Pingyao Ancient Town——The Miniature of Ancient Chinese Life

Jan. 15, 2013 - PRLog -- Pingyao, located in the center of Shanxi Province, is a well-preserved ancient town, whose history can be traced back 2,700 years. It was first founded during the reign of King Xuan (827-782 BC) of the Western Zhou Dynasty. Pingyao ancient town is typically considered the best old walled city in China, and attracts thousands of tourists to explore its unique charm of old world.

The town walls of Pingyao stretch 6,163 meters long and 12 meters high. A 4-meter wide, 4-meter deep moat can be found just outside the walls. Within the town, Pingyao still retains its city layout from the Ming and Qing dynasties, conforming to a typical bagua pattern. Four big streets and eight small streets radiate to join with 72 lanes. The 3,797 original quadrangle residential houses are all of the same black-colored bricks and gray-colored tiles. Out of the total, over 400 of these courtyard houses are still well preserved.

After thousands of years, the ancient walls, streets, houses, shops and temples have been almost kept intact. Pingyao ancient town looks much the same as when it was the county seat of the Ming and Qing dynasties. It displays an unusual panorama of cultural, social, economic and religious life in the Chinese history. Wander around the town, visitors would get an insight into how people lived in the Ming and early Qing dynasties.

Pingyao ancient town went on the list of world cultural heritage in 1997. The comment from UNESCO "The palace is the miniature of ancient Chinese cities; while the ancient residence's house is the miniature of Ancient Pingyao City" can be sunk in.

For more info about Pingyao ancient town, please visit http://www.easytourchina.com/city-c44-pingyao