[2025 Pingyao Stay] Travel Guide for Pingyao Hotel (Updated Apr)

After a busy week in Shanghai, I finally welcomed a rare long weekend and decided to escape the urban hustle by embarking on a journey to Pingyao, Shanxi. My destination was the Pingyao Hotel (Zai Jian Pingyao Theater Branch), a hotel filled with Republic-era charm. With its prime location and abundant surrounding entertainment options, it seemed perfectly tailored for travel enthusiasts like me. 😉 Republic Era Charm: A Time-Travel Experience Stepping into Pingyao Hotel felt like traveling through time back to the classical yet modern Republic era. The hotel features a unique square-shaped architecture, with every brick and tile exuding rich historical ambiance. The room furnishings are elegantly antique, making you feel like you're living in a scene from "In the Mood for Love." 😍 Beautiful Views: A Perfect Photo Spot Each room is thoughtfully designed with viewing windows. Whether it's the first ray of morning sunlight or the twinkling stars at night, every moment becomes picture-perfect through your lens. The family rooms are especially spacious, allowing you to enjoy quality time with your loved ones while capturing the enchanting views of Pingyao Ancient City. 🌟 Nearby Attractions: Starting Point of a Cultural Journey The Pingyao Ancient City is just a 13-minute walk away, where you can stroll along the stone-paved streets and experience thousands of years of history. Additionally, the "Zai Jian Pingyao" theater is nearby, offering an unmissable immersive theatrical experience. If you prefer tranquility, visit the nearby Jinci Temple, where the natural scenery is equally captivating. 🚗 Convenient Transportation: Perfect for Self-Driving Travelers For those driving, the parking lot at Pingyao Hotel is a major plus. With over 500 parking spaces, it's spacious and convenient, eliminating parking concerns whether you're traveling alone or with family. The hotel also offers easy access to both Pingyao Station and Pingyao Ancient City Station, making arrivals and departures hassle-free. This trip to Pingyao helped me truly understand the meaning of travel - it's not just about sleeping in a different place, but a spiritual journey. Pingyao Hotel (Zai Jian Pingyao Theater Branch) has become a precious travel gem in my heart with its unique charm. If you're looking for an extraordinary travel experience, this is definitely your top choice.

🌈Highlights: The Shuanglin Temple in Pingyao is the "Dunhuang of painted sculptures"🎨, originally built in the Northern Wei Dynasty and renamed in the Song Dynasty, becoming a sacred Buddhist art temple🏯! The temple houses more than 2,000 painted sculptures from the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties and is known as the "Treasure House of Oriental Painted Sculpture Art"✨. The Four Heavenly Kings in the Hall of Heavenly Kings have an angry and majestic look⚡️, the Guanyin Bodhisattva in the Thousand-Buddha Hall has a lively and elegant charm🧘♀️, and the S-shaped posture of the Weituo Bodhisattva is a masterpiece of sculpture🌟! The interplay of light and shadow among the red walls and gray tiles, the thousand-year-old temple, and the realistic painted sculptures create a stunning visual feast📜, even featured in the game *Black Myth: Wukong*🎮! 📅Tour Route: 🔹Half-day Express Tour: Hall of Heavenly Kings (Four Heavenly Kings) → Sakyamuni Hall (murals of Buddha's life) → Mahavira Hall → Thousand-Buddha Hall (Guanyin & Weituo) → Bodhisattva Hall (Thousand-hand Guanyin) 🔹One-day In-depth Tour: Shuanglin Temple morning chanting experience → painted sculpture explanation → take photos of the morning light and shadow before 9:00 am📸 → lunch at a local restaurant outside the temple → Pingyao Ancient City in the afternoon (ancient city wall + Rishengchang Exchange Shop) → stay overnight in the ancient city and watch the light show🌃 🚗Driving Information: ⚠️Navigate directly to "Shuanglin