North China

Pingyao Travel Guide

The Complete Ming and Qing County Towns and Shanxi Merchants' Draft Banks

Pingyao | A complete Ming and Qing county town and Shanxi merchant banks: Pingyao Ancient City is the most well-preserved Han Chinese county town from the Ming and Qing dynasties in China, with its city walls, county government office, and banking houses all intact. 'Rishengchang' is China's first bank, and Shanxi merchants turned this place into a financial center during the Qing dynasty. This site provides the best seasons to visit, recommended stay duration, intercity transportation, and local tips.

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Destination Details

Key facts

Best seasonApril to October; in September there is the Pingyao International Photography Festival

Suggested stay2 days

Affiliated AreaNorth China · Shanxi

Key highlightsPingyao Ancient City Wall and County Government Office · Rishengchang Draft Bank · Shuanglin Temple · Zhenguo Temple

Local cuisinePingyao beef, bowl cakes, kaolao noodles, knife-cut noodles, seabuckthorn juice.

Pingyao Ancient City is the most well-preserved Ming and Qing dynasty Han Chinese county town in China, with city walls, the county government office, and draft banks still intact. "Rishengchang" was China’s first draft bank, and Shanxi merchants turned this place into a financial center during the Qing dynasty.

Key Highlights

Pingyao Ancient City Walls and County Government Office

You can walk around the city walls in a loop, and there are court performance shows at the county office every day.

Rishengchang Draft Bank

The precursor of modern Chinese banks, where you can see the sealed cash boxes and account books from that time.

Shuanglin Temple

6 km southwest of the ancient city, with over 2,000 Ming dynasty painted sculptures, and the statue of Weituo is particularly impressive.

Zhenguo Temple

The Wooden Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas from the Five Dynasties period, making it, along with Shuanglin Temple, part of Pingyao’s "one city, two temples".

Recommended Stay and Route

Recommended stay: 2 days.
One day in the city (city walls + county office + draft bank), one day visiting Shuanglin Temple + Zhenguo Temple.
Combining it with other cities with similar themes makes the itinerary more efficient. See the "Extended Routes" below for reference.