sequence

The winding roads, the turbulent Yellow River, and the ancient loess gave birth to Shanxi's extensive and profound cultural heritage.

We are fortunate to experience the root ancestor culture of Shanxi from north to south this winter. Buddhist culture in the Buddhist sanctuary of Mount Wutai in northern Shanxi; folk culture in Jinshang courtyards in central Jin; culture of the ancestors of the big pagoda tree in Hongdong in southern Shanxi

This trip to Shanxi is to embrace nature: the beautiful Beiyue Hengshan Mountain, the picturesque Yungang Grottoes, the overwhelming Hukou Waterfall of the Yellow River...Of course, there are also attractive food culture, ancient ruins, Buddhism Holy places and cultural landscapes are dotted all over. If part of the trip is to see life elsewhere, then in the ancient city of Pingyao, I saw an extremely beautiful part.

Although it has been a few days since I came back, it was the first time I saw the "true face of Lushan Mountain" in Shanxi, and the picture was like a PPT, lingering in my mind frame by frame.

Memories of Shanxi

It is the first time that I know that pasta can come in many forms such as sliced ​​noodles and rubbing; oat noodles can be made into long strips and circles.

It was the first time I saw the Yellow River roaring.

The Yungang Grottoes not only have Buddha statues, but also have a refreshing beauty.

The Hanging Temple is an architectural miracle on the abyss.

This is the first time I know that there are many types of vinegar

At night in winter, the streets of Datong are also brightly lit.

The ancient city of Pingyao is still majestic and majestic, and it is almost three thousand years old.

Walking in the ancient city in winter, it is still lively. The old man who crowed just said "the sky is dry and the things are dry, be careful of the fire and candles".

The following is the specific itinerary and location!

First Impression of "One" Ancient City

What is the ancient city of Pingyao like?

If Lijiang is a pure and beautiful girl, then Pingyao is a Gone with the Wind with profound heritage. 200 years ago, Shanxi Province was the lifeblood of China's economy. Many people who went out from here became wealthy merchants, known as Shanxi merchants.

It is one of the four existing intact ancient cities in my country. It was built in the Western Zhou Dynasty and has a history of more than 2,700 years. The building follows the traditional feudal ritual system of Zuozu Youshe, and Zhu Yuanzhang's policy of building high walls, and the Dacheng Hall of Confucianism Temple built in the Jin Dynasty and other streets and alleys form a huge gossip pattern. The strong cultural atmosphere of Shanxi merchants, the gray walls of the deep houses, and the sunset of the market buildings.

It has a total circumference of 6,163 meters and a wall height of about 12 meters. It divides Pingyao County with an area of ​​about 2.25 square kilometers into two worlds with different styles. The streets, pavements, and city buildings within the city wall retain the Ming and Qing dynasties; the outside of the city wall is called Xincheng.

Pingyao is good, only people who have been to Pingyao know. I like the food in Pingyao. I am woken up by the smell of tofu and deep-fried dough sticks every morning, steamed buns, pancakes...snacks and delicacies that do not change throughout the year will never feel boring.

I like the rhythm of Pingyao, it’s not too busy, I don’t have to squeeze the subway that will never be squeezed, and I don’t have to drag my tired body back to the empty rental house in the middle of the night. I like the human touch of Pingyao. There is no serious xenophobia here, but more gentleness. No matter where you are from, you will find friends here.

At night in the ancient city, the noise of the day has faded away, and there is a trace of tranquility and softness. Colorful lights, colorful neon, all kinds of styles in the night, like a net with boundless charm, let the night have more colors.

Arriving at Taiyuan Wusu Airport in the afternoon, it took only one hour for us to lie on the bed of the Deshenglou Inn and enjoy the evening time in the ancient city of Pingyao. The innkeeper picked us up from the high-speed rail station to the inn. The bricks with historical stories attracted me when I passed the small garden, and I couldn't help but take a picture of it.

There is a paper-cutting family in a small alley. Judging from the degree of rust on the billboards, they have been engaged in paper-cutting for a long time. Paper-cutting is a hollow art and a traditional folk art. It has a long history and unique style. Very popular among foreigners, the English word for paper-cut is "paper-cut".

In the ancient city, you can see old wires and brick-and-tile houses. There is also a chimney, according to my childhood memories, it is the smoke exhaust channel for burning kang or cooking at home.

After dinner, strolling along South Street, large and small bars, Qing Bar opened, singing the song "Peach Blossom Red, Apricot Blossom White, Looking for You Over Mountains and Mountains" that belongs to Pingyao. The Pingyao songs we are familiar with come from the theme song of "See Pingyao Again".

"2" There is an official culture here, which is the ancient county government

The official itinerary has begun. Pingyao is not mediocre. Its history and culture are accumulated over the years. We need to taste carefully and slowly.

In the morning, we mainly visited the ancient county government in the ancient city of Pingyao, which is one of the four complete existing ancient government offices in China and the largest existing county government office in the country. The entire building complex of the county government is orderly, patchwork, reasonable in structure, and is an organic whole.

"Pingyao county government office is the most ancient government office", a prompt from the 11th Panchen Lama once visited the county government office for inspection.

At the gate of the county government, there is a corresponding Zhaobi, and to the south of Zhaobi, people call it "Zhaobi South Street". In places where Shenming Pavilion is set up outside the county yamen, all disputes over civil marriage, land property, foundations, fights, etc. must be mediated by the chiefs of the various districts at Shenming Pavilion first. In other words, Shenmingting is a civil mediation office.

