【Preface】

At the end of the lunar calendar, the pace of going home is getting closer and closer, and the Spring Festival is also getting closer. Say goodbye to the old year and welcome the new year. We always return to our hometown with anticipation at the end of the year year after year to celebrate the New Year. However, as time goes by, we will find that the taste of the year is getting weaker and weaker, and more often we will miss the New Year when we were young, when the taste of the year was very full. And this Spring Festival, why not take your family to the ancient city of Pingyao to celebrate the New Year, where you can still feel the most traditional taste of the New Year, as well as the most precious simplicity of childhood, and there are rich attractions here, feel it slowly, and experience a difference Chinese New Year.


【journey】

Day 1: Movie Palace (Trend Theme Exhibition) Rishengchang, Mingqing Street, Shilou, Weishengchang, Tianjixiang Museum, Synergy Celebration, Tongxing Gong, Baichuantong

Day 2: Weitaihou, Huiwulin, Ancient Residential Houses, Newspaper Museum, China Escort Museum, China Chamber of Commerce Museum, North China First Escort Museum, Shuanglin Temple, Zhenguo Temple, Erlang Temple, Pingyao County Government, Ancient City Wall

Day 3: Chenghuang Temple, Confucian Temple, Ma Family Courtyard, Qingxu Temple


An ancient cultural city with a history of 2,800 years, the Spring Festival is full of flavor

The ancient city of Pingyao is located in the central area of ​​Shanxi Province. It has a history of 2,800 years since the Western Zhou Dynasty. With a long history, Pingyao has always maintained the flavor of the year. There are a lot of annual custom items here, such as lion dance, writing Spring Festival couplets, sending ingots, twisting Yangko, and everything you saw when you were a child. These traditional annual custom items seem to bring me back to my childhood, and I am very moved.

Among all the annual custom items, my favorite is the lion dance. In ancient my country, when people’s life and entertainment were not so rich, there was no TV, and there was no Spring Festival Gala. During festive seasons, people used lion dance to pray for the new year. One person dances the head and the other dances the tail. Under the sound of gongs and drums, the performers dress up as lions and perform various movements of lions. I stopped and walked, watching the people singing and dancing in the ancient city of Pingyao. It was very festive, and it made people celebrate the lively Spring Festival in the most down-to-earth place.

Writing Spring Festival couplets is also an indispensable part of the traditional activities of the Spring Festival. In ancient times, there was a monster like "Nian" to bother people. Later, people found that it was most afraid of drumming and red, and every family would celebrate it in the New Year. Paste red paper on the door. Later, it gradually developed into writing auspicious words on the red paper to pray for good luck in the new year. There will also be a Spring Festival couplets delivery activity on site, and you can get it if you actively participate.

In the ancient city of Pingyao, you can see a variety of interesting New Year activities, such as performances of twisting Yangko dances in different colors, dressing up as the God of Wealth to give ingots to guests, and graceful dances with palm-leaf fans, etc., each of which is very interesting. Moreover, you can also experience these traditional activities, which are very participatory and will not make you feel bored during the Chinese New Year, so why hesitate, bring your family to experience the taste of the New Year!


Shuttle in every street, cross every river of history

The history of the ancient city of Pingyao can be traced back to the Western Zhou Dynasty. Qin Shihuang unified China, abolished the country, and implemented the system of prefectures and counties. At this time, Pingyao belonged to Taiyuan County. The test of a self-defense war, the time passed by the Tang Dynasty, under the development of time, Pingyao at this time has already become a business center. By the Ming Dynasty, it had developed into an important commercial and trade center in China. In the third year of the Qing Dynasty, the Rishengchang Bank was born, and the Pingyao merchant gang rose rapidly, further promoting the development of trade in the ancient city, which lasted for more than a hundred years. During the period of the Republic of China, transportation systems such as highways and railways were established, which promoted the opening of Pingyao. Time has gone to today, and Pingyao has become the prototype of a well-preserved ancient county in the Ming and Qing Dynasties in China.