Temple Road". Parking spaces at the scenic spot are limited! Recommended parking: 1️⃣ Shuanglin Temple parking lot (200m walk) 2️⃣ Qiaotou Village temporary parking lot (free shuttle bus) 🚫During peak season (April–October), it is recommended to arrive before 8:30 am to avoid peak tourist bus hours. ⛱️Must-see Attractions: 1️⃣ Thousand-Buddha Hall: Surrounded by more than 500 painted sculptures, the Guanyin Bodhisattva with flowing robes, and the Weituo Bodhisattva with a "dynamic" sense of stillness⚡️ 2️⃣ Sakyamuni Hall: More than 200 continuous painted sculptures depict the life of Buddha, and the Guanyin Bodhisattva crossing the sea with red lotus flowers underfoot is stunning🌊 3️⃣ Hall of Heavenly Kings: The 3m-high Four Heavenly Kings subvert tradition, holding a sword/pipa/umbrella/snake, symbolizing "favorable weather"🌪️ 4️⃣ Bodhisattva Hall: The Thousand-hand Guanyin Bodhisattva is in the center, with more than 400 Bodhisattvas hanging like scattered flowers🌸 (perfect for wide-angle shots) 🏨Accommodation Guide: 🔸Ancient Style Immersion: Nanshunyuan Inn (approx. CNY 100 per person): Triple courtyard + ancient costume night photography📷, a budget traveler's dream Pingyao Hotel: Century-old Shanxi merchant courtyard, with a view of the city tower night scene from the window🌇 🔸Artistic Niche: Meet Pingyao Again Themed Hotel: Theater combined ticket package, immersive time-travel experience🎭 🔸High-end Resort: Yunjin Chenggongguan: Renovated Ming and Qing Dynasty official residence, private experience of ancient polishing lacquerware techniques🖌️ 💗Other Tips: ✅Reservation: Book tickets 1 day in advance during peak season on the "Pingyao Ancient City Scenic Area" official account (full price CNY 35, half price for students) 🚌Transportation: Take bus No. 108 north line directly from Pingyao Station (CNY 1) or take a taxi for CNY 13🚖 📸Photography: Wear Hanfu/plain long skirts! Take photos of the painted sculptures when the morning and evening light penetrates the window lattices🌅, and shoot from a low angle looking up to highlight the grandeur of the architecture📷 🙏Etiquette: Flash photography is prohibited inside the halls❗️Do not touch the painted sculptures. You can bring a cold light flashlight to observe the details🔦 🍜Food: Try the "Wantu + Pingyao beef" combo at Qiaotou Village outside the temple, approx. CNY 20 per person for a filling meal😋 ✨Bonus: Every year on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month, there is a temple fair🎪, where you can watch Shehuo performances/eat vegetarian meals, and experience the thousand-year-old folk customs～

Day 5 Self-driving route: Xinzhou Ancient City➡️ Zhen Guosi Temple➡️ Shuanglin Temple➡️ Pingyao Restaurant Places to visit: ▶️ Zhen Guosi Temple, located in Haodong Village, Pingyao County, Shanxi Province, was first built in 963 during the Tianhui era of the Northern Han Dynasty. Originally named "Jingcheng Temple", it was renamed "Zhen Guosi Temple" during the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty, and the name has been used ever since. Zhen Guosi Temple's Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas is one of the oldest surviving wooden structures in China. It was built in 963 during the Tianhui era of the Northern Han Dynasty. The inscription "Built in the 7th year of Tianhui of the Great Han Dynasty" can still be clearly seen on the beams of the hall. It is known as a "thousand-year treasure". It is one of the three surviving Five Dynasties buildings in Chinese Buddhist temples. Zhen Guosi Temple currently has more than 100 surviving murals, including 52 murals of Buddha's life story, located in the Three Buddha Hall at the end of the central axis. P1-P9 ▶️ Shuanglin Temple was originally named Zhongdu Temple. The oldest surviving stele in the temple is the "Aunt's Stele" from 1011 during the Dazhongxiangfu era of the Northern Song Dynasty. It has been around for more than 1,400 years. The temple consists