Passing through the gate of the county government, the second gate is the "Yimen". As the name suggests, "the gate of etiquette", the Yimen is usually closed and can only be opened when the county magistrate takes office, welcomes guests, or has major celebrations. To show grand.

In front of the ancient county government hall in the ancient city of Pingyao, tourists will see such a performance every day. A "county magistrate" with a cadenced northern accent ascends to the hall to decide the case. Modern hot words "travel" to the performance site from time to time, attracting onlookers burst out laughing. The capable and wise case-solving skills and meticulous reasoning are admirable. Although such scenes change from time to time, the constant theme of every performance is the Qing government for the people, punishing evil and promoting good. The performance of the county magistrate's ascension to the hall has become an effective form for the local area to promote the culture of clean government and carry out clean government education.

The most philosophical sentence in the lobby is "It is not honor to lose an official if you win an official. Don't say that an official is useless if you are not humiliated. The place depends on an official. Eat the food of the people and wear the clothes of the people. There is no way that the people can be bullied." , and he himself is a common people."

"Don't say that one official is useless, the whole region depends on one official" means the head of a county. Although the official is not big, it is the parental official that the people of one place rely on. Therefore, the quality of the county magistrate directly affects the survival of the people in Liming and the country Therefore, the imperial courts of all dynasties attached great importance to the selection of county magistrates, and the appointment of officials had very strict regulations.

In the lobby, on the screen in the middle, there is a picture of mountains and rivers facing the sun. The mountains are upright, the water is clear, and the sun is bright, which means "clean and honest". The place above the ground is called "tai", and the space surrounded by four pillars on the platform is called "official pavilion". , to provide heating for magistrates, so the official pavilion is also called "warm pavilion".

On the case, there are usually four treasures of the study, relics, gavel wood and other promotional items. There is a wooden frame next to the case, on which are placed official seals and letters of appointment. On the roof of the official pavilion, there are pictures of thirty-six cranes facing the sun, symbolizing the unity of imperial power and the unity of the four seas.

The east and west sides of the hall are the money and grain depot and the military equipment depot respectively. In addition to handing over the land tax and silver collected by the households, a part of the local government should be kept for local daily expenses and disaster relief during famine years. These expenditures and account books are It is stored in the money and grain depot, which is the responsibility of the county magistrate. Its function is equivalent to today's financial office. The arms depot on the west side is used to store torture tools and some weapons used in the promotion. And the place where the county government lists all the weapons and instruments of torture.

The second hall and the main hall are separated by a courtyard gate, which is called "house gate". On duty, idlers are not allowed to enter. The gate room is not only the reception room, but also the security department. Although Menzi's status is lowly, he is a confidant of the county magistrate.

Passing through the second hall, you will come to the daily life of the county magistrate—the inner house. The east and west rooms of the inner house are guest rooms, which can be used as a place to stay when superiors or friends from the same class or the same department come to visit.

The county government is most famous for its prisons, which have been in use for the longest time. Now only six prisons have been developed, and the water prisons for men and women have all been destroyed.

fetters

What do you think the shackles and handcuffs look like? Can you imagine the concept of shackles weighing more than 100 kilograms? Take a look at the picture below to understand. You won’t be able to run if you put it on for anyone. Wear leggings and practice every day. Maybe you will be the next scud.

station cage

Tailor-made according to the height of the prisoner. Fix the head on the top of the cage, and the prisoner can only stand in the cage. If you offend the third class of yamen servants and tie a stone to your body, you will die;

wooden donkey cart

After the ancient criminals were sentenced, they would have great social influence and arouse the public outrage, and they would be dragged out to the streets to show the public. The wooden donkey is the tool used to pull the prisoner. The county government used by women is not displayed, and the men used nails on the back of the wooden donkey. full of nails.

"Three" brewed in 48 days and ten miles of fragrance

I have long heard that in the ancient city of Pingyao, where the smell of vinegar is fragrant, there are many good vinegar and balsamic vinegar. You must visit it in person. Everyone is looking for the ancient city, but I prefer vinegar to seek vinegar! I searched for a lot of restaurants on South Street, and they felt very commercialized, but I couldn't find one that was enough for me to put my foot in the house. Just when we were about to give up and go back, our feet followed the scent of vinegar and walked into this mother's vinegar workshop. The house is full of large vats, and the aroma of vinegar is different from other houses. It turns out that it is brewed with ancient techniques. 

There is also a legend about the origin of "vinegar". After making wine, the winemaker felt that it was a pity to throw away the lees, so he stored it and soaked it in a vat. At the time of You on the 21st, as soon as the vat was opened, a scent that I had never smelled before came to my nostrils. Tempted by the rich aroma, I took a sip, and it was both sweet and sour, and the taste was delicious, so I stored it as a "seasoning paste". Later, the sour water was named "vinegar" by adding the word "尤" on the twenty-first day. It is said that until today, some vinegar factories still have 21 days to brew a batch of vinegar.

