Pingyao Highlights Walking Day Tour

With our guide to know the Ancient Pingyao better!

Our guide will meet you at your hotel lobby at 08:00 or 08:30, then show you the ticket office to get the ticket for the museums we will visit later.

First we will visit the 700 years old City wall, We will climb up from south gate and have a walk on the wall. We are not sure how many km we can walk, because of the renovating of the wall. Normally we will walk from south gate to the Yunlu Exit.

Then visit the Confucius temple, there is a old building named Dacheng Hall which is over 840 years old. From outside, we can see the big wood joints to lift the big roof around the building which is named Dougong. Due to this design, there are less columns inside the hall for giving the big space for the statues and the prayer. We have chance to see the Confucius statue and learn the philosophy of Confucius. If you like, you can pray for you and your children to get better study.

There is the Paper Cutting master named Wentao nearby the exit of Confucius temple. She is very smart and create the new style paper cutting with much more details and good wishes on it. Her products are made by hanks. It is worth to visit and buy as a souvenir from Pingyao. From the table standing and wall hangings. Please remember, take the red one because of red is the traditional and happy color. But the white one is the best. It is really difficult to choose, because of all of them are really nice.

Then you can have coffee break or tea break if you need at Chummy coffee, after this, visit the City god temple (ChenghuangMiao) which is most beautiful temple inside the wall. Because of the roof is covered by the colorful glazed tiles. There is not only city god and also the three money gods, Now you know why pingyao was the financial center.

Next we will visit the Ancient government building, to see the pingyao politics center in the ancient time. It is the complete building with officials bed room, kitchen and private garden. Follow the guide to look the official’s life from the 250km far away from the hometown.

Have a stroll in the alley to the Rishengchang exchange bank, which is the first bank all of china.You can not miss it.

After lunch, walk to the Ming and Qing street, this is the shopping street full of the stores on the both side of street. You can find alot things here , from post card to lacquered boxes, and wall panels. One more place to see, it is the Armed escort agency also named security and transport service for the business man before the bank founded.

Inlcusions

1.private english speaking tour guide servcie

2.bottle water for the tour

Enjoy the different experience to see the Pingyao and the Shuanglin Temple

Our guide will meet you at your hotel lobby at 08:00 or 08:30, then show you the bicycle store to choose the bikes.

First, we will ride to the north gate, we will take the pictures of the wall from outside of the wall on the way, we will visit the farmer’s morning  market nearby the north gate. We will get into the old city from north gate, ride to the alleys to see the local residences which are occupied by the local people, our guide will explain the history of the building and carving.

Then we will ride to the Shuanglin temple which is about 8km far away from the old city, will spend 40 minutes on the riding. Shuanglin temple is listed by the UNESCO since from 1997. Because of the over 10,000 colorful buddha sculptures from Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasty. It is valuable to visit if you come to Pingyao. We will spend the 40 minutes to visit, to learn the history and philosophy of the Buddha.

20 minutes for the break, drinking some water and take the snacks.

Back to ancient city on the same way, we will visit the south gate park and square, ride along the moat, get into the old city from south gate, and return the bikes back to the store. We will finish the tour there.

Inclusions:

1. Bicycle for the tour

2. Private english speaking tour guide

3. Entrance fee of the Shaunglin Temple.

Day 1

Arrive Pingyao
Arrive in Pingyao, you will be met at the train/bus station and then transferred to your hotel. Free at leisure for the rest of the day.
Meals: No meal
Accommodation: In Pingyao

The ancient town of Pingyao had been emerged gradually along with the city wall during the Zhou Dynasty 11th century -256 BC. It is the only ancient city in China completely reserved as it was hundreds of years ago without any modern architecture, but only the narrow street flanking with Chinese shops in old style and the road plated with the original stone. Pingyao is not only famous for its antiquity, but also for being the merchant center with the nation's earliest bank established in the 19th century, and furthermore it was once served as the financial center of the Qing government.

Day 2

Pingyao
Enjoy your one day relaxing visit around this ancient town covering Wang's Courtyard, Shuanglin Temple. After the tour, be transferred back to your hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: In Pingyao

The Wang's Courtyard is 35 km from the Ancient City of Pingyao. Acclaimed as the "First Folk Residence in Cathay", it is the largest-existing folk residence cluster in China and a model of the merchant family's residence in North China's Shanxi Province, demonstrating the quintessence of Chinese architectural art and cultural values. This luxurious residence covers about 45,000 square meters with 123 compounds and 1,118 rooms and took about half a century (1762-1811) to build.

The Shuanglin Temple is a large Buddhist temple, part of the World Heritage Site of Pingyao, stands in the countryside about 7 kilometers southwest of the ancient city. It was originally founded in the 6th century during the Northern Wei period, although the present buildings date to the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is notable for its collection of over two thousand decorated clay statues dating from the 12th-19th centuries.

Day 3

Departure Pingyao
Say goodbye to Pingyao and continue your tour to next city.
Meals: Breakfast

Service Ends