There is such a quatrain to describe the beauty of Pingyao. In the ancient city of Pingyao, there are A traffic vein connecting the whole city, criss-crossing, composed of four main streets, eight small streets, and 72 alleys. South Street is one of them, stretching from the south gate to the south and north to the intersection of East and West Streets, it is more than 400 meters long, and there are pawnshops, pharmacies, bodyguard bureaus, shops and so on. In the Qing Dynasty, it controlled 50% or more of China's financial business. It was the CBD at that time. The most conspicuous thing in this ancient CBD was the city building. It was the only pavilion-style high-rise building in the ancient city. Quaint. People who travel to the ancient city will check in and take pictures at the city building.


Rishengchang, the originator of modern banks

In the history of our country, silver has always been one of the main monetary materials. "Silver" often represents currency, while "hang" is the title of a large commercial institution. The large financial institutions that deal with money are called banks. In Pingyao, Rishengchang is the originator of modern banks.

Rishengchang is located in the bustling area of ​​West Street in the "Wall Street" of the Qing Dynasty. It was formerly known as Xiyucheng Pigment Factory. In addition to the main factory in Pingyao, Rishengchang also has a branch in Beijing. Because of the development of commodity currency in the last years of Jiaqing in the Qing Dynasty, the circulation of money increased greatly, and it was very inconvenient for people to travel with a large amount of cash. During the Daoguang period, the pigment store was officially renamed Rishengchang Bank, and it operated Rishengchang in Pingyao. ticket.

Rishengchang covers an area of ​​1,386 square meters, with a total of 21 buildings. The main courtyard is along the north-south longitudinal axis, and there are two small courtyards. Such an ancient building, which is inconspicuous from the present point of view, developed semicolonically in the Qing Dynasty. It spread over more than 30 cities, and its birth promoted China's financial circulation, accelerated the operation of capital, and made an indelible contribution to the development of the famous industry and commerce at that time.

Today’s Rishengchang has become a ticket bank museum. The lanterns, eaves and ridges, the accounting room, and the big shopkeeper’s room all retain their previous appearances. We can also vaguely see the vigorous economic development of the past...


North China No. 1 Escort Museum, a career in darts at the tip of a knife

In ancient times, it was not as convenient for people to transport something as it is now to send a courier. There was a bodyguard bureau, and a certain amount of supplies had to be paid. Strength, so darts at that time were all about making a living on the tip of a knife.

At No. 22, Dongdajie Road South, Pingyao Ancient City, there is an Escort Museum covering an area of ​​more than 1,000 square meters. style. In the Escort, there is a separate accounting room, which is the financial office of the Escort. Generally, there is one accountant and two people who help the account. The one that operates the small business is called the counter room. It is mainly responsible for the small business of the bodyguard bureau. There is also a room for storing weapons. There are many swords, forks, and weapons. Back then, darts were very dangerous. Good weapons can protect yourself and your supplies. .

Walking down from the museum, I am more and more grateful for the development of the current society. The development of the express delivery industry and the insurance industry is inseparable from a peaceful and prosperous era. If it was in ancient times, it is impossible to imagine how difficult people's lives are. Send a gift Express delivery is a life of life, it is really difficult.


The Museum of China's Escort Bureau, the broken jade of the dart carrier

In life, we may often dislike the ordinary and boring life, and feel that life has no splashes. Then in the eyes of ancient dart carriers, the ordinary life is the most yearning, and the darts will be delivered to the guests safely and smoothly. It is the best time every time to get the silver money that should be obtained in your hand and finally return to the Escort safely.

At No. 61 Pingyao South Street, the Museum of the Chinese Bodyguard Agency is located here. The museum was formerly the site of the bodyguard bureau in the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties. Taking the development history of the Chinese bodyguard bureau as the main line, it will be the top ten bodyguard bureaus and top ten bodyguards in China during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Some anecdotes and anecdotes in the process of walking darts are shown in detail. Walking around the China Escort Museum, I am very happy that our life is safe, and I am grateful to those who have carried forward with heavy burdens. I will also cherish the current life, and I hope you will do the same.