I learned from Niangjia Vinegar Workshop that the process of making vinegar by hand is as follows: first, steam the selected sorghum and make it into rice grains. Fermentation in tanks. The fermented raw material is called "vinegar head", then add wheat bran, rice bran, etc. and stir evenly, put it in a basket, vat or wooden box and wait for heating and fermentation. This fermentation process is also called alcoholization, which determines the flavor of vinegar. Alcoholic degree. The wine-making process takes five or six days. During this period, it must be turned continuously to dissipate heat from the mixed raw materials and wheat bran. Then put the vinegar unstrained spirits into the tank, and place it in the sun or in a cool and dry place, the longer the better. The next step is to pour vinegar. Put the vinegar unstrained spirits that have been placed for a period of time into the shower tank, then add boiling water, soak overnight, unplug the shower nozzle of the shower tank, and the vinegar will flow down. The vinegar has been filtered and can be used Eat it straight away. After drenching with vinegar, although the finished vinegar has been produced, good vinegar still needs to go through the indispensable link of aging. The advantage of aging is that it can make the new vinegar go through the vinegar reaction to produce the aroma of alcohol and mellow acid. The process of aging is called sun-dried vinegar or frozen vinegar among the people, and its traditional craft is called "summer sun-dried, winter ice-fished". Put the vinegar solution drenched in vinegar into the jar, seal the mouth of the jar with gauze, and place it in the sun to evaporate the water. If it is cold winter, put it outdoors to freeze it, and then remove the ice floes.

When it comes to "vinegar", we have to talk about Shanxi. Shanxi people like to eat vinegar, which can be called the best in the world. Vinegar is called acyl, so the nickname of Shanxi people is "Old Ai'er". "Eating noodles without vinegar is like eating rags", "If you have vinegar, you can eat bran, but without vinegar, meat will not taste good", "It is better to lose the burden of rice than to throw away the jar of vinegar." Shanxi people's dependence on vinegar, from these It can be seen in the proverb. In terms of geographical environment, Shanxi is located on the Loess Plateau, with a dry climate and highly alkaline water and soil. It is just right to neutralize it with acid. At the banquet in Shanxi, in front of everyone's tableware, like Cantonese people usually put a small dish of soy sauce, Shanxi people put a small dish of vinegar. In the past, before Shanxi people married their daughters, they inspected the man's family and counted the vinegar vats. If there are more vinegar vats, the family must be rich.

It is worth noting that while inheriting the techniques of their ancestors, the heirs of the natal vinegar workshop have introduced new products through the evolution of new products based on the needs of the market: various health vinegars, honey vinegar, spiced vinegar, etc., so that Shanxi vinegar is not only In Shanxi, you can travel all over the country and go out of the world. This is a great achievement, and it has become a manifestation of Jin culture that lasts and keeps pace with the times. The natal vinegar shop is at No. 104 South Street. It is next to Mijia Lane.

After visiting my natal vinegar shop, it was already lunch time. I chose the restaurant on South Street for dinner. After lunch, I took a rest at the inn. The inn is not far from the restaurant, so it is very convenient to go to various scenic spots. Feel the atmosphere of the restaurant~

"四"Let's go through together

When I first arrived at the theater of "Encounter Pingyao", I was still confused. Do we all have to stand and watch the show? Is it a new form of performance? I was thinking about finding a seat early.

"Encounter Pingyao" is different from those outdoor dramas that blend with mountains and rivers. It is completely performed in the theater indoors, and the appearance is really different. This is not a stage play that sits and waits to watch. The audience has to change scenes with the plot, be among the actors, and listen to their breathing and even their heartbeat.

An actor who was completely plain and covered with a white scarf came up to me, grabbed my hand and asked, "What year is it today?" When I was embarrassed and aphasic, he sighed deeply and disappeared into the dark house like a soul.

"Darts are out—" This sentence has been shouted for 200 years. When I think about it again, it is already modern. See also Pingyao, this palace of Han culture, every wall, every tile, every engraving and pattern here has 5,000 years of Chinese culture.

The "root" is the heart of a nation, and honesty and integrity are the "soul" in each body. "Seeing Pingyao Again" carries a kind of culture, a kind of sentiment, and a kind of national integrity. The profound Shanxi merchant spirit and the traditional culture of the Chinese nation contained in it are the most important in the hearts of Chinese people even if time goes by and the world changes. Warm and the most indestructible part.

An archway, a courtyard, and a room all tell a story. In this theater, every object is imprinted with the brand of ancestors. It can be said that the Pingyao Theater is not only a performance site, but also the ancestors who pass us by in the long river of history are also inheriting the culture of the Chinese nation. In particular, the ancestors with Shanxi merchant genes believed in honesty with a strong and humble spirit. More than 230 fresh lives were exchanged for one child. The benevolence of Pingyao City, the righteousness of Shanxi people and the traditional virtues of the Chinese nation are what this story wants to tell us. The virtues of the ancestors who "win the world with faith" and the wisdom of "gathering people with virtue" travel through time and space and penetrate people's hearts.

The most directly related to Pingyao is the Escort. After seeing Pingyao again, we decided to go to the Escort to see its prosperity and decline. See also Pingyao narrated the history of an Escort. The shopkeeper Wang hired two hundred and three people in the Escort. Twelve people sent him from Tsarist Russia to the ancient city of Pingyao. On the way, a man named Zhao Yishuo spent 300,000 taels of silver from his family property, just to protect a shopkeeper Wang, including 321 members of the bodyguard bureau. go down.

"Wu" the earliest logistics company in the world

In Chinese martial arts novels, movies, and TV dramas, escorts can be described as frequent visitors to promote the development of the plot. But in real history, Escort appeared very late.

What is the business and income of the Escort in real life?

