Shanxi is the root of Chinese culture and the province with the largest number of key cultural relics protection units in the country. Naturally, tourism is also dominated by cultural tourism resources. The best way to travel in Shanxi is to travel with history. To feel the stories that happened here in ancient times.
As the saying goes, "Look at Shaanxi for underground cultural relics, and Shanxi for aboveground cultural relics." Winter in Shanxi Province is relatively early, and November is already the off-season for travel, and most scenic spots have already begun to implement off-season discount tickets. Cultural attractions are most suitable for off-season visits. The scenery is the same, but you can save a lot of money on tickets. At the same time, the off-season scenic spots are not crowded, you don’t need to queue up for photos, and the price of accommodation has dropped, so Shanxi in winter is the most suitable for pursuing cost-effective. The traveler went.
This quintessential route of humanistic and ancient architecture, admiring the style of the Yellow River, climbing the Great Wall Expo, viewing the world heritage, and visiting the ancient city of Shanxi, the 4-day itinerary is compact and rich. Now Lewanjun will sort out some must-see attractions and accommodation suggestions, and share them To everyone, I hope I can help you with your visit.
Travel Tips: Shanxi is cold and dry in winter and spring, and the temperature difference between morning and evening is large. Southerners must prepare long johns. It is best to bring a thermos cup when traveling, and pay attention to keeping warm from the cold.
schedule
schedule:
D1 Guangzhou - Datong
Visit the treasure of oriental stone carving art and world cultural heritage - "Yungang Grottoes". Su Datong
D2 Datong v (430KM/5.5 hours) Pingyao
After breakfast, drive to Hunyuan, visit the first of the 18 scenic spots of Beiyue Hengshan, the castle in the air during the Northern Wei Dynasty - "Xuankong Temple", then drive to Dai County, after lunch, visit the first pass of Jiusai Zun - "Yanmen Pass" Drive to Pingyao, the cultural center of Shanxi Merchants. After dinner, watch a large-scale indoor sitcom - "Seeing Pingyao again", and then check into the inn in the ancient city.
D3 Pingyao (280KM/3.5 hours) Hukou
After breakfast, visit one of the four ancient cities in China and the birthplace of commercial culture in the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Shanxi - the world cultural heritage "Pingyao Ancient City", visit the ancient city wall of Pingyao, Shanxi Merchants Bank Museum - Rishengchang Bank, ancient Wall Street in my country - A street in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the most complete county government in China - the Pingyao County Government Office, watching the Shengtang performance.
After lunch, drive to Hukou, visit the natural landscape of the Loess Plateau, breathe the fresh air of the natural oxygen bar in Luliang Mountains, visit the world's largest yellow waterfall "Hukou Waterfall of the Yellow River", enjoy the unique scenery of Shanxi-Shaanxi Canyon, and feel the mysterious atmosphere of the mother of the Yellow River .
D4 Hukou v (400KM/5.5 hours) Taiyuan
After breakfast, drive to Lingshi, visit China’s No. 1 residential building and folk Forbidden City - "Wang Family Courtyard" and return to Taiyuan after lunch. In the evening, fly back to Guangzhou by China Southern Airlines, ending the 4-day tour in Shanxi!
Traffic guidance: Come back to Shuangfei, enter Datong, and exit Taiyuan. Rent a car and drive in Shanxi Province.
There is no direct flight from Guangzhou to Datong. It needs to stop in Wuhan, take off at 6:50, and arrive in Datong at 11:50.
Yungang Grottoes | Datong
Datong is a low-key city with infinite energy. Datong is the imperial capital of the Northern Wei Dynasty, with rich historical relics, among which the Yungang Grottoes are one of the cultural representatives of the Northern Wei Dynasty. It was excavated in the early years of Heping in the Northern Wei Dynasty (AD 460), and is located at the southern foot of Wuzhou Mountain, 16 kilometers west of Datong City.
The Yungang Grottoes are about one kilometer long, with 254 main niches, more than 50,000 statues, and a carving area of 18,000 square meters. Some caves have been damaged, and some are being restored. Tourists can only visit some of the caves.
Tanyao Five Grottoes is the earliest and most grand group of caves in Yungang Grottoes. It is located in the 16th to 20th caves of the Yungang Grottoes Group. The five caves are magnificent in scale, magnificent in carvings, skilled in techniques, and rigorous in layout design. They are classic masterpieces of the first peak period of Chinese Buddhist art.
In order to show the unlimited power of the emperor of the Northern Wei Dynasty, the centers of the five grottoes in the "Tanyao Five Grottoes" are carved with huge Buddha statues, symbolizing the five emperors of the Northern Wei and Five Dynasties.
Among them, the giant Buddha in Cave 20 collapsed due to the earthquake, and became the only outdoor Buddha statue, unexpectedly becoming the most famous public relations ambassador of Yungang Grottoes. , high nose and deep eyes, big earlobes and shoulders.
The Buddha in Cave 16 is wearing the bobbin cassock of the time, which looks like he is wearing a tie, which is very interesting. There is a little story here. When Premier Zhou accompanied the French to visit the Great Buddha, he jokingly said that you foreigners have to wear costumes and ties when you eat Western food. Look at us we already wore ties 1500 years ago.
The giant Buddha in Cave 18 is wearing cassocks of thousands of Buddhas, and there are countless finely carved small Buddhas on the clothes, which seem to convey the craftsmen's devout intention of making Buddhas. Although the disciples on the rock wall are only supporting roles, some of them hold flowers Smiling, some closed their eyes and listened, with lively expressions. Seeing these big Buddhas, you may have doubts in your heart. For thousands of years, how did craftsmen carve these big Buddhas on rocks?
The tour guide pointed to the small hole in the body of the Buddha and told us that the craftsmen would first dig a small hole on the rock wall, which is called a bright window. Then slowly dig down from a high place, while another group of craftsmen chisel up from the bottom. It was built up and down at the same time.
It is said that when the Yungang Grottoes were first discovered, they were colored, but because the stone was smooth, it was not easy to color, so people thought of digging a hole in the body of the Buddha, inserting a wooden stick into the hole, leaving a small part outside the hole, so Then tie the hemp rope to complete the rope wrapping of the entire Buddha statue. After the mud wrapping process, it will be painted. This is how these puzzling small holes come. The picture shows the first cave, which reflects the scene of early monks worshiping the pagoda, circling around the pagoda, and chanting scriptures.
There is a statue of Monk Tan Yao at the gate of the Yungang Grottoes. According to literature records, the first batch of grottoes in Yungang was excavated during the Heping Period of the Northern Wei Dynasty (460-465 A.D.) by Tan Yao, the monk of the Shamen, and five large grottoes were excavated ( Caves 16-20), later known as Tanyao Five Caves.
The content of the Yungang Grottoes is very rich, and each grotto has a date inscribed on the stone tablet, which is very convenient for later understanding of the grottoes.
The tour guide pointed to the earliest Wei stele and explained to us that the ancients in the Northern Wei Dynasty would record in detail on the stele any major projects they wanted to do. For example, the Wei inscription on the wall tells where it was on that day of that year, for what reason, something needed to be built, and how much it cost. The final payment was made by a nun named "Bhikkhuni".
Walking in, you can see the earliest highway relics in China at the national level at that time - the ancient road ruts. The "Belt and Road" proposed by our country now, after Emperor Taiwu of the Northern Wei Dynasty pacified the Western Regions, cultural exchanges between China and the West reached a new climax. Datong is the front station of the Silk Road, an important passage between Hu and Han, and the ruts are historical witnesses of important passages since Tang, Liao, Jin and Yuan Dynasties.
The largest existing cave in Yungang, Cave No. 3, was not completed in the Northern Wei Dynasty. Here is mainly to understand the ancient methods of excavating grottoes to provide important physical resources.
The fifth and sixth caves are the essence of the entire Yungang Grottoes. In front of the cave are five four-story wooden pavilions. It was built in the Shunzhi period of the Qing Dynasty. Inside the cave, there are 1500-year-old stone inscriptions and comic strips, and various statues describe the world of Buddha and the life story of Buddha in detail.
According to legend, nobles in India were born under the armpit of their mothers. Buddha, who was once a prince, was born under the armpits of his mother.
The picture shows the Nine-Dragon Empowerment of Buddha. As you can see here, it was not yet fully Sinicized at that time, so there were only eight dragons carved and painted on it.
Going around to the back, what this Buddha statue describes is a reflection of Emperor Xiaowen and Empress Dowager Feng who ruled the Northern Wei Dynasty at that time, and they jointly handled the government affairs.
Another special feature of the Yungang Grottoes is that the grottoes were built in the middle period. There are many faces of the Western Regions in the statues, and the Hu style is strong. At that time, the expressions of the Buddha statues were also very interesting. I saw a lot of people sitting cross-legged in meditation. Is this the first time I saw a Bodhisattva with two legs crossed?