China Chamber of Commerce Museum, Witnessing the Prosperity of the Past

In ancient times, agriculture was the mainstay. Although business people gained money, their reputation was not good. Most people would think that business people were relatively inferior. It was common to cheat each other by not fulfilling the contract. At this time, you will need The Chamber of Commerce came to mediate.

The China Chamber of Commerce Museum in Pingyao is a comprehensive and famous museum based on the historical changes of the China Chamber of Commerce, the management culture of the Chamber of Commerce as the center, and the association of people from all walks of life in business and industry. There are rich and detailed historical materials and real objects in the museum, which truly reflect the economic development of Chinese commerce in the turbulent history. It is worth visiting.


The ancient city wall, the best existing ancient city wall in China

Pingyao, known as "Ancient Tao" in ancient times, is a military fortress with three treasures, Shuanglin Temple, Zhenguo Temple and ancient city walls. The ancient city wall of Pingyao started from the establishment of the central capital in the Spring and Autumn Period, and was rebuilt in the third year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty. The ancient city wall of Pingyao has many horse faces, beautiful shape and complete defense facilities. It is the best existing ancient city wall in China.

As a city, the city wall was built mainly to prevent the invasion of foreign enemies. The ancient city wall of Pingyao was 10 meters high, and there was a moat outside the wall, which was one foot deep and one foot wide. There are also 6 city gates in the city, and suspension bridges, enemy towers, city towers, Kuixing Tower, Wenchang Pavilion, Dianjiang Tower, turrets and so on are set up outside the city gates. There are also several sculptures on the city wall, which vividly reflect how people use cannons, bows and arrows to resist foreign enemies when cannon fodder is flying.

Standing on the ancient city wall and looking far away, the green hills are still there, and the sunset is red several times. Pingyao under the winter sunset is a little less lively and a little more peaceful, with a feeling that it is too late. Solemn, lonely, all wars have turned into history, and the past is just a passing cloud.

Ma's Courtyard, the No. 1 Courtyard in Pingyao

In the period of the Republic of China, there were always one or two TV shows where the young lady fell in love with the guy who came to work as a long-term worker at home, or for the sake of happiness, the rich young master always had to let go of the girl who was a childhood sweetheart, and a peasant girl Marriage, the final outcome, or the wrong child was held in the arms when young, or the rich young master died, and the peasant girl supported the whole family. Such a plot must be in a wealthy family compound, and the Ma family compound in Pingyao can be used as a reference.

The above paragraph is purely for entertainment, but you can still see a lot from the bricks, stones, flowers and trees of the Ma Family Courtyard. The Ma Family Courtyard is hidden in the alleys of Pingyao, with a history of more than 170 years. , is the most historical and ornamental ancient residential building in Pingyao, Junyang. It contains three large courtyards, six small courtyards, and 197 houses. It integrates residential buildings, wealthy families, and the rise and fall of merchants. In those days, there was a folk saying, "Ma's underground treasury can't be pulled out and filled up", which shows the scenery of the deep house and compound in those days.

Because the Ma’s Courtyard is located in an alley, it is known as the “Night Pearl Hidden in the Cloth Bag”. When mentioning the courtyard, people probably think of the Qiao’s Courtyard in Shanxi. At that time, people would consider marriage more. The youngest daughter of the Ma Family Courtyard was married to Qiao Zhiyong at the time. Looking at the Ma Family Courtyard in Pingyao from the current point of view, one can see that it was once prosperous and unparalleled, covering an area of ​​nine acres. Pingyao " The first of the "Four Wealthy Merchants", the courtyard as a whole looks like a big "horse" character, which is a metaphor for the Ma family's business "horse to success" to a higher level.