Escorts use martial arts to protect the money or personal safety of their employers. Its business is mainly divided into two categories: one is to transport money and goods, that is, walking darts; The former is divided into six categories according to the escorted darts: letter darts (transmitting letters along the way), ticket darts (ticket number and silver taels), silver darts (cash silver), food darts, material darts (goods), and personal darts (protecting passengers); According to the purpose of protection, the latter is further divided into nursing homes (guarding houses), sitting shops (protecting shops from being harassed), and night vigils (protecting shops at night).

Because of the special nature of the bodyguard industry, once the situation is critical, all the staff often have to fight with their lives. Therefore, Escort has no small dishes for meals, and the shopkeeper and apprentices eat the same food. Although the food is not big fish and meat, rice and white noodles are guaranteed, which can definitely be regarded as a level that can only be enjoyed by families above the middle class in ancient society.

As soon as you enter the door, you will see a big dart, a long and narrow yard, with one room and two windows in the hatchback. There are no two doors in the yard, only a small screen wall stands as a partition, with the word "Dart" written on it, and a racing car stands in front of it.

Escort also has its own underground treasury, which is the place where the Escort temporarily stores the silver taels before escorting them. It can hold 5 million taels of silver, equivalent to RMB 375 million.

The Fall of the Escort

With the increasingly developed transportation and the rise of modern banks since modern times, the escort industry has gradually declined. The emergence of trains, banks, and ships has made the existence of escort agencies less and less meaningful. Escort agencies that emerged because of social and economic development eventually died out due to economic development.

"Land" work together to celebrate

Walking through the red-painted streets with tall lanterns under the eaves and corridors, and whispering the storyline of blue bricks and gray tiles, you will be led by a force to find the situation that human beings have never been able to get out of from the past to the present.

When I was a child, I didn't have much impression of the Xieqing Museum. I only remembered Rishengchang's words, "The most dangerous place is the safest place." But Rishengchang put important money in the cellar.

Synergy is known as the "Chinese bank museum". Located at the former site of South Street, Pingyao County, since its establishment in 1995, it has been the first private financial institution in China that specializes in deposits, loans, and meeting business.

Walking into the gate, there will be an interpreter dressed in the costume of the shopkeeper, explaining the prosperity and decline of Tongxieqing to us.

Entering the courtyard three times, there are nearly 100 houses. Financial organizations such as Qianzhuang, Yinhao, Piaohua, Accounting Bureau, and pawnshops, among which pawnshops have the longest history, followed by Qianzhuang.

The underground vault is very shocking, imagining what a magnificent scene it is filled with gold and silver. This is the closest to the reality of "discovering treasures" I have ever seen.

Shuttle back and forth in the underground vault, the bustling tourists who come to hunt for treasure, some people are keen to get in touch with the gold and silver treasures in the vault, and take photos with them, which seems to be a dream of wealth; Hands caressing a lifelike yellow golden dragon made of colored glaze, hovering on the pillar, and some people just take a look, looking up at the precious wealth left by their predecessors with a detached mentality that has nothing to do with me.

The scenic spots will close at six o'clock. After dinner, pressing the road on the street is also a way to relax.

At night, there will also be a big master who tells us "the sky is dry and the things are dry, be careful of the fire and candles". The ancient city of Pingyao allows tourists who come to Pingyao to pass through unintentionally all the time.

"Qi" a surname, a compound

I got up at seven o'clock in the morning, had a hurried breakfast, and then set foot on the road to the Wang family compound. I reserved a car the day before, 50 people (round trip). Tickets for the Wang Family Courtyard are 60 yuan, and student tickets are 30 yuan.

Wang is a surname, the surname is half of the country, the family is a courtyard, and the courtyard is half of the city.

Stepping into the maze, the first thing that comes into view is the tall screen wall. The horse-mounting stone and the flagpole stone in front of the gate, and the squatting stone lion glared at the visitor with glaring eyes. The high threshold and the heavy black-lacquered gate proudly tell that this is a family of officials and officials, Huirong in the gate of a giant merchant (Explanation: During the four dynasties of the Qing Dynasty, there were more than forty people from the second to fourth grades of official worship. They started in the salt industry)

The layout of the courtyard is dominated by three-entry courtyards. The main building in the courtyard is a two- to three-story building sitting in the center, and the hatchback rooms are symmetrical like ingots. The house is different from the house, and the courtyard is different from the courtyard. There is a courtyard in the courtyard, a door in the door, and a kiln on the top of the kiln. Some are magnificent and some are small and exquisite. There are many colors, each with its own merits.

The tourists who traveled with us lingered back and forth, full of praise, and went through the courtyard one after another, suspecting that the beautiful scenery is in the lower courtyard. The passages paved with bluestone strips are either wide or narrow, straight or curved. Wide and straight streets and alleys, winding and secluded, connect the courtyards in series to form the whole of the compound.

From the layout of the buildings, it also reflects: the rank of officials, the position of merchants, wives and concubines, exiles and concubines, the difference between superiors and inferiors, where they enter, where they go, and where they live. There are strict feudal ethics. and grade schedules. 

Taking a closer look, you can see that the buildings in the courtyard are full of ancient skilled craftsmen. The wall bricks of the house are as polished as a mirror, and the gaps between the bricks are as thin as a knife edge; , Surrounded by ancient trees. In particular, the wood carvings, stone carvings, and brick carvings in the courtyard are exquisitely carved and ingenious. It's breathtaking. It also made me believe that the Grand View Garden in the Dream of Red Mansions is not a phantom.