The walls and ceiling of the entire grotto are covered with reliefs, flying apsaras, mythical beasts and flowers, as well as Ji Letian holding various musical instruments, which are gorgeous and eye-catching. , These stone statues form a large-scale symphony orchestra, and there are as many as 48 types of musical instruments in the cave.
Yungang Grottoes is one of the largest grottoes in my country. Together with Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, Luoyang Longmen Grottoes and Maijishan Grottoes, they are known as the four major art treasure houses of grottoes in China. In March 1961, they were announced by the State Council as the first batch of national key cultural relics protection The unit was included in the "World Heritage List" by UNESCO in December 2001.
Grottoes are treasures of traditional Chinese history, culture and art, embodying the wisdom and talent of ancient Chinese people.
Lingyan Temple | Datong
The Yungang Grottoes in Datong are treasures of Chinese traditional history, culture and art, embodying the wisdom and talents of ancient Chinese working people. Wood can be burnt, gold can be melted, only spiritual rocks can last forever.
In the concept of the five emperors of the Northern Wei Dynasty, praying for blessings with the eternal Lingyan can lead to eternal prosperity. These emperors all went to Wuzhou Mountain to pray successively. After "Taiwufa is difficult", Emperor Wencheng Tuoba Jun vigorously revived Buddhism, so Yungang Grottoes began to reach the pinnacle of stone carving art in the Northern Wei Dynasty with its unique religious status.
According to research, in the early days of the Yungang Grottoes, there was a corresponding wooden structure building in front of each grotto to enshrine the Buddha statues inside. This was called "Ten Temples", also known as "Ten Names". They are one Tongshi, two Lingyan, three Jingchong, four Zhenguo, five Huguo, six Tiangong, seven Chongjiao, eight boys, nine Huayan, and ten Tushita.
Thousands of years have passed, and these wooden temples built during the Northern Wei Dynasty have long since disappeared. Now Datong has increased the protection of cultural heritage and invested huge sums of money to expand scenic spots and rebuild historical sites. Lingyan Temple in Yungang Grottoes is one of the Buddhist temples that can reproduce the Northern Wei Dynasty. The famous temple of the building.
Lingyan Temple corresponds to the third cave - Lingyan Cave. There is a record in "Shui Jing Zhu": Mountain halls and water halls, smoke temples face each other, Linyuan brocade mirrors, dazzling new views. It is to describe the grandeur of this person.
From the moment you step into the ticket hall of Yungang Grottoes, you will feel as if you have returned to the grand scene of the Northern Wei Dynasty. The ticket hall is designed like the lobby of a five-star hotel, and the surrounding walls are covered with various golden Buddha statues.
The scenic area is full of lush greenery, which is pleasing to the eye. The corridors and pavilions in the architectural style of the Northern Wei Dynasty make people linger.
Walking on the road of worshiping Buddha in Yunku, I was deeply infected by Buddhist culture. It provides a good place for ancient monks to live in seclusion, and also provides a window for modern people to understand and restore history. Large and small Buddha statues are vivid, as if they are telling the history of previous dynasties.
On Foguang Avenue, 13 pairs of stone-carved elephant-riding four-sided pillars are arranged on both sides of the avenue. The base of the four-sided pillars is a peaceful and quiet stone elephant, carrying a lotus seat with fine patterns on its back. Buddha statues sitting side by side.
Although the four-sided pillars riding an elephant are far less historical than the grottoes themselves, they still make people feel a strong Buddhist cultural atmosphere.
At the end of Foguang Avenue is a Bodhi tree covered with gold and platinum leaves.
Surrounding the bodhi tree is a stone wall of "Reliefs of Emperors and Empresses Ceremony to Buddha".
The characters on the reliefs are all carved according to the murals excavated from the tombs behind, which can truly reflect the social conditions at that time, like the ox-drawn carts on which the emperors and empresses rode, which only existed in the Northern Wei Dynasty, when horses were sent to the battlefield to make War horses are used. Aristocrats can only travel by ox carts.
Cross Foguang Avenue and the seven-hole white bridge in front, and then go forward, you will find Lingyan Temple.
Lingyan Temple is built on a lake full of reeds. There is an elegant seven-hole stone bridge between Lingyan Temple and the relief stone wall of the Buddha. There is a stone statue of a fairy holding a lamp in the Northern Wei Dynasty at both ends of the bridge.
It was rebuilt according to the grand occasion described by Li Daoyuan, a famous geographer in the Northern Wei Dynasty, in "Shui Jing Zhu". The three-entry courtyard is divided into a mountain gate, a middle hall and an apse. Magnificent, beautiful and simple.
The middle hall is also called the Hall of Thousand Buddhas, and there are hundreds of small bronze Buddha statues in it.
The apse is the Daxiong Hall, which enshrines the Buddhas of the past, present and future. There are large paintings of stories about Buddha's birthday and biography on the walls. The characters are vivid and colorful.
In the center of the temple, there is a "Futu Pagoda" that best represents the appearance of the Northern Wei Dynasty at that time. The pagoda is 5 stories high, surrounded by stone carvings, and each side is composed of 15 niches and many small Buddha statues.
There are four turrets in the southeast and northwest of the temple. The four eaves and columns are slender, and the green tubes and tiles on the top of the mountain are powerful in all directions.
The newly-built Lingyan Temple is almost a perfect reproduction of the "mountain hall and water hall" in "Shui Jing Zhu". The sunset, the reeds by the lake and the quiet lake water around the ancient temple are in harmony with each other, outlining a beautiful picture of tranquility and far-reaching.
Hanging Temple | Beiyue Hengshan
Hanging Temple is located in Beiyue Hengshan Mountain near Datong, Shanxi Province. .
The Hanging Temple is the earliest and most well-preserved high-altitude wooden cliff building in China. At the same time, it is also a classic that is called "the world's top ten strange and dangerous buildings" by Westerners.
Jin Yong’s novel "Swordsman" once described, "I have heard for a long time that the Xuankong Temple on Cuiping Mountain was built during the Northern Wei Dynasty. It is a wonder in the world to build a temple out of thin air in a place where pines cannot grow and apes cannot climb."
Looking at the Xuankong Temple from a distance, it looks like an ingenious castle in the sky, inlaid on the cliff. Looking closely at the Xuankong Temple, it looks like it is about to fly in the sky. The Xuankong Temple not only has a thrilling appearance, but also has a distinctive architectural structure and rich and colorful architectural forms. It combines the elegance of traditional Chinese garden architecture and has traditional Chinese architecture The pattern of the cave has formed a unique style of a cave with a building, a building with a hole, and a half-walled building. Its architectural features can be described by three words: strange, hanging and clever.
Hanging is the first major feature in the architectural style of Xuankong Temple. Xuankong Temple has 40 halls and pavilions since ancient times. On the surface, they are supported by a few wooden pillars as thick as arms. When tourists walk up, if the wind is strong, they can observe that the pillars will shake with the wind. The thrill of weak legs is really quite exciting;
According to the tour guide, in fact, these vertical wooden pillars do not actually play a load-bearing role. What really supports the weight of the Hanging Temple is the beams inserted deep into the rocks similar to plank roads. That is, as you can see, these beams form a 90-degree angle with the vertical column.
One of the important reasons why the Hanging Temple is still standing 1,500 years after it was built is that the designer adopted a principle similar to that of expansion screws. When the opening of the Xuankong Temple was opened, it was small and big, and a cork with a pointed end was placed inside the belly. When the beam was about to be pierced in, the cork would forcibly open the middle of the wooden column. The wooden cork forms a squeeze, and the reverse bites the stone wall inside.
Secondly, in terms of building materials, local hemlock and larch are used. Before construction, they were soaked in tung oil to prevent insect erosion and anticorrosion.
The most amazing thing about the Xuankong Temple is its site selection and design. It is located in a small area in a deep mountain canyon, and its whole body is suspended in the middle of the cliff.
In front of the Buddhist hall is a platform, which is made of wooden boards. Only one-third of the temple is exposed to the outside. The real temple is hidden in a stone cave made by chiseling the mountain wall. A giant umbrella prevents the ancient temple from being washed by rainwater during the changes of the years, and it can also be protected from flooding when the flood below the mountain floods.
Surrounded by mountains, it can also be protected from the sun. Therefore, this superior geographical location is one of the reasons why the Xuankong Temple can be preserved to this day.
The gate of the temple is small and exquisite, but still exquisite.
There are many wild pigeons resting on the glazed tiles in the temple.