The Ma family courtyard is an independent kingdom when the door is closed. When the door is opened, there are clear water bricks and tiles all around. The interior is rich and exquisite, without any superfluous. Even the tank in the yard has a great effect. "Sea" is used for firefighting. In addition to these necessary rooms for daily living, there is also a "flower room". The eldest wife lives in the main house, and the eldest wife buys a dowry for her. At that time, there was an allusion that "walking from the east courtyard to the west courtyard, the flowers were all scorched" is enough to illustrate the glory of the Ma family.

In addition to the thoughtful design of the house, the Ma family’s thoughts are also used in the family training. Do business with a "disadvantage" heart, maintain a "concession" heart when socializing, and maintain a "thrifty" heart in daily use... Such a home Take a lesson, presumably all the children from the Ma family are top-notch...

After walking out of the Ma family compound, I felt a lot of emotion. This is how the former richest man lived. From the layout of the house, we can see the details of life. The low-key personality may make the Ma family not as good as other big It is as famous as the hospital, but it has kept its own world in the troubled times.

Synergy Qing Bank, the largest underground vault in Pingyao

There are many scenic spots in the ancient city, but the one that impressed me the most is the largest underground vault in Pingyao, the Synergy Qing Bank. Xie Xie Qing is also a Chinese bank (ticket bank) museum. It is located in the South Street of the ancient city of Pingyao. It has the largest coin exhibition hall in the country. The epitome of the rise and fall of bank notes.

Walking into the Synergy Festival, you will find too many gold ingots and ancient money. You can imagine how prosperous this place used to be. If you want to get wealth in the new year, I think you will have good fortune if you come here to worship Guan Gong!


Shuanglin Temple, a treasure house of oriental painted sculpture art

In Pingyao, you must go to Shuanglin Temple. With a history of more than 1,400 years, this temple has a sense of antiquity. Six kilometers to the southwest from Pingyao is Qiaotou Village, where Shuanglin Temple is located.

Shuanglin Temple was originally called Zhongdu Temple, because this place was originally the old city of Zhongdu, so it was called Zhongdu Temple. There used to be a 7-storey pavilion here, which was in Gao Kewang Province. Although it was destroyed by fire, it can be seen from the cornerstone that this place was once so magnificent. The current Shuanglin Temple has been portrayed for several years, and it has a simple and quiet taste. An old tree in the temple has lost all its leaves, and the snow that fell in front has not completely melted, which adds a touch of solemnity to Shuanglin Temple.

Vajra glaring, Bodhisattvas lowering their eyebrows, Bodhisattvas and Buddhas in various poses can be seen everywhere in Shuanglin Temple. What kind of craftsmanship is used to color these, so that they can experience a history of more than 1,000 years without being stained with dust...

In the change of time, Shuanglin Temple guards one side of the world alone, and we should cherish Shuanglin Temple even more in the long river of time, cherish these crystallizations of ancient human wisdom, learn experience in it, and contribute to modern human civilization.


Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest wooden structure

Standing side by side with Shuanglin Temple is Zhenguo Temple located in Haodong Village, 15 kilometers northeast of Pingyao County. It was originally named "Jingcheng Temple" and later renamed Zhenguo Temple.

Zhenguo Temple covers an area of ​​10,892 square meters, with a construction area of ​​more than 5,000 square meters. There are two courtyards at the front and back of the temple, of which the front courtyard is built on the second floor of the Tianwang Hall and the left and right bells and drums. There are three main halls in the middle, also known as the Ten Thousand Buddha Hall, the Guanyin Hall in the east, and the Ksitigarbha Hall in the west, five in each, and the Three Buddha Hall in the middle. Each hall has different characteristics, so you can check in slowly.

The winter sun shines in Zhenguo Temple. The history of more than a thousand years makes Zhenguo Temple look simple and quiet. There are Tianwang Hall and Wanfo Hall outside the temple, and there are mountain gates like ordinary temples, including three The door is the door of emptiness, the door of no appearance, and the door of no work. In Buddhism, it is believed that one can obtain liberation by entering the door of liberation, which symbolizes the meaning of "three doors of liberation". The Hall of Heavenly Kings is the mountain gate of Zhenguo Temple. It was founded in the Yuan Dynasty. After several times of history and rest, it still retains the style of the Yuan Dynasty. It is worth checking in.

