Qi County Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in Jun)

Qiao Family Court yard. We are in Pingyao ancient city, Pingyao, Shanxi province, China. Every corner, every small narrow streets here in Pingyao ancient city hides surprises. What kind of surprise could be expected from one of the richest family of ancient Pingyao? It is really impressive. After entering here it is becoming clear, this family was very rich and had earned a lot of money by the successful trade operations to keep such kind of house and territory for private use. Now this court yard is a tourist spot and interesting museum. This is also good option for taking pictures and opportunity to become more familiar with Pingyao ancient city history. #summervacation#urbanexplorer#roadtrip#museumquest#historicculture

Shanxi people are familiar with the Qiao Family Courtyard because of the Shanxi merchant culture. Foreigners know that the Qiao Family Courtyard is mostly because of the movie "The Red Lanterns Hang High". But the correct way to visit the Qiao Family Courtyard is not just to see the red lanterns. Only! The architectural layout of the Qiao Family Courtyard and the precious cultural relics in the collection are worth reading. So go to the Qiao Family Courtyard, dont just look at the red lanterns. Its more worth seeing than the red lanterns. Its the three treasures in the collection of the Qiaos compound. Each of these three cultural relics is not small, some still unique. Kowloon screen: The object with the dragon naturally can't be separated from the palace. The screen of the Kowloon is flowing out of the palace. Under the chance of coincidence, the Joe family bought a huge sum of money to buy it back. The Kowloon screen is made of huanghuali wood, and the nine dragons on it are alive. A closer look reveals that there are still 72 dragons, so the total is eighty-one dragons. Kowloon Lights: Kowloon Lights Craftsmanship is exquisitely crafted and crafted. The structure is unique and ingenious. It is a luxurious and practical wood carving craft. The Empress Dowager Cixi fled to Xi'an when the Eight-Power Allied Forces invaded, and Qiao's family donated 300,000 silver and the Queen Mother to solve their urgent needs. After the Empress Dowager Cixi thanked his loyalty and rewarded two Kowloon lanterns, the country has yet to find a third flaw. Rhinoceros spectroscopy: There is a rhinoceros mirror in the No. 3 hospital of Qiao's house. It is about one meter in diameter, two meters high and weighs one ton. It uses the hardest rare wood of the wood. The system is a national first-class cultural relic, and it is also the treasure of the town house of Qiao.

Qiao Family Courtyard | The Imperial Palace for royalty, Qiao's residence for civilians

✅ About Qiao's ~ 🏮 Qiao Family Courtyard is a representative work of Shanxi residential architecture🏠, a complex that offers a profound experience🍃, not something every old house can achieve, but this place does. The current Qiao Family Courtyard consists of 'four halls and one garden'🗺️, named after the Qiao family, a prominent merchant family from the Ming and Qing dynasties, known both domestically and internationally. The scenic area covers a total area of 24,065 square meters, with 18 large courtyards, 41 small courtyards, and a total of 731 rooms. The main architectural complex, 'Zhongtang' courtyard, occupies an area of 10,642 square meters, with a building area of 4,175 square meters, comprising 6 large courtyards, 20 small courtyards, and 313 rooms. It is a fully enclosed castle-style building🏰, and also the main part of the Qiao Family Courtyard that visitors explore. ✅ Basic Information ~ Tickets🎫: Adults 115r💰, half-price 58r💰 (free admission for Shanxi residents before December 30) Time⌚: 08:30-17:00 (2 hours is enough for a visit) Guidance🎙️: 120r💰 (interpretation services available at the visitor center🎙️) Location📍: Qiaojia Fort Village, Dongguan Town, Qixian, Jinzhong City, Shanxi Province Transport🚗: It is recommended to drive yourself or join a one-day tour group, as it is very close to the downtown area of Taiyuan, about a 40-50 minute drive. ✅ Travel Tips ~ 1⃣️ Qiao Family Courtyard is quite large, with many steps and thresholds within the scenic area, so there is a lot of walking👣. It is recommended to wear comfortable sports shoes👟. 2⃣️ 'Zhongtang' is the main building, and the visiting route can follow the sequence of Courtyard No.1 (old courtyard) → Courtyard No.2 → Courtyard No.3 → Courtyard No.5 (the most beautiful courtyard) → Courtyard No.6 (garden🖼️) → Treasure Hall, without backtracking. 3⃣️ It is advised to hire an interpreter👩🏻‍🏫 or bring a tour guide, otherwise, all you will see are courtyards🏘️. What needs to be understood here is the history of the Qiao family's rise to wealth and their business philosophy. 💟 Key Spots to Visit ~ ❇️ Three Treasures of the Qiao Family: the ball for ten thousand people, the Nine Dragons Palace Lantern🏮, and the Rhino Looking at the Moon Mirror🪞 ❇️ Two Plaques, Two Couplets, One Picture: Two Plaques: Blessing Seed of Langhuan, Ancient Style Two Couplets: Damaging others' desires to restore natural justice, Accumulating morality to be capable of literature Descendants noble and great, siblings harmonious and prosperous One Picture: Hundred Longevity Picture🗺️ (a hundred different forms of the character for longevity)