The majestic compound, what happened in the past three hundred years? The stone lion in front of the door must know. Every generation, every courtyard, and every house has a story, whether it is bright or dark, and the pearls and emeralds are also accompanied by conspiracy flies. Precipitate the historical chapter of the compound. For posterity exegetical verification.

It was twelve o’clock at noon when we returned to Pingyao from Wang’s house. It happened to be lunch time. We happily settled our lunch in front of Deshenglou Inn. I learned from the waitress that we still have many important scenic spots that we haven’t visited well. So I visited Rishengchang and Confucian Temple in the afternoon.

"Ba" Integrity in Troubled Times

When you come to the ancient city, you must visit the China Bank Bank Museum. Mr. Yu Qiuyu said that it is "the rural grandfather of all kinds of banks in China today".

Rishengchang is located in the West Street of the ancient city of Pingyao. The house of Rishengchang has created a career miracle like a genius. At the beginning, Rishengchang only collected commissions from the silver exchanged by fellow villagers, and obtained the business credit of "Bank of Communications here, silver withdrawals there, and never empty bills". Realized the genius move of connecting the world.

Under a small courtyard, such a huge wealth and management mechanism have been created. As a result, the business philosophy of the store at that time was "honesty and trustworthiness".

Among the ticket offices in Shanxi, Pingyao’s ticket offices are the most famous. During the most prosperous period in China, there were 51 ticket offices nationwide, 43 in Shanxi, 22 in Pingyao, and Rishengchang in Pingyao. The best of all, it has the most colonies, the largest business, and the best reputation. At that time, it was known as "Huitong Tianxia".

Rishengchang is the originator of the rural banking industry and the first private bank in China. The Rishengchang Bank Bank Museum we visited today covers an area of ​​1604 square meters, and the courtyard is divided into three courtyards. The front yard is the business hall, the middle yard is the internal office, and the back yard is the living area.

The comprehensive organization of the ticket number is the headquarters for uploading and distributing information. There are offices such as letter rooms and account rooms here. There are four people in charge of the work in the letter room, which can be said to be a model of streamlining the administration, reducing staff and increasing efficiency. The general responsible is called the secretary, and the other three are letter recorders. The requirements for the clerk are as follows: it must be performed by a person in Kejia, and its main job function is to clearly and plainly write out the intentions, business philosophy and thoughts of the big shopkeeper and pass them on to the local branches.

 You may think that the branches of Rishengchang Bank are all over the country, but due to the differences in economic strength between regions, there must be gaps in living environment and quality of life. Therefore, the ticket number stipulates that for employees who are willing to work in the more remote and bitterly cold semicolons, the employer will give you stock treatment, that is, you can buy shares with your labor, and enjoy the right to dividends at the end of the year, but the condition is that the employees’ family members must stay in the company. total number.

In this way, all employees who are eager to get ahead will leave their hometowns and go to distant places to create their own world. In order to gain a firm foothold for development, they are afraid of being replaced by new employees, so they can only work hard willingly and conscientiously, and give full play to their abilities in all aspects to make themselves a multi-functional generalist who is competent for multiple roles

. In this way, people can make the best use of their talents and resources, and the number of employees can be reduced to a minimum, which can truly reduce staff and increase efficiency. According to statistics, Rishengchang has more than 40 branches and 270 employees but has created a miracle of 15 million taels of silver.

cashier

The money has been transferred, how should I divide it? This will be assigned by Mr. Accountant.

Every year and at the end of the year, the ticket office will report the economic situation of the whole year to the accounting office, and then the accounting office will make detailed statistics and report to the shopkeeper and the owner. But dividends are not distributed every year, but dividends are distributed every four years. This is called "clearing accounts". When paying dividends, the money will not be allotted, but a part of it will be set aside as a risk fund. They call it "protection". Dividends are distributed according to different share components. 

The third courtyard is the back hall. It is very interesting to say that this place used to hold banquets during New Years and festivals. Rishengchang banquets are also very particular about eating and drinking.

Take this time as an example, the seat directly opposite the door is regarded as the main seat, and the left and right sides of the main seat are divided into the upper seat and the second upper seat, after the "big account is cleared" every year. The bosses of the semicolons from all over the world gather here, and the business performance of others is also reported by the accountant. The semicolon cabinets that have made money are rich and powerful, and they live proudly in front of the door. I had to sit with my back to the door, with an expression of embarrassment, and there was a dish during the dinner called "Whoever the fish head is facing will be fired." It is these customs that have become etiquette and customs that have infiltrated into the Shanxi merchant culture bit by bit, so that future generations can understand more clearly the business talents, philosophy of life and their delicate emotional context of the ancestors. 

Shanxi Merchants culture is also given to Shanxi Merchants by later generations, and it is a broad concept. In fact, some people concluded that the root of the success of Shanxi merchants lies in the spirit of Confucian merchants. At that time, Shanxi merchants, who were deeply influenced by Confucian culture, had very progressive business ideas. The root of the spirit of Confucian businessmen lies in the word "integrity", which may also be a value that is relatively missing in modern society. Progress, dedication, and team spirit are also the only magic weapons for Shanxi merchants to succeed.