The ingenuity of the Hanging Temple is reflected in the fact that when it was first built, it was adapted to local conditions and made full use of the natural shape of the surrounding cliffs to design and layout the various parts of the temple. The platform sense of general temple design is transplanted into a three-dimensional space. There are gate towers, stele pavilions, bell towers, drum towers, and side halls, all of which are very delicate.
The strange danger of Xuankong Temple has attracted a large number of celebrities to visit here. Xu Xiake, the great explorer of Ming Dynasty, also called Xuankong Temple a wonder of the world.
There are many cliff carvings left by celebrities, the most famous of which is the "magnificent" inscription left by Li Bai, a great poet of the Tang Dynasty, after visiting the Xuankong Temple. However, the word "spectacular" is a little extra. There are many cliff carvings left by celebrities around the Xuankong Temple, the most famous of which is the "magnificent" inscription left by Li Bai, a great poet of the Tang Dynasty, after visiting the Xuankong Temple. However, the word "spectacular" is a little extra.
There are no typos in the writing of celebrities, and there must be reasons for typos. The reason is that after visiting the Xuankong Temple, Li Bai felt that the word "magnificent" was not enough to express the excitement in his heart at the moment. Because it was too spectacular, he added a little more to the word "zhuang", which also expressed the ancients' respect for Chinese characters. an intention of
Historically, there have been many large and small battles near Mount Heng. For example, Wei Chigong of the Tang Dynasty, Xu Da of the Ming Dynasty, and General Yang of the Song Dynasty all fought battles here. That is what makes the Xuankong Temple able to participate in the wars of all dynasties. In the pattern of gold and iron horses that come and go one after another, how can it be preserved intact?
The answer is its religious and cultural connotation of the unity of the three religions. The temple of the three religions is dedicated to Confucius, Laozi and Buddha at the same time. It is a rare temple in China that combines Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. In ancient China, no matter which ruling class, they admired only one of these three religions. No matter which sect is OK in Xuankong Temple, so This multicultural content enables it to be preserved without damage in the fusion of frontier nationalities and in the wars of all ages, which can be called a miracle among miracles.
The rulers of all dynasties have protected the Xuankong Temple, which combines the three religions. It was first recorded in the Qianshouguanyin Temple of the Xuankong Temple, and two stone tablets of the Jin Dynasty were embedded. It has a history of more than 800 years. The founders of the three teachings have different births and great achievements. Later generations inferred from this stele that the Xuankong Temple changed from a single Buddha world to a temple integrating three religions, and it was at this time that it began.
It can be said that the most important information revealed to us by the Xuankong Temple is the mutual integration of our religions, which was formed as early as the Southern and Northern Dynasties, that is, when the Xuankong Temple was first built. In fact, it is a process in which Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and the three religions merge into one and merge with each other.
The picture shows the reservoir upstream of the Xuankong Temple. Before the reservoir was built, there was no land under the Xuankong Temple, and the rolling river passed under it. Can you imagine how spectacular it is?
In December 2010, Time Magazine published a list of the world's top ten most dangerous buildings, and the Hanging Temple and the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy, which has the world's largest slope, were on the same list. It has aroused widespread attention at home and abroad. What is even more surprising is that the Hanging Temple built during the Southern and Northern Dynasties is more than 700 years earlier than other ancient buildings on the list. After reading the introduction of Lewan, do you want to visit the Hanging Temple?
Yanmen Pass | Xinzhou Dai County
Travel with history. To feel the stories that happened here in ancient times. Walk into Yanmen Pass today to experience the historical period when the Yang family generals in the Northern Song Dynasty defended their family and guarded the frontier.
"Yanmen Pass" is known as "the first pass in China", but many people don't know where it is? In fact, he is in Dai County, Shanxi Province, which is an important part of the Great Wall, a world cultural heritage.
Yanmen Pass is an extremely important Xiongguan fortress in ancient my country. Since the Western Zhou Dynasty, more than 2,000 wars have occurred at Yanmen Pass. There is a saying about Yanmen Pass: "If you win Yanmen, you will gain the Central Plains; if you lose Yanmen, you will lose the world." This shows the strategic importance of this military unit.
In history, Yanmen Pass was once the place where the story of General Yang took place. The Northern Song Dynasty and the Liao Kingdom had a protracted tug-of-war on Yanmen Pass.
The area to the north of Yanmen Pass is adjacent to the ecotone of agriculture and animal husbandry, and it is the frontier of the struggle between the Central Plains and the northern nomads - the ancient battlefield of Jinshatan guarded by General Yang is here.
There is a "Zhenbian Temple" next to the gate of Yanmenguan. The Zhongwu Hall inside is dedicated to the Yang family general of the Northern Song Dynasty.
Entering it, the breath is full of breath, and the awe-inspiring spirit is oncoming. The generals of the Yang family would rather die than submit, and swear to protect the country to the death, a loyal family. During the second Youzhan battle, Song Taizong originally wanted to use the three-way army to regain Yanyun's lost ground, but after the defeat in the East Road, he panicked.
He first let Pan Mei and Yang Ye's West Road Army back to Daizhou, and then let them go north to cover the people from Yun, Shuo and other four prefectures to move inward. After threatening the Liao army's side, lure it to the east, so that the people of Yunshuo can escape.
But Wang Yu said that he had never dared to confront Liao head-on, and that he had other plans. Together with Pan Mei, he forced him to go to the battlefield to die even though he knew there was no way back. Finally, before he left, he made a special agreement to meet him in Chenjiagu, so as not to destroy the whole army.
However, Yang Ye fought hard. When he retreated to Chenjiagu, Wang Dian climbed up the tower and couldn't see Yang Ye. Chen Jiagu's blood and tears flowed into rivers, and that piece of history was a wailing that stretched to the sky, a sad accusation, and it was so silently engraved in the vicissitudes of Yanmen Pass.
At the gate of Yanmenguan Scenic Area, there is a statue commemorating the generals of the Yang family. On the left are 13 female generals of the Yang family headed by Yu Taijun; on the right are 11 generals of the Yang family headed by Yang Ye.
After passing through the gate of the scenic spot, you can see some intermittently dilapidated villages. It is said that this is the place where the Yang family stationed soldiers and raised horses in ancient times. The gravel road, the Great Wall, and the castle all have a simple and profound taste in the bleakness.
The terrain around Yanmen Pass is dangerous, and you can overlook the entire Yanmen Pass scenic spot by climbing the city wall, and experience the key role of this pass in geography.
Historically, the Great Wall was the front line of attack and defense between the Central Plains Dynasty and the surrounding ethnic groups, and a military fortress; but in peaceful times, it was a trade channel and a distribution center for commercial transactions, where products and cultures from the north and the south were exchanged.
Walk through the reconstructed Border Trade Street. Thinking back to ancient times, there used to be hustle and bustle here, and the tea-horse trade that connected the Central Plains with foreigners was also a rich and colorful stroke in Chinese history.
From the Qing Dynasty to the early years of the Republic of China, it was transported from the south of the Yangtze River to Shanxi through the Central Plains to Inner and Outer Mongolia, and arrived at the "tea road" of the Sino-Russian border trade port of Kyakta. Hotan, Xinjiang also crosses the prairie from the southern foot of the Tianshan Mountains, passes through the southern foothills of the Yin Mountains, enters the northern part of Shanxi, and then transfers to various "jade roads".
Near the Yanmenguan Li Mu Temple, there are two towering stone flagpoles that are well protected. Under the flagpoles, there are three inscriptions on three links. It is a roster of merchants donating money to repair the Yanmen Ancient Road in the Qing Dynasty. There are dozens of commercial ports and more than 700 business names.
The picture shows a seemingly ordinary section of gravel road, but in the rise of Shanxi merchants in those days, Shanxi merchants represented by Qiao Family Courtyard and Wang Family Courtyard all walked out of Yanmen Pass on this gravel road.
Traveling to Yanmen Pass, in addition to appreciating the scenery and nostalgia, there are more delicacies to taste. We are going to the ancient city of Pingyao in the evening, so we stay in the Yanmen Pass scenic spot for lunch for convenience. The names of the hotel boxes are all named after the characters in General Yang Jun. Like Wulang Hall, Liulang Hall, Expedition Hall, etc., it is very enjoyable. Raw coal is used as fuel for heating in the boxes, and dining here adds a frontier style.
Haggis soup is a must try. The quantity of haggis in Dai County is larger than that in Datong city, and there are all kinds of haggis, such as sheep intestines, sheep lungs, sheep hearts, sheep waists and sheep stomachs.
Vegetable and Egg Drop Soup
Daixian Sauce Chicken, put a lot of coriander and garlic, it goes well with rice.
Handmade steamed buns are filling.
Shanxi famous dish, fried pork
The signature dish Daixian Boiled Fish is very delicious. Shanxi chefs handle the fish, and the overall level is not bad, and it is delicious.