Wang's Grand Courtyard vs

Qiao's Grand Courtyard. When you go to Shanxi, are you also struggling with whether to visit Wang's Grand Courtyard or Qiao's Grand Courtyard ? This time I visited both places and will compare them for you as a reference. 🌟Ticket Price🎫: Wang's Grand Courtyard is 55 yuan, Qiao's Grand Courtyard is 115 yuan 🌟Location: Wang's Grand Courtyard is located in Lingshi County, while Qiao's Grand Courtyard is in Qixian County. If you start from Pingyao, the distance to both places is similar. If you start from Taiyuan, Qiao's Grand Courtyard is much closer. 🌟Scale: Wang's Grand Courtyard (Pictures 1～6) was built during the Ming and Qing dynasties, covering an area of 250,000 square meters, with 231 courtyards, known as 'five alleys, six fortresses, and one street', Qiao's Grand Courtyard (Pictures 7～9) was built during the Qing dynasty, covering more than 4,000 square meters, with 6 large courtyards and 20 small ones, constructed in the shape of the character '喜' (happiness). 🌟Characteristics: Wang's Grand Courtyard has an elegant and simple architectural style, reflecting the dignity of official and merchant families and the orderliness of household management. The wood, brick, and stone carvings are all exquisite. Many courtyards in its Hongmen Fortress are not yet open to the public, and the main attractions are concentrated in Gaojia Cliff, where you can climb the city wall for an overview. Qiao's Grand Courtyard features exquisite architecture, with particularly distinctive brick carvings and colorful paintings, reflecting the concepts of business and household management, and is a typical representative of Qing dynasty residential architecture. The scenic area is equipped with facilities such as a sculpture corridor, which can help visitors understand the history of the Qiao family and their architecture in advance. If you look at it from a cost-performance perspective, Wang's Grand Courtyard has the edge. It is recommended to choose one based on your itinerary and preferences, as the styles are quite similar.

I regret not going to Shanxi sooner; the impact of leaving Datong was too great

Datong is seriously underrated, every scene here is stunning. Follow my footsteps on a journey that spans a thousand years. ✅Datong 2-day 1-night travel itinerary Day①: Yungang Grottoes to Huayan Temple Day②: Datong Ancient City 1️⃣First stop: Yungang Grottoes The first sight is breathtaking, and each cave compels one to stop and look slowly. For those who want to take photos, caves 16-20 are the most photogenic 2️⃣Second stop: Huayan Temple Huayan Temple has a profound Buddhist cultural heritage. Standing in front of the Mahavira Hall and the Tripitaka Pavilion, one feels a sense of grandeur. Best photo spots: Jingguangming Hall and the red wall outside 🎫Ticket: 50 yuan per person ⏰Hours: 9 am to 5 pm 3️⃣Third stop: Datong Ancient City One day is not enough to explore it all, Shanhua Temple, Datong Confucian Temple, Guandi Temple, Drum Tower, Great Mosque, Heart Jiu Long Wall, and Fahua Temple are all here, so it takes two days. In the evening, you can go to Yongtai Gate to watch the sunset, which is absolutely beautiful Accommodation suggestion: Stay inside Datong Ancient City for convenience in dining, lodging, and transportation. 🍝Food recommendations 1️⃣Longjuxiang: Shumai, fried dough sticks, yellow rice cake, recommended for breakfast 2️⃣Zini 369 Coarse Grain: Hunyuan cold noodles, Shanxi braised meat, oat noodles for main meals