"Nine" "Six Most" of Pingyao Confucian Temple

First: Pingyao Confucian Temple is the earliest extant Confucian Temple in China. Its main building, Dacheng Hall, was rebuilt in the third year of Jin Dading (1163). It was built 248 years earlier than Beijing Confucian Temple, 317 years earlier than Qufu Confucian Temple, and 706 years earlier than Nanjing Confucius Temple.

Second: Pingyao Confucian Temple has the most complete "wen" architectural complex in China. Due to the complete preservation and meticulous renovation and restoration, today’s Pingyao Confucian Temple not only contains some basic ancient buildings in the Confucian Temple, but also Jingyi Pavilion, Zunjing Pavilion, Chaoshan Academy, Dongxue Palace, Xixue Palace, Wenchang Pavilion , Jiexiao Temple, Zhongxiao Temple, Xianhou Temple, and the only preserved buildings in the ancient Confucian temple system in China, such as Yunlu, Kuixing Tower, Wenchang Temple and Nine Dragon Wall. Such a complex and huge building complex is really rare in Confucian temples across the country.

Third: Pingyao Confucian Temple has the highest and largest statues of Confucius and Confucian sages in China. Pingyao Confucian Temple has statues of Confucius, "Si Pei", "Ten Philosophers" and "Seventy-two Sages". Among them, the statue of Confucius is 4.5 meters high, the statue of "four matching" is 3.8 meters high, and the statues of other sages are all over 1.8 meters, and people have to look up to see them.

Fourth: The exhibition on the history of Chinese imperial examinations in Pingyao Confucian Temple is the largest and the highest quality. The Chinese Imperial Examination Museum in Pingyao Confucian Temple has a systematic exhibition arrangement and a large capacity, and a large number of originals, old objects and antiques are used in the exhibits, which are of high quality. Compared with the imperial examination exhibitions of Shanghai Jiading Confucian Temple, Nanjing Confucius Temple, Jiangnan Gongyuan and Xingcheng Confucian Temple, it is larger in scale and more impressive.

Fifth: Pingyao Confucian Temple has the only professional photography museum in China. China Pingyao International Photography Museum is located in the Dongxue Palace of the Confucian Temple in Pingyao. Relying on the annual "Pingyao International Photography Exhibition", it has collected 215 works and a large number of works by the older generation of Chinese photographers Sha Fei, Wu Yinxian and Hou Dengke. Precious old photos.

Sixth: Pingyao Confucian Temple has the only remaining number one examination paper in the history of China's imperial examinations for more than 1,300 years.

"Picking up" does not visit Jinci, it is in vain to go to Taiyuan

After lunch, come to appreciate the uniqueness of Jinci Temple.

Jinci Temple, the first batch of key cultural relics protection units in the country, and a national 4A-level tourist attraction, is famous for its long history and rich cultural heritage. The earliest royal garden in China is a collection of natural landscapes, ancient gardens, sculptures, and inscriptions. , a famous tourist attraction integrating ancient and famous trees. Therefore, there is a saying: Going to Taiyuan and not visiting the Jinci Temple is like going to Beijing without going to the Forbidden City. This revisit to the old place is still full of interest.

This "Jin Temple" plaque was inscribed by Emperor Taizong Li Shimin of Tang Dynasty on his way back from the Eastern Expedition to Korea in 646 AD when he led his officials to revisit Jin Temple.

"Tang style and Jin rhyme" - "the origin of Jin", "the root of Tang", every place is deeply imprinted with history.

The natural landscape and garden art are comparable to Jiangnan gardens.

Li Shimin's drinking horse spring is lifelike, heroic and full of reverence. The statues of Li Shimin and his heroes have become the symbol of Jinci Temple.

After browsing the Jinci Temple, there is still a long time, so we decided to rush to Datong, and chose the express hotel in Datong as the night's accommodation, which is also convenient for the next day's play.

First Impression of Datong

Although Datong is famous as "China's Coal Capital", the moment you come to Datong and look up at the blue sky, your inherent impression of Datong is completely overturned. The roads here are wide and clean, the sidewalks are lush with trees, the ancient and the fashionable exist side by side, bathed in the warm winter sun, we started the long-awaited journey of Datong.

"Twelve" Datong Attractions Collection

Huayan Temple

After packing up, I can't wait to start the ancient city tour. Because it is closer to Huayan Temple, we will go to Huayan Temple first. Before entering the temple, the towering pagoda of Huayan Temple attracted the attention from afar. Under the warm sun, the wooden pagoda of Huayan Temple stands alone, and the sunlight jumps on the corner cornices of the pagoda, reflecting the light that travels through history.

This temple is a typical Liao and Jin architecture, and its Daxiong Hall is also the largest Buddhist temple in my country from the Liao and Jin Dynasties. The painted sculpture art of the Liao Dynasty in the Bhagavat Temple is also quite eye-catching, many of which are fine works of that era.

Puguang Temple, Amitabha Hall, Pharmacist Shop, Wooden Pagoda... There are many temple buildings, and the wisdom of the predecessors shines everywhere. Shuttle in the meantime, as if in a dialogue with history.

Shanhua Temple

　　Walking into Shanhua Temple, its grand verandah roof is full of majesty in the winter sunshine. The vermilion walls were not decorated in any way, and a heavy and quaint atmosphere rushed over.

The main hall of Shanhua Temple is grand and magnificent. Standing on the wide platform in front of the hall, looking up at the far-reaching eaves of the hall and the row of huge brackets supporting the eaves, one can sigh at the beauty of the ancient architecture.

