Pingyao Ancient City

The ancient city of Pingyao in Shanxi was founded during the Western Zhou period and was rebuilt and expanded in the third year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty (1370), making it the most well-preserved ancient county town in China today. The entire city wall resembles a turtle crawling southward, hence it is known as the 'Turtle City'🐢. It is the second batch of National Famous Historical and Cultural Cities, recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage🏅 and included in the 'World Heritage List'. Pingyao Ancient City is an outstanding example of the development of Chinese Han nationality cities during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It retains all its characteristics and also holds a pivotal position in the development of Chinese history. The streets and shops that are seen in Pingyao Ancient City today reflect the historical original appearance, fully embodying the urban planning concepts and layout requirements of the Ming and Qing periods, demonstrating the evolution of Chinese architectural styles and urban planning over seven centuries, and is even called a living sample for studying ancient Chinese cities. This is also the earliest and most complete ancient city I have ever seen. When you are there, the completeness of the architecture and the long history may be beyond your imagination.