Datong Ancient City | The Ultimate Guide

🔔Introduction: Datong Ancient City was originally built during the Northern Wei dynasty. The existing scale was expanded upon the old city foundation by the Ming dynasty general Xu Da. After restoration in 2008, the glory of the 'Northern Wei imperial capital and Ming-Qing stronghold' was revived. ---- 📷Tour Guide: ✅The city wall is 7200 meters long and has four gates: the east gate is Heyang Gate, the south gate is Yongtai Gate, the west gate is Qingyuan Gate, and the north gate is Wuding Gate. ✅Within the ancient city, you can visit in the following order: East Gate (Heyang Gate) ➡️ Fahua Temple ➡️ Taiping Tower ➡️ Guandi Temple ➡️ Daiwang Mansion ➡️ Nine Dragon Screen ➡️ Sipailou ➡️ Bell Tower ➡️ Huayan Temple ➡️ Chunyang Palace ➡️ Drum Tower ➡️ Shanhua Temple ➡️ South Gate (Yongtai Gate) to climb the city wall. ✅Must-visit spots: the three temples of Datong and the Nine Dragon Screen. 1⃣️Huayan Temple: One of the three remaining Liao dynasty temples in China, with exquisite Liao-Jin architecture, colored sculptures, and murals, the entrance fee is 50 yuan. 2⃣️Fahua Temple: Named for the Lotus Sutra stored within its glazed pagoda, it combines multi-ethnic integration with exotic colors. 3⃣️Shanhua Temple: With a complete layout and large scale, it is considered the pinnacle of Liao-Jin temple architecture. 4⃣️Nine Dragon Screen: The foremost of China's three Nine Dragon Screens, the other two are located in the Forbidden City Museum and Beihai Park in Beijing. 5⃣️Daiwang Mansion: A Ming dynasty princely mansion, destroyed by fire during the Chongzhen period, only the Nine Dragon Screen survived. Recently restored and opened to the public, the ticket is 88 yuan (including a live performance), and it is recommended to visit at night. ✅Climbing the City Wall: You can climb the city wall from all four gates, but it is recommended to climb from the south gate, Yongtai Gate, which is the largest and most magnificent, striking directly to the soul, as if traveling back to the era of clashing arms. ✅Recommended Cuisine: 1⃣️Xi Jin Dao: Knife-cut noodles, located near Huayan Temple. 2⃣️Fenglin Pavilion: Baihua shaomai, sweet and sour meatballs, Hunyuan cold noodles, yellow rice cake, Feng braised nest is a limited dish, reservation required, located near Huayan Temple. 3⃣️Beiwei Family Banquet: Sea buckthorn cake, hubing, smoked pork knuckle, fried meat, located near Sipailou. 4⃣️Zini 369: Yanggao rice meatballs, oil-splashed Shan onion youmian, plum dried vegetable braised chicken wings, oatmeal baked eggplant box, located near the Drum Tower. 5⃣️Longju Xiang: Various shaomai, sweet and sour pork loin, roasted pork knuckle, located near the Drum Tower.

An underrated ancient town

Shanxi Datong Ancient City Tower stands tall and firm, witnessing the vicissitudes of time. It is the guardian of history, carrying countless stories and legends. Standing at the foot of the Datong Ancient City Tower, looking up at the solemn structure, it seems as if one can hear the footsteps of history echoing in one's ears, feeling the sediment of time and its profound depth.

Datong Guangfu Corner Historical and Cultural District!! Not a peep from anyone who comes

💥 The renovation here is not finished yet 💥 It's a large area, and as you stroll around, you'll find surprises 💥 I really like the design of the restrooms, they have set up a rest area and it's very soundproof 💥 I encountered 'A Gallery for One' which is super innovative, and the photos look incredibly beautiful 💥 Looking forward to the complete construction of this area, it surely won't disappoint

Qiao Family Compound

#chinatrip This major tourist attraction between Pingyao and Taiyuan was featured in the movie Raise the Red Lantern and a Chinese TV series. It was the housing compound of the scholarly merchant Mr Qiao and his extended family. Now the state owns it and turned it into a tourist joint. The compound is very nice. You get a good glimpse of how the rich lived. There are exhibits featuring daily life of the 19th century. The place is very crowded and parts of it becomes very commercialized.