Stepping into the Daxiong Hall of Shanhua Temple, the dazzling array of Buddha statues around me immediately awed my mind. These statues of the Jin Dynasty, which have been covered with dust for nearly a thousand years, are now receiving reverent eyes. Gazing at these Buddha statues, it seems that there are gods inhabiting them, who have guarded the spirituality of the city of Datong for thousands of years.

Nine Dragon Wall

There are currently three Nine Dragon Walls in China, one in Datong, two in the Forbidden City and Beihai in Beijing. However, the Nine Dragon Wall in Datong is 45 meters long, 8 meters high, and more than 2 meters thick. It can be called the largest glazed screen wall. Under the sunlight, the nine dragons on the screen wall are vivid, showing the grandeur of the royal family. Observe each dragon carefully, with different postures and expressions, which is quite ornamental.

The sun is just right, suitable for walking. After watching the Nine Dragon Wall and roaming the Daiwang Mansion, it is another reunion with the old days. Today's Daiwang Mansion has been renovated. From the architectural layout and shape, you can feel the strict feudal hierarchy.

 panjiayuan

　　Personally, I am more interested in antique calligraphy and painting. I heard that there is a famous antique market, Panjiayuan, so I went there excitedly. Datong Panjiayuan Antique Market has Ming and Qing-style ancient buildings, which are very eye-catching. Many tourists and collectors come here admiringly like me.

In winter, the sun is shining warmly, and every piece of "treasures" on the stalls is waiting for an endless stream of people to come to appreciate and buy. All kinds of stalls are filled with miscellaneous cultural items, antiques, coins, stamps, calligraphy and painting, jade, books, old items, etc., which are dazzling. Taobao, Zhanbao, Doubao, Jianbao, the atmosphere of the scene was very lively and harmonious, full of the atmosphere of the old Datong.

Ancient City Wall

　　In the evening, the setting sun is slanting, and it is very shocking to climb the ancient city wall to watch the sunset of the ancient capital. Under the golden afterglow, the ancient city wall shows a sense of time in history. Pieces of blue bricks, turrets, and a square city witness the passage of thousands of years, the smoke of history spreads in front of your eyes, and your memory brings you back to the Northern Wei Dynasty.

　Looking into the distance from the height of the city wall, there is a majestic heroism. With its majestic ancient city walls and continuous moat, the imperial spirit of the ancient capital is still there today.

Yungang Grottoes

　　How can you go to Datong without taking a look at the Giant Buddha in Yungang Grottoes? A tour of the caves was arranged early the next morning. The great beauty of Yungang can only be truly experienced by being there. The smiles of the Buddha reveal gentleness and kindness in their majesty. They stand between the heaven and the earth, looking down on everything in the world with compassion and concern.

Each cave has its own characteristics, and I, who don't understand art, was completely conquered. Those murals and stone carvings, like ingenious treasures, make people feel the diversity and magnificence of the art of the Northern Wei Dynasty. Leaving the Yungang Grottoes, the outlines of those statues alternately appeared in my mind from time to time.

TIPS

Address: Yungang Town, South Suburb, Datong City

Transportation: Take No. 3 bus in the city and get off at Yungang Grottoes Station

         October 16-March 31 of the following year (low season) 08:30-17:00.

Tickets: Adult ticket: 120 RMB (January 01-December 31 Monday-Sunday)

Half-price ticket: Minors aged 6-18, full-time undergraduate and below students can enjoy a half-price ticket discount with their ID card and student ID card.

Free of charge: Seniors aged 60 and over, children aged 6 and under or under 1.2 meters, disabled, soldiers, tour guides with valid certificates are free.

Mount Heng 

The last stop is Mount Heng. After going to Mount Heng, this trip is truly complete. I have always heard that Hengshan is beautiful, and after visiting, I feel that "Chimei" is more appropriate to describe it. When the sun shines on Mount Heng in winter, it shows the quiet and quiet nature of a famous Taoist mountain. In this season, there are not many tourists, but the scenery is actually very good, and the scenery of the deep autumn forest is still there.

The Hengshan mountain road is very dangerous, and it is not easy to climb all the way to the top, but fortunately there is a cable car to help, and you can have a bird's-eye view of the whole mountain when you go down the mountain.

In fact, there should be many places worth visiting in Datong. This time I checked in several famous scenic spots. If I have the opportunity in the future, I will come to Datong again to learn more about the character of this city that embraces the past and the present.

Food

The most noteworthy thing about a trip to Shanxi is its food.

Shaved noodles

The entrance is smooth on the outside and the inside tendon is soft but not sticky. The more you chew, the more fragrant it is. The seasonings (commonly known as "topping" or "reconciliation") for sliced ​​​​noodles are also varied, including tomato sauce, meat fried sauce, mutton soup, golden needle fungus and eggs. Braised, etc., are very popular among those who like to eat pasta.