A family portrait. Although it is a restaurant in the scenic area, the portions are large, the price is not expensive, and the overall taste is not bad. This meal is very filling and very happy.
Pingyao Ancient City | City Wall
Travel all over the land of Shanxi and perceive the Sanjin culture. Today I come to the ancient city of Pingyao in Jinzhong. Pingyao ancient city is one of the only two ancient cities in China that successfully declared the world cultural heritage with the entire ancient city. It is an outstanding example of Chinese Han nationality cities in the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
The ancient city of Pingyao, a world cultural heritage, was first built in the period of King Xuan of Zhou and expanded in the Ming Dynasty. It has a history of more than 2,700 years. It also relatively well retains the basic style and features of the county seat in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and is the most complete ancient county seat in the Han nationality area of China.
Today, among the more than 4,000 towns in China, Pingyao is the only one that can present the original pattern and style of the traditional Chinese historical city. A 2-meter-high crenel wall (also known as a horse-retaining wall) is built on the top of the wall, and a parapet wall is built inside. The wall is compacted with plain soil and covered with blue bricks.
There is a prominent enemy tower every tens of meters around the city. There is an enemy tower built on the tower. There are four turrets on the top of the eaves, and four turrets at the four corners of the city wall. Outside the city wall, there are moats with a depth and width of 3 meters, and willow trees are planted along the moats.
The tall city wall divides Pingyao County, which covers an area of about 2.25 square kilometers, into two worlds with different styles.
The streets, pavements, and city buildings inside the city wall still retain the Ming and Qing dynasties, and the city's official administration, religion, ticket numbers, folk customs, food, and folk art are rich in culture, which is an indispensable part for studying the development of China's politics, economy, culture, art, and religion. Rare physical specimens.
See Pingyao again | Traveling through the frozen history
"Seeing Pingyao Again" is a large-scale indoor situational drama created by the well-known director Wang Chaoge's deep integration of Pingyao's history and humanities. I just watched Director Wang's "Meet Malacca" in Malaysia last month. I think both the plot and the plot design are very good. Naturally, I can't miss this good show when I come to Pingyao.
The picture shows Zhao Yishuo, the owner of Pingyao Ancient City Ticket Office
The picture shows the sacrifice of 232 bodyguards, and finally succeeded in protecting the blood of the Wang family.
As we all know, the impression dramas of the "Impression" series are outdoor live performances, while the "See You" series are indoor situational experience dramas. Like the Malacca theater, "Encounter Pingyao" also has a theater specially built for this situational drama, called the Shawar Theater.
It uses loess and gray tiles as the main vocabulary, and the undulating roof design shows people the prosperity and vicissitudes of the ancient city of Pingyao. But Mr. Lewan thinks that the appearance is in tune with the ancient city. Much like the towers on the ancient city.
"Encounter Pingyao" belongs to Wang Chaoge's early works. Now, "Encounter Wutai Mountain" and "Encounter Malacca" have developed into a 360-degree theater. When watching a performance, the audience should sit still. It will be rotated 360 degrees, and then the performance will distinguish six areas and transform the scene for the audience to see. This will make the audience more comfortable.
"Meet Pingyao" is still in the early days. Tourists have to walk and watch while changing scenes with the flow of people. During the period, after watching one performance hall, they have to walk to the next performance hall, which is quite troublesome.
In terms of the plot, it is still powerful. The performance integrates Pingyao City in the late Qing Dynasty, the bodyguard bureau, the Zhao Family Courtyard, the market, Nanmen Square, Shanxi pasta eating habits, and the spirit of Shanxi merchants who make promises and promises, all into the plot. The theme can be described as grounded.
The audience told the story of Zhao Yishuo, the owner of the Pingyao ancient city ticket office, who was a bloodline of the shopkeeper of Baofenhao Wang, who used up his family property. In the end, 232 bodyguards from the Tongxing Public Escort Bureau who went with him spilled blood on Tsarist Russia, and the bloodline of the Wang family continued. From this perspective, we can see the moral tradition of Pingyao people and the tragic feelings elucidated because of this tradition.
Shanxi is one of the areas with the most noodles in the world. According to statistics, there are more than 200 types of noodles in Shanxi. This scene is to introduce the noodle culture of Shanxi people. Three meals a day must have at least one meal of noodles. There is also the feeling of homesickness.
Compared with "Encounter Malacca", the performance of "Encounter Pingyao" is more interactive. During the show, the flour is flying, and everyone sitting at the scene can smell the smell of flour. The whole performance has reached its climax. With the explanation, it is very moving and impressive.
"Mian" is one of the most traditional cultural symbols of Shanxi and Shang land, and dancers tell stories with their faces.
The whole show lasted 1.5 hours, and it is quite worth watching. It will deepen the impression of the Qing Dynasty Museum in the ancient city. Looking at the whole show, it tells a blood legend with integrity, and it also allows us to understand more deeply the spirit of Shanxi merchants.
After putting down our luggage at the inn, we went out to wander along the ancient city street and enjoy the night view of the ancient city.
The night is very beautiful. The ancient city of Pingyao shrouded in lights is a little more fresh and hazy than in the daytime, but the outline is clearly visible.
The city building is located in the very center of the ancient city. Passing through the gate tower, you will feel like you have traveled to ancient times.
It's low season, there are not many tourists at night, and the streets are very clean.
The streets and alleys of Pingyao City are very straight, full of cobblestone roads, and the street lights are very special. They are all this kind of ancient red lanterns. The lights are on and off, and I don’t know how many people are intoxicated by the night.
There are seven streets and eight alleys in the ancient city, and both sides are decorated with ancient styles of deep houses and courtyards, which are simple and charming.
Feel the nightlife of the ancient city. There are resident singers in the bar. It is quite comfortable to sit down with a glass of wine and listen to songs.
China Qianzhuang Museum
Pingyao Silver Store selling silver souvenirs
The streets, shops and dwellings in the ancient city still maintain the layout and style of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Even the foreign fast food KFC has also followed the local customs, making the facade decoration antique.
The night view of the ancient city is beautiful, and we have been reluctant to leave for a long time. It's a pity that I have to rush to draft in the evening, and I will continue the ancient city tour tomorrow.
Hometown of Shanxi Merchants | Pingyao Inn
When you come to the hometown of Shanxi merchants, you must experience the folk characteristic inn here. The traditional residential buildings in the ancient city of Pingyao belong to the rigorous courtyard style of the Han people in northern China. Each courtyard has low walls made of bricks, and the surrounding walls are as high as seven or eight meters. There are no windows, and the appearance is solid and majestic, like small castles.
It is said that these are good for resisting the feng shui weather in the north, and most of the courtyards face south to get more sunlight.
The layout of residential buildings in Pingyao is mostly in the form of rigorous courtyards, which are composed of several courtyards along the central axis, and the courtyards are often separated by ornately decorated vertical flower doors. Larger houses are composed of several courtyard houses, and some have gardens on the side of the main house or in the backyard.
The interior decoration of the inn is antique, with carved beams and painted buildings on the pillars and beams, which is very grand. The design layout is divided into one entrance, two entrances, and three entrances. It can be said that the courtyard is deep.
Interestingly, we ate breakfast the next day in someone else's underground vault. According to the owner of the inn, when he bought the entire inn and renovated the inn, he accidentally discovered the secret vault of the former landlord. It can be imagined that the owner was also one of the wealthy Shanxi merchants a long time ago.
Shanxi Merchants' Siheyuan. The architectural styles are basically the same, but the details are unique and ever-changing, showing the owner's taste and talent. These houses are all of brick and wood structure, with carved beams and painted buildings, flying eaves and glazed walls, which are very popular, presenting the luxury and prosperity of the past.
The room number of the courtyard house in the inn is also very interesting, marking the business name, bank name, etc. For example, the courtyard house I stayed in is the "Tian" name.
A plaque with its own initials is hung outside each room, and the key of the room has a corresponding wooden couplet.
There are exquisite calligraphy works on the wall, "The World is Home", which tells the experience of Shanxi merchants who have been doing business abroad all year round and the world is their home.
The room in Pingyao Ancient Inn has a fire pit. This experience is quite special.
The chairs are solid wood furniture, antique furniture.
The desk lamp on the desk and the lantern in the house reflect each other, the light and shade are disorderly, the modern and the old coexist, and the original and ghostly shadows are everywhere, making people feel like returning to the ancient city of the Qing Dynasty through time and space.
Pingyao County Government | Pingyao Forbidden City in the County Government
There are many valuable cultural relics and historic sites in Pingyao City. After breakfast, we will visit the ancient city one by one.
