 40 Xi Dajie
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Perhaps the most interesting part of the town is the city walls. Originally built in the Zhou dynasty (827-728 BC wow that’s old!), they have been clad in brick with beautiful watch towers and gates during the Ming dynasty (1368 – 1644 AD). Walking along the 6 kms of wall, entirely intact, is one of the highlights of the Pingyao. They stand about 60 feet tall and are about 15 feet wide, perfectly paved in brick. The watch towers are in excellent condition and some can be climbed affording fantastic views of the one or two story building town. Apparently, even the Chinese film industry likes Pingyao because we had to wait for 30 minutes as they filmed a WWII war movie at one of the city gates we needed to go through. Pingyao is not known abroad like the Forbidden City or Great Wall, but it deserves.
You need a ticket to go up on the walls that is apart of the Pingyao museum ticket good for all the museums in Pingyao. If you go up the wall on the east gate of the city there is no one there to check you ticket. The west side has a more famous gate and bell tower so they check here.
Y120 is the flat fee for the museums
Updated Jul 5, 2007
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Reviews and photos of Pingyao attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Pingyao sightseeing.
Perhaps the most interesting part of the town is the city walls. Originally built in the Zhou dynasty (827-728 BC wow that’s old!), they have been clad in brick...
Q: How day swould you recommend in Pingyao? I plan to arrive in the morning from an overnight beijing train and maybe depart the...
A: Pingyao is very small city, i think one day is OK
Read 3 Replies
1
Located halfway between Beijing and Xi'an, Pingyao makes for an excellent stop over to visit a charming Chinese town plucked straight out of the 19th century. With the racing development that is...
2
Pingyao, where the time stopped!
I've got some interesting experiences in Pingyao. I'd love to share with you the 1 tip I've written, the 5 photos uploaded, and 0 travelogues I've created.
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