of ten halls, which together house more than 2,000 painted sculptures from the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. Experts have praised it as a "treasure house of oriental painted sculpture art". The Thousand Buddha Hall on the east side houses more than 500 painted sculptures, accounting for a quarter of the total in the temple. The main statue is the Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, with a serene and charming face and a relaxed and natural posture. On the left and right sides are statues of Weituo and Yecha. The Weituo statue is full of personality, with a combination of martial arts and literature. It is a rare masterpiece of Ming Dynasty painted sculpture. The main statue in the Bodhisattva Hall is the Thousand-Hand Thousand-Eye Avalokitesvara, sitting cross-legged in the center. The hand gestures are ever-changing, and there are more than 400 Bodhisattvas hanging around, all walking on colorful clouds. P10-P17 ▶️ Xinzhou City was first built in 215 AD during the Jian'an era of the Eastern Han Dynasty and has a history of more than 1,800 years. The Xiurong Academy, Taishan Temple, Guan Yu Temple, and streets within Xinzhou Ancient City are perfect for a leisurely stroll. The ancient city is home to a variety of Shanxi-style cuisine, and the night view is also quite beautiful. It is a small city perfect for relaxation and leisure. P18-20

I've been to Pingyao N+1 times! Sharing a no-pitfall travel guide!!! ⭕️ All the attractions in the ancient city are in the off-season Including Rishengchang, the County Government Office, the Confucian Temple, the Ancient City Wall, Shuanglin Temple, etc. ⭕️ Discounts are available for students or the elderly, among others. ✅ 2-day 1-night city walk itinerary🚶: Day1⃣: County Government Office → City God Temple → Confucian Temple → South Street (Escort Agency and Xietongqing) → Qingxu Taoist Temple → Rishengchang Day2⃣: Erlang Temple → Ancient City Wall (enter from the North Gate, exit from the West Gate) → See Pingyao Again → Shuanglin Temple and Zhenguo Temple → Return trip (adjust direction according to the starting point) ✅ Transportation: 🚄 High-speed train arrives at 'Pingyao Ancient City Station', which is about ten-plus kilometers away from the ancient city, requiring a ride on bus 108 or a taxi. 🚂 Train arrives at 'Pingyao Station', about a fifteen-minute walk from the West Gate, no need for a bus. 🚗 If driving, park in one of the parking lots around the ancient city, very convenient! Pingyao does not have an airport, the nearest airport is Taiyuan Wusu ✈️ Airport! ✅ Summarized 8 tips to avoid pitfalls! Save it for your trip! ❶ The most photogenic places include four main streets, the Market Tower and the City Tower, as well as many undeveloped alleys. Pingyao Ancient City is known as the best-preserved ancient city in China! ❷ There are a lot of portrait photography shops, everyone must discern carefully, choose a shop with a good reputation, I did my research and went to Yunjintang, the results were satisfying, I recommend sisters to check it out. ❸ Remember to wear a pair of comfortable flat shoes, there are many scattered attractions in Pingyao, and it will be tiring after a day of walking. ❹ The night view is a must-see, and the 3D light show at Yingxunmen Square at 8 pm is very impressive. ❺ For dining, you can choose time-honored restaurants, such as Hongwuji, Dongji Chaobowl Detach. Or go to the snack street near the West Gate. ❻ For accommodation, the first choice is the inns within the ancient city, which are plentiful and inexpensive during the off-season, you can find them in the alleys for good value. If you prefer chain hotels, you can go to the West Gate or South Gate. ❼ For local products, go to specialty stores, and for branded items, you can choose Guanyun for beef, and Yonglonghao for promoting lacquerware. ❽ For items in the scenic area, learn to bargain hard, remember to haggle fiercely!