The first must-see attraction is the Pingyao County Government, which is located in the center of the ancient city. The building was first built in the Northern Wei Dynasty. Before Yuan, Ming, Qing, Minhe applied for the world heritage, it has always been the seat of government agencies in the five dynasties, so the ancient buildings inside The most complete preservation, the earliest building at present is the sixth year of Yuan Zhizheng (1346), which has a history of more than 600 years.
The entire government office faces south and has an axisymmetric layout. The north-south axis is more than 200 meters long and the east-west width is more than 100 meters, covering an area of more than 26,000 square meters.
Pingyao County Office, compared to the current county-level city. Because Pingyao is the birthplace of Shanxi merchants and the economy was developed in the Qing Dynasty, it has one level more than ordinary counties and has been upgraded to a department.
The county government follows the feudal etiquette system, the left is civil and the right is martial, and the front faces the back. From north to south, there are Flower Hall, Changping Cang, Zanhou Temple, and Land Temple. The Supervision Hall, the entire building complex is orderly, patchwork, and reasonable in structure. It is an organic whole. No matter in terms of architectural layout or function setting, it can be called the epitome of the imperial palace.
The county government office retains the unique architectural features of cave dwellings in the Northwest, which is an arched brick kiln with a wooden eaves at the front. The colonnades are covered with tile roofs. The gables are particularly thick.
The inscription "Qinmin Tang" on the plaque has a little more characters on it, reminding officials to be sympathetic to the people.
penalty, tiger chair
Both the plaintiff and the defendant have special kneeling stones. Looking at the marks on them, one can tell that this big bluestone has a long history.
The tour guide explained to us the story of the fire stick, that is, the person who paid the money before was beaten with the front of the fire stick, which made a loud noise and the person who was beaten did not hurt; The area is small, and it hurts to hit people.
The second hall is Sibu hall, which means out-of-court mediation, which also existed in ancient times.
The residence of the county magistrate is called Qinshentang.
Daxianlou, built in the Yuan Dynasty, is the place where the county magistrate collects official seals.
The first floor of Daxian Building is a canteen, and there are dining standards on the wall.
The official seal of the county magistrate is stored on the second floor. The mural on the wall is a fox fairy.
Fox fairies usually incarnate into women to help the county magistrate to guard the official seal. The fox fairy also appeared in the novel "Liao Zhai".
The garden in the Qing Dynasty, the place where the county magistrate usually enjoys flowers.
In Fengyatai, whenever the county magistrate is in a bad mood, the side will invite the magistrate to come here to watch a play to soothe his mood.
Xiao He, Han Xin and Zhang Liang of the Han Dynasty are enshrined in Fenghou Temple.
Guanfeng Building, the place where the county magistrate came out to observe the people's sentiments.
The entire county government has a grand power structure, which not only follows the traditional layout of axis symmetry, but also conforms to the etiquette characteristics of the former dynasty and the latter. Very local architectural features.
Tongxing Escort | Escort Museum
Escort, the amulet of Shanxi merchants in the cold weapon era. In the ancient city of Pingyao, there is a ruins of a bodyguard agency called "Tongxing Public Bodyguard Bureau". In the Qing Dynasty, it was one of the famous bodyguard bureaus in the whole country.
The story of the large-scale sitcom "Seeing Pingyao Again" revolves around the honesty of the Tongxing Escort Bureau.
Tongxing Escort Bureau was founded by Wang Zhengqing martial arts master in the fifth year of Xianfeng in Qing Dynasty (1855). Wang Zhengqing, courtesy name Song'an, nicknamed "Mianwang", was born in Nanliangzhuang, Pingyao.
It is said that one of the most powerful things that the Tongxing Public Escort Bureau has done is that the Allied Forces of Eight Powers broke through the city of Beijing. When the Empress Dowager Cixi fled westward, the treasury was empty and there was no cash to bring. Arrived in Pingyao, took stock of 930,000 taels of silver. The responsibility of the imperial bodyguard is too great, no one dares to be the bodyguard of this imperial bodyguard, only the Wang family of the Tongxing public bodyguard bureau dares to take it. The bodyguard team escorted Yinliang to Xi'an safely, without any difference. Empress Dowager Cixi was very happy, and rewarded a plaque for discussing the narration by decree, and presented a yellow flag. Afterwards, the royal family escorted the darts, and there were yellow flags on the dart cars, and the business was booming because of this.
The picture above shows the imperial plaque of "Following the decree to discuss the narrative" rewarded by Empress Dowager Cixi
The surname of the Chief Escort is written on the Escort Flag, and the word "Wang" represents Wang Zhengqing of Tongxing Escort Bureau. That is to say, you will definitely encounter some robbers on the way of bodyguards. If you are the bodyguard of a powerful master, the bodyguard of a famous master, most people would not dare to rob, so before robbing the bodyguard, first look at the flag on the bodyguard flag. surname.
Two dart boxes. There is also a built-in lock inside the box, which plays the role of anti-theft. It needs to be opened with two keys side by side.
Shanxi belongs to the Loess Plateau area, and there are many trails in Yangchang. It is easier to push with this kind of wheelbarrow. Only one wheel is suitable for walking on rugged mountain roads, but it is difficult to master the balance.
In the early days, the Escort Bureau was used to escort letters for the imperial court, called Xin Escort. Later, the main business of the Escort was to escort the silver darts for the ticket numbers, which formed the two major darts of the Escorts; Escorting some clothes, objects, jewelry and personal safety for some wealthy guests, this has formed the three major dart systems of food darts, material darts, and personal darts, which are the six major dart systems of the escort agency, namely; letter darts There are six kinds of darts: , ticket dart, silver dart, food dart, material dart, and personal dart.
The "Escort" Bureau was originally composed of some sports enthusiasts, so the Escort Bureau has a great relationship with the Jianghu, and the status of the Escort players in the Jianghu is very famous. The copper plate in the picture above, the tour guide said that when people in the rivers and lakes retire, the gold plate is used to wash their hands.
"Bart" was a weapon used by martial arts practitioners in the past, but bodyguards are all martial arts practitioners, and they often use this so-called "bodyguard". Over time, this industry is called "bodyguard bureau" . The dart box pictured above is made of elm wood, weighing tens of kilograms, and very strong.
The Escort Museum also collects the weapons and martial arts secrets used by the bodyguards, all of which are displayed.
As a high-risk occupation, bodyguards are most afraid of martial arts pretentiousness, and focus on quick combat skills. This back garden is the place where bodyguards used to practice martial arts. Tai Chi Yin Yang gossip food trough, two hands pull the ball back and forth, you can practice arm strength; There are sandbags, and I practice Sanda.
Escort is the security industry in early China. With the rise of Shanxi merchants, it provided a splendid historical platform for the prosperity of Escort. After the rise of Pingyao ticket office in the middle of Qing Dynasty, Pingyao business also began to enter the golden age. They are the era of cold weapons. However, with the decline of Shanxi merchants, the popularization of China's railways, and the popularity of foreign guns, the Escort bid farewell to its glory and escaped into the dust of history.
A Tale of Rise and Prosperity | Ticket Number Museum
The traffic network of Pingyao Ancient City is composed of four criss-crossing streets, eight small streets, and seventy-two alleys. Among them, South Street is the central axis of the ancient city. During the Qing Dynasty, South Street once controlled more than 50% of the country's financial institutions. Known as China's "Wall Street".
Intersecting South Street is West Street, which is called by Mr. Yu Qiuyu: "the country grandfather of the Bank of China", and it is on this street that Rishengchang Ji was born.
Rishengchang is the first bank in China. It is the first of its kind in China's national banking industry. It once controlled the economic lifeline of the entire Qing Dynasty in the 19th century. Its semicolons spread over more than 30 cities across the country, as far as Europe, America, Southeast Asia and other countries, and it is famous for "connecting the world".
Rishengchang was originally engaged in the pigment business, because their business is very large and there are many branches across the country.
At that time, Shanxi merchants were engaged in the trade of goods, and with the convenience of transportation, transactions became more and more active. Many Shanxi merchants entrusted Rishengchang to take the money out of Pingyao. The general manager Lei Lutai saw the blue ocean inside, and suggested to his owner Li Dajin to change the pigment store into a ticket number. Very rich, wealth increased sharply, and the ticket office industry spread from Shanxi to the whole country and developed quickly.
Ticket numbers have number rules, and through a set of meticulous employment and work systems, the normal operation of ticket numbers is ensured.
There are clear regulations on the management of finance owners, managers, and buddies' responsibilities, checkout, friends visiting relatives, account books, and letters.