Recommended Destination for the May Day Holiday—Zhenhelou in Shanxi

Jiexiu Liuli always brings surprises! Zhenhelou in Xiliutun Town Zhenhelou in Xiliutun Village, Jiexiu City Zhenhelou, a cross-street building, has a shrine for the Jade Emperor on the second floor, hence it is also known as the Jade Emperor Building. It was originally built during the Ming Zhengde era, and was extensively repaired in the ninth year of the Qing Yongzheng era and in 2008. The roof is adorned with exquisite glazed tiles, and has been largely preserved intact.

When it comes to Shanxi Datong, many people know that the coal industry is very developed. In fact, this city is also the capital of the Northern Wei Dynasty, and it is also the capital of the Liao and Jin Dynasties. The long history of building a city has left Datong with a lot of cultural and architectural heritage, and Huayan Temple is one of them. Huayan Temple was built in 1038 AD, which is the northern emperor-Liaozhongxi seven years. In the early days, it was the royal ancestral temple of the Liao Kingdom. It was not open to ordinary people. Because you are the royal ancestral temple, the architectural community of Huayan Temple is laid out and constructed according to the specifications of the palace. The temple is from west to east, and more than 30 buildings are arranged on the two main lines of the south and the north. Standing on a high point, the panoramic view of the temple is quite a bit like the Beijing Forbidden City. Because it was a Buddhist temple built during the Liao Dynasty, the Buddha statues in the temple reflect the aesthetics of the time. Compared with the thin winds of the Northern Wei Dynasty, the Buddha statues carved in the Liao Dynasty were partial and strong. Huayan Temple is the best-preserved Liaojin temple complex in China. It was destroyed in various periods due to war and other reasons. It has undergone several re-constructions and has its current appearance. Many dynasties in China have changed, and you sing me to the stage, and finally the East-West fusion, East and North culture. Looking at China, there are countless ancient temples, but there are not many historical scales close to Huayan Temple.

On the inner walls of the temple, there is a vivid picture of the story, which is a fairy story of the clouds. They have different expressions and different looks, only indicating the difference in identity between costumes and headwear. The gems in the rhyme of the clouds, the two worlds fly together. Long bowed to the golden body and prayed for a lifetime. No worries, no worries, and the heart is old with Cangshan. Sitting in lotus, accepting the dignified Buddha of worship and prayer. For thousands of years, he sat quietly here, his eyes wide open, and his compassionate tenderness. For thousands of years, he silently listened to the deep desires of his followers, the unsatisfactory realities in the real world, and the secrets of his heart. Then he used his compassionate eyes to penetrate the darkness to bring dawn, and to resolve the troubles and sorrows. .

Listening to Zen Buddhism, Zen tea, this is the bliss of life.

This temple is located in the ancient city of Datong. It was originally built in 1038 AD, which is the seven years of Liaozhongxi. After that, it was unfortunately destroyed in the war. Although the war destroyed the "recorders" of many civilizations, the foundation still exists. In 1140, because of the need to rebuild Buddhism, Huayan Temple was reborn. There are more than 30 buildings in Huayan Temple. The synchronous is distributed on the two main axes of the north and the south. It has a unique layout style and gives visitors a sacred and steady impression. The whole temple has these main tourist attractions: First, the Shanghuayan Temple consists of the Daxiong Hall, the Shanmen, the Temple, the Guanyin Pavilion, the Tibetan Pavilion and the hatchback; second, the Huayan Temple is The Bojiajia Tibetan Temple is the center, and it is composed of the surrounding Liao Dynasty statues, Shijing Building, pavilion-style Tibetan cabinets and Tiangong Pavilion. Third, the Huayan Pagoda is made of 100 tons of pure copper. Because it is a monastery, it must be inseparable from the Buddha. Therefore, the tower contains a statue of Sakyamuni Buddha, Guanyin Bodhisattva, and Jiaozuo Bodhisattva carved with centuries-old incense sandalwood. It is a treasure of Huayan Temple.