When strolling through the bustling lanes of the town it is a little overwhelming to think that Pingyao’s history goes back over 2700 years.
Considered the best preserved ancient city in China, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997. The walled city retains its layout from the Ming and Qing dynasty and retains around 4000 original structures.
During the Qing dynasty Pingyao was a major financial centre. It was home to the first “bank” in China, and at 20 financial institutions (half of all of those in China) it was the Wall Street of its day. Today many of the historical buildings are open to the public, including the city walls, several houses, the bank and an old martial arts school.
We may have enjoyed that last one a little too much!
Armed with a city pass, it is easy to spend a couple of days enjoying the ambience of old-meets-new China.
Chase the Canary 