The employees of Rishengchang Bank are roughly divided into two categories, one is ordinary salaried employees, and the other is well-off management. From the age of 13 to 15, before entering the ticket office, the boy from the ticket office has to investigate the three generations of his ancestors and find a guarantee. Only local people are recruited. Letter drafts, etc., and should practice calligraphy and bead arithmetic. During this period, the ticket office only needs basic food, housing and transportation, but no salary. The young man needs to go through five years of apprenticeship, and the owner and the shopkeeper agree that he can be hired as a regular employee of the ticket office. At this time, the salary starts from 15 taels of silver, and the cap is 80 taels. The salary standard is higher than the income of the county magistrate. At that time The magistrate of the county also has a salary of 45 to two years.
The picture shows Rishengchang's letter room.
In the ancient city of Pingyao, there is also a ticket number museum called Weitaihou. Weitaihou was originally a silk shop opened by Jiexiu Hou's family. Hou saw that Rishengchang's business was booming after it was changed from a paint shop to a ticket number. No one can operate the ticket number. It just so happened that Rishengchang's deputy manager, Mao Honghui, had a disagreement with the manager, Lei Lutai. Mao Honghui was excluded, and Hou took the opportunity to pull him over.
In the 14th year of Daoguang (1834), Weitaihou was officially changed into a ticket office, and the four firms of Weifenghou, Weishengchang, Tianchengheng, and Xintaihou were reorganized and operated as a ticket office, breaking the monopoly of Rishengchang all over the world. In the current situation, there has been a situation of fierce competition between the two major factions.
Wei Taihou's underground vault has a huge area.
There is also a secret passage in Wei Taihou's treasury, which can be used to escape and transfer property at critical times.
Shanxi merchants rely on credit to go all over the world. With the entry of foreign modern banking and the rampant inflation in the late Qing Dynasty, they still insisted on using silver to exchange money for customers. This also accelerated the decline of bank numbers and finally became history.
Baichuantong | Shanxi Merchants Private Museum
Baichuantong was founded in the 10th year of Xianfeng in Qing Dynasty (1860). Cai Dong became rich by "going to the west entrance" and accumulated rich capital in half a century of business. He is known as one of the eight richest Shanxi merchants. Baichuantong is the hope that "all rivers lead to the sea, the wealth will flow in, the water will come naturally, and the stream will flow endlessly". This residential building on South Street is the best-preserved storefront.
The Qu family bank has been in business for 60 years. After analyzing the market, the Qu family resold it before the bank declined, leaving behind a large number of precious furniture. Most of the valuable furniture collected in the museum today are The original objects at that time, through these high-end furniture, the audience can learn from the side how the Shanxi merchants in the Qing Dynasty prospered and how rich they were, and at the same time understand some of the history of the development of Chinese furniture.
The silver cellar in the wing room was a key place for storing silver in the ticket office, and its location is very secret.
The backyard is composed of the Buddhist hall, the lady's boudoir, the living room of the family members and the family hall of the main house. The exhibits mainly include the Manjusri Bodhisattva made in the Ming Dynasty, and various ancient chairs, such as Zen chairs, lady chairs, Taishi chairs, Wen chairs, circle chairs, Top chairs, four-year-old official hat chairs, etc., reflect the hierarchical differences and etiquette procedures of feudal society.
Shanxi Merchants Museum has four housing estates and 11 quaint old houses. The entire building complex is magnificent, classic and deep. It is a typical Qing Dynasty architecture in northern China and is worth seeing.
Pingyao Food | What to eat when traveling
As a city with a long history, Pingyao has a lot of delicious food. When traveling to Pingyao, what are the must-eat foods? The following Lewan Jun will introduce 13 delicious dishes for everyone, people who like to eat food, let's take a look!
Wantuo is the most famous snack in Pingyao. Its appearance is similar to that of jelly. It is crystal clear and bright, pink and white and slightly green. Pingyao Wantuo is said to have been created by Dong Xuan, a famous chef in the late Qing Dynasty. Passing by Pingyao, he ate the bowl and was full of praise, and his reputation has been greatly shaken ever since.
Shanxi bowls are divided into white noodles and buckwheat, while Pingyao bowls belong to the white noodles school, which emphasizes strength.
There are two ways to eat the bowl, cold and stir-fried. Stir-fry and add potato chips, it seems to be more delicious.
This is the most traditional bowl holder. The boss personally gave it to us for tasting. It has a smooth taste, and the addition of chili is very strong, hot and sour.
When you come to the ancient city of Pingyao, Pingyao beef is at the top of the list of must-eat foods. With its long history, unique craftsmanship, profound culture, pure fragrance and rich nutrition, Pingyao beef has become a wonderful flower in the ancient city of Pingyao. , and become the first choice of food for tourists who come to Pingyao Ancient City.
Pingyao Beef is a famous traditional dish in Pingyao County. In the ancient Han Dynasty, there was a description of beef processing that "sell knives to buy calves, sell knives to buy cattle, and do a job with ease."
Beef can be found in many places in China, but Pingyao beef respects the beef itself. It is characterized by its ruddy color, the texture of the meat is clearly visible, and its appearance is very attractive. It tastes tender and fragrant, and its chewiness is basically beef a feeling of.
If you ask what is the first dish in Shanxi? The first thing many people think of is fried pork. Basically, 90% of restaurants in Shanxi have this dish. Fried pork is the most famous traditional dish of the Han nationality in Shanxi Province. It originated in the Ming Dynasty and was originally a famous dish in the government. It was later spread to the folks in Taiyuan and then gradually spread to other areas of Shanxi.
Shanxi "over-oiled meat" has its unique features from material selection to knife work, from pickling to cooking, especially in the use of seasonings, which clearly reflects the local flavor characteristics of Shanxi. Shanxi people like to be jealous, and they are very particular about the use of vinegar in cooking. The method of using vinegar in this dish is an example.
Fried silly eggplant, with a layer of sugar glue on the surface, crispy on the outside and crispy on the inside, very delicious.
Corn buns, add some meat stuffing, wrap them in the buns and eat together. It tastes better when paired with various soups.
The pasta in the world depends on China, and the pasta in China depends on Shanxi. A bowl of "Acacia Noodles" can best relieve the nostalgia of wanderers.
A ball of dough is kneaded and kneaded for the longest love, kneaded into cat ears, pulled into small pieces; stretched out a piece of noodles, what is pulled is warmth; pulled off a piece of dough, what is pulled out is longing; boiled in boiling water, diced eggplants are poured with juice . In Pingyao, eating a bowl of noodles is a kind of feeling.
Sliced noodles are a kind of snack with strong characteristics in Shanxi. Its popularity and taste are among the best. This bowl of sliced noodles with Pingyao beef, the noodles are relatively long, the taste is strong, and it is super delicious.
栲栳栳 is a famous pasta in Pingyao. According to folklore, the origin of the name of the oatmeal 栲栳栳 is related to Tang Taizong Li Shimin. At that time, Li Shimin led his troops to pacify the Central Plains, because most of the soldiers came from Shanxi. You can also eat pasta from your hometown; so whenever Li Shiwen wants to reward the soldiers of the army when he wins a big battle, he will ask the cooks to make oatmeal 栲栳栳 to relieve the soldiers' homesickness. 栲栳栳 is "reward" the meaning of.
"栲栳栳" is a kind of noodle food made with oat noodles. What we ate was an innovative version made by rolling thin noodles into hollow rolls and stir-frying. The traditional version of oat noodles is steamed.
The yellow rice cake made from millet that has been peeled off is a rare sweet, glutinous and soft snack in Pingyao. Yellow rice cakes are usually decorated with a few jujubes and kiwi fruits. It tastes sweet, glutinous and soft, flexible and firm, and does not stick to the teeth. When you bite into it, your mouth will be full of the fragrance of millet.
Noodles rubbed with fish is also a kind of pasta that is often eaten in Pingyao.
After rubbing with your hands, it becomes a fish shape with sharp ends and a thick middle, hence the name. It is like a bowl, and it can be served cold or hot. People in Pingyao also make many oat noodles, with different shapes, different steaming methods, and different flavors.
Mixed Vegetable Balls, this is a ball made with several kinds of vegetables mixed, the taste is crisp and refreshing, very special. There are also two sauces on the side for tasting.
Scallion tofu soup, a very homely Shanxi dish, contains carrots, ham sausage, etc. Especially after eating noodles, it is the most comfortable to drink this soup to clear the intestines.
Finally, let’s talk about the food in Datong. You must try the Beipai Copper Hot Pot when you come to Datong.
Copper hot pot has a milestone role in the development history of Datong hot pot. Copper is an important element of the urban civilization of the thousand-year-old city of Datong. Copper has a deep relationship with the city of Datong.
The history of copper hot pot can be traced back to more than two thousand years ago, and Datong had a copper casting industry. During the Northern Wei Dynasty, it enjoyed a high reputation. Since the Tang and Song Dynasties, Datong bronze wares have been sold well all over the country.