The wisdom of Chinese architecture is vividly expressed in the Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas in Zhenguo Temple. There are many Buddha statues in the Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas. None of the Buddha statues are the same. There is no nail inside, and all of them are made of wood. This structure stands for thousands of years and is not an ancient Chinese building. Great crystallization. Standing in Zhenguo Temple and looking at it from a distance, the historical situation has turned into a wisp of green smoke. Now everything is very quiet, so quiet that people can hear the sound of snow melting. When you look down, everything in the world has aura.


The ancient city is rich in scenic spots, 24 scenic spots are waiting for you to savor slowly

The ancient city of Pingyao, Shanxi, is attracting people with an open and inclusive attitude. In addition to various New Year projects that are highly participatory, there are also these ancient buildings from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The clearness, the majesty of the Pingyao County Government, and the tallness of the Confucian Temple, slowly taste, 24 places need to check in, each has its own reason for checking in, it is very worthwhile to come.


Yuanheng Restaurant is very popular

Every city has its unique style and its unique food taste. For a foodie, going to Pingyao to celebrate the Spring Festival is a feast on the tip of the tongue. Pingyao claims to have 108 kinds of food, mainly featuring noodles. . When I came to Pingyao this time, I chose Yuanheng Restaurant located on West Street. The authentic Pingyao food makes people want to try all the food in the restaurant.

The environment of Yuanheng Hotel is elegant. The two-story building is full of red lanterns. The red lanterns are hung high to reflect the festive style of the Chinese New Year. The decoration of the store and the decoration of the outside are self-contained, simple and elegant. There are dining counters and ordering counters. They are all very quaint, and eating in such an ancient city is a very enjoyable thing...

This time we ordered the signature dish beef. Beef is a major feature of the ancient city of Pingyao. You must try it when you come. The plates are arranged neatly on the plate, which makes people move their index fingers.

Camellia oleifera is also a food that you must try when you come to Pingyao. It is made of sorghum noodles and other whole grains. It is a bit like the combination of sesame paste and glutinous rice balls. It is salty and thick, and there is a little bit of sweetness revealed from the thick camellia oil, which is really heart-warming and stomach-warming.

The store also made different kinds of wine very interestingly, rice wine made from glutinous rice, rose wine and bamboo leaf wine with rose flavor, etc. Different wine varieties have different tastes. Eat a mouthful of mellow beef with a mouthful Sweet camellia, some dry food, and a sip of wine, this is life.


Green League, antique, very old-fashioned

When traveling, accommodation must be a very important option. The quality of accommodation directly affects the quality of travel. Choose a comfortable hotel. If the temperament of the hotel matches the local environment, then I think the choice is right. This time In Pingyao, I stayed in the very quaint Green Alliance Hotel.

GreenTree Alliance Hotel is located in the prime location of the ancient city of Pingyao. It is very convenient to go to any scenic spot. There is a restaurant in the annex. The decoration outside the hotel is simple and elegant. Just walking in is like walking into an inn in ancient times. It is very similar to the atmosphere of the ancient city. collocation.

The hotel room has a kang imitating the Ming and Qing Dynasties, with simple and elegant decoration, and it is not inconvenient to live in. The hotel furniture and equipment are very complete, the lighting is soft, and you will fall into a sweet dream immediately after sleeping at night. Looking out from the room, the snow has not yet melted in the dimly lit place. The coldness of winter and the warmth of the hotel form a sharp contrast, which makes people feel very heart-warming to rest here on vacation.


【postscript】

The Spring Festival is irreplaceable in the memory of Chinese people, but when more and more people suspect that it is necessary to spend the Spring Festival at home, I think it is appropriate to make some changes. This time in Pingyao, I I have regained the feeling of my childhood again. I feel the most traditional taste of the New Year here, and there are many scenic spots here. This kind of Spring Festival is very fulfilling. I recommend it to you. I hope you have time to take your family to Pingyao. Same Chinese New Year.