Ping Yao Ancient City Wall
Ancient Imperial defensive wall
What to see in Ping Yao Ancient City Wall
The Ancient City of Ping Yao is encircled by an impressive and well-maintained defensive wall. Since 2016, over 35.5 million yuan have been invested in repairing more than 10 sections of Ping Yao Ancient City Wall (Píngyáo Gǔchéngqiáng; 平遥古城墙), bringing it to its present glory. The ancient city wall of Ping Yao is a remarkable example of traditional Chinese defensive architecture, showcasing both durability and historical significance.
Built primarily from rammed earth and covered with bricks, the wall stands approximately 12 meters high and stretches over 6 kilometers in length. The structure is fortified with 72 watchtowers and 3,000 crenellations, designed to provide protection against invaders. Its imposing gates, battlements, and strategic design not only served as a military defense but also as a symbol of the city’s strength and prosperity.
It’s possible to stroll along the city wall's circumference, which takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes, offering various perspectives of this ancient city and access to the many sights in Pingyao. Discover the watchtowers, strategically placed at intervals, allowing for effective surveillance and communication, critical for the city’s defense and prosperity. Among them is the iconic Kuixing Tower, which certainly deserves a visit. However, by mindful that there is limited information available on-site. To have a deeper understanding of the wall's history, significance, and restoration efforts, hiring a tour guide is recommended.
Nearby Attractions
How to Get to Ping Yao
China has an impressive railways network so trains are usually the fastest and most convenient means of transportation. They are affordable and easy to use and can be booked in advance with Trip.com. Booking at least a few days in advance is advisable as they tend to get full, particularly on weekends and around the holiday period.
By Public Transportation
If you're travelling from Beijing, which is approximately 600km away from Pingyao, you can take the speed train. The trains depart from Beijing Fengtai train station and typically take between 3h40 to 4h15 to reach Pingyaogucheng train station. Prices vary from 226 CNY in 2nd class to 698 CNY in business class. If you are on a budget sleeping trains are also available. They can cost as little as 169 CNY for a bed but take up to 11h to reach Pingyao train station.
Another common way to get to Pingyao is from the city of Xian. High-speed trains to Pingyaogucheng train station depart from the Xi'an North station. The journey takes about 3 hours and costs between 150 CNY and 450 CNY in business class. Similarly, a sleeper train is also available once a day. It takes about 9 hours to arrive at Pingyao train station and the harder bed is priced at 142 CNY.
Once at Pingyao, you have several options for transportation: you can take a taxi, catch the bus, or use the Didi app (available within WeChat superapp) to request a ride. We usually prefer Didi over a taxi because it makes it a lot easier to communicate locations and prices if you do not speak the language.
If you opt for the bus to Ping Yao Ancient City, it's both easy and affordable. After exiting the train station, head down the main entrance stairs to reach the bus stop. It's advisable to ask the bus drivers for assistance and show them a map of your destination. There are only a few bus options, so choosing the right one is straightforward. It's important to note that the bus will not stop inside the ancient city, requiring a 5 to 10-minute walk to reach the inner part of Ping Yao Ancient City.
By Organized Tour
For a seamless and stress-free experience, consider a guided tour that includes transportation from and to the train station. Below are some suggestions to help you plan your trip:
Where to Stay in Ping Yao
Pingyao has a wide range of accommodation options both in the inner and outer part of the city wall. Inside the Ancient City Walls you will find many options in the beautiful ancient Chinese-style houses which will definitely add to your experience in the city.
One place we recommend is Pingyao Yiheju Inn. This is where we stayed while in Pingyao and we loved our time their. The room was very comfortable and beautifully decorated in the ancient Chinese style. The hosts were very kind and caring, providing helpful information and always ensuring that we were enjoying our time there. They even lent us their electric bike so that we could go out of the city wall and explore the Shuanglin Temple.
Top Hotel Recommendation in Ping Yao
Where to Eat in Ping Yao
Finding a good place to eat in Pingyao is not hard however, you might find it hard using maps services like Google Maps or Apple Maps, or even recurring to websites like TripAdvisor. We recommend using Trip.com as your go-to app when in China which might give some clues about the places to eat with reviews and photos.
When strolling through the ancient streets of Pingyao you will find a wide range of delicious restaurants that offer the traditional delicacies of the Shanxi province. As a rule of thumb, when in doubt, choose the places that are full of locals. That typically means that the restaurant is good or famous. The Ming-Qing Street is a great place to start looking for your perfect dinner. Keep an eye out for local delicacies such:
Pingyao Braised Beef (平遥牛肉): Dating back to the Han Dynasty (220B.C.-202A.D.) and known nationwide Pingyao beef is renowned for its tender texture and strong fragrance. For this dish, the old ox is selected, salted in local salt for up to three months, and rinsed through alkaline well water for about twelve hours. You can find this dish in the most of the restaurants of the Ming and Qing Street.
Pingyao Wantuoze (平遥碗脱则): Invented during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) by Chef Dong Xuan, Wantuoze is a chewy and savoury dish made of white wheaten flour and steamed. Perfect with wine, it combines the best of bean jelly and sausage.
Make sure to drink the famous regional wine. A great place to try is in Changshengyuan, a century-old shop famous for its Yellow Wine. It is made from yellow sticky rice and wine yeast a perfect complement to Pingyao's flavours.
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