"Da Comrade" records: "Although Datong is not a copper area, copper products are quite famous. They are of high quality and low price, and they are mostly shipped to Outer Mongolia. The bulk of the products sold include copper pots, copper pots, etc., especially hot pot. "Among all kinds of copperware, Datong copper hot pot is the most famous.
Datong is located in the land of northern Shanxi. In winter, the weather in northern Saibei is rough and cold. According to legend, Zhu Gui, the son of Zhu Yuanzhang in the Ming Dynasty, was troubled by the cold wine and cold dishes at the long banquet in the cold winter. Later, artisans were summoned to develop a tableware that combines the charcoal under the tripod and the broth inside the tripod - copper hot pot. The picture shows the "Datong Copper Hot Pot" which uses charcoal as fuel to cook.
Datong Copper Hot Pot In July 2014, the craftsmanship of Datong copperware was included in the fourth batch of national intangible cultural heritage list.
The appearance of "Datong Copper Hot Pot" is simple and vigorous, and at a glance, it looks like a resplendent fairy pavilion. The hot pot is composed of six parts: the chassis, the fire seat, the pot body, the pot cover, the fire tube, and the tube cover. It is shaped like a tower and is about a foot high.
In terms of taste, assorted hot pot is most people's favorite. Meat includes Datong’s traditional grilled meat strips, steamed meatballs, ribs, beef, etc., with fungus, cabbage, dried beans, etc., refreshing but not greasy.
Hukou Waterfall | Linfen
Shanxi has beautiful mountains and rivers, and the uncanny craftsmanship of nature has bred innumerable mountains and rivers. It is a famous tourist province. When traveling to Shanxi, one of the most worthwhile attractions is the world's largest yellow waterfall - Hukou Waterfall.
Hukou, listening to the heartbeat of the Yellow River
Hukou Waterfall is located in Hukou Town, Jixian County, Linfen. It is also a scenic spot at the junction of Shanxi and Shaanxi. The 5,400-kilometer Yellow River is the most spectacular here. The waterfall it falls is like a galloping horse, very magnificent.
The water flow of Hukou Waterfall is very large. When the water of the Yellow River reaches Hukou Waterfall, the torrent rushes forward bravely. We are already in winter in November, and the flow of the Hukou Waterfall is not very large, but it is still shocking enough.
Hukou was named because the Jiuqu Yellow River flows from the north to the Shanxi-Shaanxi Gorge. Before it flows through Hukou, the river upstream of the waterfall is compressed to a width of only 300 meters. Suddenly, a crack appears in the ground like a collapse, thousands of Cubic meters of river water are poured into a stone trough with a drop of more than 30 meters, which is shaped like a huge pot filling water, hence the name Hukou.
Hukou Waterfall is the location of RMB 50. It is well-known both at home and abroad for its grandeur. The Yellow River is the root of Chinese culture. Every descendant of the Yellow River is worth coming to see this mother river.
The picture shows smoke from the bottom of the water. Due to the change of water potential and seasons in Hukou Waterfall, there will be eight wonders, such as smoke from the bottom of the water, thunder in dry weather, colorful bridges reaching the sky, mountains flying into the sea and so on.
Hukou Scenic Area is a national-level key scenic spot integrating natural and cultural landscapes with Hukou Waterfall as the main landscape. There are also many historical traces around the waterfall, such as the "Dragon Cave" 49 meters away from the waterfall. It was chiseled by Yu when he controlled the water. The depth of the cave is 13.8 meters, and the area of the platform under the cave is 118 square meters. You can go down the spiral stairs to the bottom of Hukou. Looking up, the waterfall descends from the sky like a rushing and roaring yellow dragon, just like the poet Li Baiti's "The River of the Yellow River". The water comes up from the sky, rushes to the sea and never returns"; the real artistic conception in ancient poems.
The Dragon Cave is composed of two parts: the Waterfall Viewing Well and the Waterfall Viewing Platform. Inside, you can enjoy the four wonders of the Dragon Palace Water Curtain Cave, the Changhong Lying on the Waves, the Smoke Under the Water, and the Dragons Raising the Waves.
The Yellow River has been surging for thousands of years, giving birth to Chinese civilization. The Chinese people call the Yellow River the mother river. Hukou Waterfall is a gift from nature to mankind. As a descendant of Yan and Huang, coming to Hukou to listen to the heartbeat of the Yellow River at a close distance is to experience the Yellow River culture. best choice.
Local specialties in Ji County, delicious on the tip of the tongue
The food in Ji County is different from other places in Shanxi. There are authentic Shanxi dishes, sometimes mixed with north and south. It is also common to add some chili to stews and stir-fries, such as fried cabbage and so on.
The picture shows green vegetables with fungus and chili peppers. Do as the Romans do, just like we add oysters to stir-fried vegetables in Guangdong’s oyster village.
When you come to Hukou, the must-eat special dish is the Yellow River carp. Bai Juyi, a great poet in the Tang Dynasty, once wrote poems and Fu for him, calling him "Dragon Fish".
Yellow River carp, Songhua perch, Xingkai Lake fish, and Songhua River salmon are the four famous fish in my country. The Yellow River carp is a kind of natural and precious fish species living in the Yellow River. Since ancient times, there has been a saying that "it eats fish, but the carp of the river", and the Luo carp is as expensive as cattle and sheep. The delicacy is quite popular among people.
There are many techniques for cooking carp. The most popular one is braised carp. The meat is tender and delicious, super delicious.
The most representative noodle dish in Jixian County - Xunzi Noodles. This kind of noodles is mixed with warm water, salt and a small amount of alkali. The noodles are hand-rolled, but the noodles are long and even, and they taste strong. They are also served with a miscellaneous mushroom soup, which is perfect for eating with mixed noodles.
Jixian handmade buns are similar to our Guangdong steamed buns, so they must be eaten while they are hot.
A must-eat dish in Shanxi, Shanxi stewed dishes are common snacks in farm recipes. The stewed dishes are rich in content, the soup is delicious and rich in nutrition. The main raw materials of stewed dishes are generally sliced meat, tofu, potato cubes, Shanghai greens, Chinese cabbage, meatballs, eggplant, beans, kelp and vermicelli.
Stewed Carrot Chicken Soup
The special dish - yellow rice cake, the white in the middle is white sugar, the taste is light, the viscosity is high, waxy, it is a good food to supplement calories.
Over-oiled pork is the most classic local delicacy in Shanxi, and it has been served in every meal these days.
The oily meat is made of lean meat that has been sized and oiled, and then fried with natural black fungus, mushrooms, and garlic sprouts. When eating noodles, it's good to mix them with a few chopsticks.
To sum up after 4 days, a major feature of Shanxi cuisine is that it is both a dish and a staple food at the same time. Like noodles, they can be changed into the same pattern, fried, stewed, soup, or mixed with vinegar. This is obviously different from our Cantonese staple food, which is rice.
There are many accommodation options in Jixian County and Hukou Scenic Area, ranging from farm inns to star-rated hotels. The prices are usually relatively moderate, and the accommodation generally provides breakfast. The millet porridge for breakfast here is very delicious.
We chose to use the principle of proximity and chose the hotel next to the gate of Hukou Scenic Area, which is very convenient.
Although the room is relatively simple, it is finally warm.
Wang Family Courtyard | Jinzhong
Shanxi is the cradle of Chinese civilization and has a very long history, the biggest influence of which is Shanxi merchant culture. Shanxi merchants not only created the honesty-based Shanxi merchant culture, but also created the compound culture representing the characteristics of northern folk houses, leaving a precious spiritual heritage for later generations.
Among the big families of Shanxi Merchants culture, the most representative one is the Wang Family Courtyard. Now this place has become a must-see attraction for many people who come to Shanxi. This place is full of history, and it also attracts many people who want to know more about it.
The Wang family compound is known as "the Wang family does not visit the courtyard when they come back". The courtyard is huge, like a palace. It is a master of residential buildings in the Qing Dynasty, through which you can feel the unique historical atmosphere of the Shanxi Merchants era. The total area of the Wang Family Courtyard is 250,000 square meters, much larger than the 4,175 square meters of the Qiao Family Courtyard in "Raise the Red Lantern". The courtyard currently restored and open for viewing only accounts for one-fifth of the total area.
The Wang Family Courtyard is located in Jingsheng Town, Lingshi County, Jinzhong, Shanxi Province. It was built by the descendants of the Taiyuan Wang family, one of the four major families in Lingshi County in history.
The ticket gate of the scenic spot is at the east gate, and the word "Yinzhu" is written on the top of the tall tower. It is said that it means that the purple air is coming from the east. The original meaning of the owner is "respectfully, welcoming the sunrise".
After passing through the east gate, you will come to the Gaojiaya Building Complex, which was built by Wang Rucong and Wang Rucheng, two brothers of the Wang family, in the early years of Jiaqing in the Qing Dynasty. It is an "irregular" shaped castle.
The courtyard wall is tall and thick, and the courtyard gate is not wide. There are stone lions at both ends of the gate, and there are horse-holding posts and horse-dismounting stones beside the gate.
The Gaojiaya complex is composed of two three-entry courtyards. The architectural pattern inherits the courtyard style of the front hall and the back bedroom formed in the Western Zhou Dynasty in China. It not only provides enough space for external exchanges, but also meets the requirements for internal privacy. High and low are equal, seniors and young are orderly, men and women are different inside and outside, and living functions are all available, which fully reflects the majesty of the official family and the regularity of the patriarchal ritual system.
The courtyard also retains the form of a cave dwelling, which is very special. The five-hole cave dwelling with eaves and corridors above the front steps is the residence of the elders.
Inside and outside the entire compound, up and down the house, inside and outside the room, you can see exquisitely carved architectural artworks everywhere. The carving skills are uncanny, extraordinary and unique. Among the most talked about are the "three carvings": brick carvings, wood carvings, and stone carvings, which can be called the "three wonders" of the Wang family.
On the stairs in the academy, there is a stone sculpture of a monkey riding a horse in a realistic shape. It has a unique concept and has the meaning of "immediately conferring a prince". There is also a female monkey carrying a baby monkey and a hornet's nest, implying "generational conferring a prince".
These works of art are rich in carvings from eaves, bucket arches, stone drums, doors and windows, and are exquisitely crafted, flexible and lifelike.
The brick carvings, wood carvings, and stone carvings of the Wang Family Courtyard use a large number of various symbols, metaphors, homonyms, and even taboo art forms recognized by secular concepts. Bricks, or carved in stone, or engraved in wood, reflect the style of architectural decoration in the Qing Dynasty, integrating Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism and traditional folk culture.
With its exquisite architectural art and profound cultural heritage, the Wang Family Courtyard, which has experienced hundreds of years of vicissitudes, is exuding more and more unique charms, leaving future generations to observe its appearance and understand its meaning.
For example, in order to educate their daughter-in-law, the Wang family carved stone carvings of twenty-four filial nuns on the cornerstone of the Dongpei kiln wall where the daughter-in-law lived. Let Wang's daughter-in-law review and reflect on everything from time to time.
In this picture, the grandmother Mrs. Tang feeds her mother-in-law with her own milk, and at the same time asks the servant to pull the unweaned son away. In the picture, there is a cat holding a bird on the stone steps, and the cat is very old.
Twenty-Four Filial Piety Stories--Nursing Aunts Don't Slack. Cui Shannan’s great-grandmother, Mrs. Changsun, entered old age and lost her teeth. Grandmother Mrs. Tang fed her mother-in-law with her own milk every day. Later, Mrs. Changsun stopped eating other meals and was still in good health. When Mrs. Changsun was seriously ill, she called the whole family together and said, "I can't repay the bride's kindness. I hope the bride's descendants and daughters-in-law will respect her as she respects me." As I told you, honor your grandmother Mrs. Tang.
On the cornerstone of the wall of the Xipei Kiln where the descendants live, there are engraved servants for the mother, Wu Niu panting the moon, and Haima Liuyun.
"Haihorse Flowing Clouds" In ancient times, there was a horse flying in the sky, and the seahorse is a horse that can fly, and it can be used to ascend to heaven and travel around the world. Here is the master's warning to future generations that men should dare to imagine, let go and do it boldly, and the spirit of Shanxi merchants who are brave and enterprising.
Twenty-Four Filial Piety Stories--Being a domestic servant to provide for one's mother. Jiang Ge lost his father when he was young, and he served his mother extremely filially. During the war, Jiang Ge fled with his mother on his back. He encountered bandits several times, and the bandits wanted to kill him. Later, he moved to Xiapi, Jiangsu Province, and worked as a hired worker to support his mother. He was poor and barefoot, but his mother needed a lot.
If you want to know how Shanxi merchants did business at that time, you can come to the ancestral hall of the second Wang Rucheng, which contains a brief history of his family's fortune. In the ancestral hall sits Wang Shi in the middle. It is said that Wang Shi was the first to move from Taiyuan in the Yuan Dynasty. He lived in Jingsheng and was revered as the ancestor of the Wang family. Wang Shi makes a living by farming, and also sells tofu. It can be said that the Wang family started by selling tofu.
From the third generation into the Ming Dynasty, in the Ming Dynasty, the Wang family was mainly engaged in business. Until the 12th year of Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty, when Wu Sangui rebelled, the 14th generation Wang Qianshou and Wang Qianhe were making leather goods and mules in the Inner Mongolia area of Shandong, Hebei. business, donated 24 military horses to the Qing court with the advantage of selling mules and horses, and then raised military rations for the court. Kangxi Longyan Dayue gave everyone a fourth-rank official. There were 101 officials from the fifth rank to the second rank. The old and rare Wang Qianshou participated in the banquet of thousands of old men in the 61st year of Kangxi, and was awarded the leading crutches by the emperor. The Wang family participated in the four banquets of thousands of old men held in the Qing Dynasty. It can be seen that the political and social status of the Wang family was very high at that time.
To sum up, Shanxi merchants represented by the Wang family closely followed the national strategic deployment in the early days of the founding of the Qing Dynasty. When the country needed it, they contributed more to it. After the country stabilized, they would do the opposite and give back to you.
From the ancestor worship hall, you can go to the backyard of the second eldest Wang Rucheng. You can see a bed with yellow cloth in the main kiln. It is said that Cixi lived in it when she fled westward.
Of course, the size of the Wang Family Courtyard alone is not enough to compare with the Forbidden City. The various treasures in the Forbidden City are as important as the building itself. In the Wang family compound, there are also many treasures preserved, such as the imperial decree of Emperor Jiaqing, the complete picture of the Qing Dynasty's Wannian rule of the world, etc. The plaques all reflect the prosperity of the Wang family during the Qing Dynasty.
This imperial decree was issued to the royal family during the Jiaqing period. It is not only a precious physical material left by the ancestors of the Wang family, but also has reference value for the study of the evolution and development of Qing Dynasty history, document system, official system, calligraphy, knitting, etc.
The Complete Map of the Ten Thousand Years of the Qing Dynasty’s Unification of the World: The “Comprehensive Map of the Ten Thousand Years of the Qing Dynasty’s Unification of the World” displayed in the hall of Ningruiju is a printed version, but it is a valuable scientific material for studying the historical changes of China’s borders and administrative regions. See the mark of Guangzhou City on the map?
Opposite the Gaojiaya complex is the Red Gate Fort complex. The Red Gate Fort was mainly the place where the royal family lived for generations. The two forts are connected by a bridge.
The Red Gate Fort complex, the whole building is built against the mountain. From the fourth year of Qianlong to the fifty-eighth year of Qianlong, it took 54 years to complete.
In the north-south direction of the castle, there is a main street paved with large river pebbles, called "Longlin Street". The street is 133 meters long and 3.6 meters wide.
The main street divides the West Courtyard into east and west areas, and there are three horizontal alleys in the east-west direction. The horizontal alley divides the West Courtyard into four rows in the north and south, and the building layout hides a "king" character.
Climbing up to the city gate tower, you can overlook the panoramic view of the compound and the scenery of Jingsheng Ancient Town and Mianshan.
Red Gate Fort is a typical northern fully enclosed castle complex. The body is rectangular in shape, low in the south and high in the north, surrounded by high walls along the mountains, with neatly concave and convex crenels built on the top, just like a city wall, with a maximum drop of 28 meters.
The fort wall is eight meters high on the outside, four meters high on the inside, and more than two meters thick. It is built with blue bricks. There are crenels on the fort wall. Outside the fort gate, facing the fort gate, there is a brick screen wall. There is a footpath on the left and right of the fort gate and the northeast and northwest corners of the fort wall to go up the fort wall.
Standing outside the Wang family compound, looking at the tall gate tower, you can feel the awe and majesty brought by the ancient Shang family.
Xiaoyi Temple is a key cultural relic protection unit in Jinzhong City. Xiaoyi Temple was expanded on the basis of Xiaoyifang. Emperor Qianlong decreed to build Xiaoyi Square for Wang Mengpeng, the fifteenth grandson of the Wang family, for his filial deeds. In the first year of Jiaqing, it was expanded into Xiaoyi Temple, which is now Wang's ancestral hall.
As a representative of Shanxi merchant culture, the Wang Family Courtyard has profound cultural blood. Inside the tall city walls, the culture and beliefs of the Shanxi merchant families are inherited. If you don’t visit the scene, you can hardly imagine that there will be a compound comparable to the imperial palace on the high slope of the loess. How powerful!
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