Willow Bowl Holder

Liulin Bowl Tuan has a history of more than one thousand years. Because it is made in a bowl and eaten in a bowl, it can be taken off from the bowl after it is cooked, so it is named Wantuo. Later, people took its meaning of reunion, so it evolved into Wantuan. In a bowl with a wide mouth and a shallow bottom, there is a layer of silver circles with a thin layer of slightly black crystalline noodles. Use a knife to cut the shallow layer of noodles into strips, mix with chili oil, mature vinegar and other condiments, the mouth is crunchy, pliable , Creamy, chewy, spicy, sweet and sour, salty and spicy taste fills the mouth instantly. It can be eaten cold or hot, and it is smooth, refreshing and delicious.

stone cake

The use of fire by humans in the Yellow River has gone through a long historical process. The emergence of the stone cooking method should be said to have a certain relationship with the consumption of human grains, wheat and other grain foods. This cooking method mainly uses the characteristics of stone bricks, slow heat dissipation, and relatively uniform heat distribution, so as to achieve the purpose of controlling the heat. When making it, first heat the stone, and then put the reconciled white noodles or bean noodles directly on the stone to cook. Its mouthfeel is crisp, crisp, salty, fragrant and delicious.

Hunyuan jelly

Hunyuan jelly is a special snack in Hunyuan County, Datong City, Shanxi Province. It is made from potato starch, dried tofu, and broad beans. Hunyuan jelly is a representative of Datong jelly. The finished Hunyuan jelly is clear, smooth and refreshing, and has a "muscle quivering" like pigskin jelly. It is "slippery" in the hand and "cool" in the mouth. In the scorching summer, after eating a bowl of jelly, I suddenly felt "hey, this summer can pass".

Bubble Oil Cake

Bubble oil cake, also known as "fried cake", is the top grade oil cake. It has a layer of bubbles about 10 mm high on its surface. It looks mushroom-shaped at a distance, like a sunset glow; at a close look, it looks like silk-spreading leaf catkins, like golden chrysanthemums, white and yellow, crystal and translucent. It is known as one of the flowers in Shanxi food. A wonderful flower.

Recommended store

Tianyuankui Hotel

Address: No. 73, South Street

Per capita: 68 yuan

 

Yogurt shop

When I came out to press the road after dinner, I chose a yogurt shop, chatting and enjoying the pleasure of slow life. This store is a must-go place for girls. His family is famous for its yogurt, and the handicrafts in the store are often very attractive to everyone. We were attracted by the handicrafts of his family, the souvenirs of Pingyao Ancient City, and we wished to take them all home.

The boss said that his house is most famous for fried yogurt with sea buckthorn juice, and the front door is full of sea buckthorn juice. This is the first time I know about sea buckthorn juice, and it tastes delicious, more nutritious than drinks.

In addition to fried yogurt, their German snowballs are also very good~

Inn

When visiting the ancient city, the location of the inn is very demanding. You must look at the location of the inn. It is South Street. The price is also favorable. I have to look for it in the small alleys, but I can’t find it in the end. I can’t go to the scenic spots. If you have to walk a long way, it will be even more troublesome to stay in a hotel outside the city. It takes 20 minutes to enter the city every time, and the weather is still hot. Babies must choose carefully! ! !

Deshenglou Inn

Location: No. 84, South Street

Price: 40 yuan per person

Xiangchangtai Inn

Location: No. 112 West Street

Price: 40 yuan per person

journey

Pingyao itinerary

D1: Arrive in Pingyao, visit Pingyao Ancient City South Street at night

D2: County Government - Lunch (Tianyuankui Hotel) - see Pingyao again - Escort Museum - Synergy Qing Bank

D3: Rishengchang Bank - Confucian Temple

Taiyuan itinerary

D4: Jinci Temple - shopping

Datong itinerary

D5: Huayan Temple, Shanhua Temple, Nine Dragon Wall, Panjiayuan, Ancient City Wall

D6: Yungang Grottoes, Mount Heng

Traffic in Pingyao Ancient City

[How to get from the high-speed rail station to the ancient city]

A Take 108 to the North Gate, 30 minutes by car, 1 yuan fare

B Take a taxi to Xiaonanmen of the ancient city, 10 minutes’ drive, 22 yuan (Taxi in the city cannot enter the ancient city, only vehicles with permits are allowed to enter the ancient city, generally only those with houses in the ancient city can apply for a permit, so taxis You can only sit at Xiaonanmen, and then walk to the main street for 8 minutes)

C Ask the inn staff if they can pick you up (the inn I booked can be picked up, but it’s free in the city, the high-speed rail station is in the suburbs, you can take 108 to get off at the county government, and then let the innkeeper pick you up at the inn, if you don’t want to sit The bus can also ask the inn to find a car, the cost is 30, and it can also be taken directly to the inn)

【Precautions】

1. Never take a private car. Don’t take a detour, it will put you in an unreliable inn or restaurant. Although you say it, it doesn’t matter if you don’t like it, but why bother yourself? Come out to play just to have fun!

2. The tour bus can be priced. If there are many people, it must be priced.

3. There is no need to charter a car to visit the scenic spots. The famous scenic spots are all on the pedestrian street, and vehicles are not allowed in. They will only take you from this alley to another alley.

Datong traffic

1. The Yungang Grottoes are on the west side of the urban area. The No. 4 Bus Company takes No. 3 (1 yuan) to get there directly, or go to Datong Station and take the 603 route (3 yuan). To go to the Yungang Grottoes, you must find a tour guide, or check the information on Baidu in advance, otherwise you will not know how to appreciate art when you go in and see it.

2. The ancient city wall has four gates, east, west, north and south. The ancient city wall can only go out after 10:40 p.m. There is a music fountain performance at 8:30 p.m. outside Yongtai Gate in the south, and there is also a snack street. The entrance of the city wall is usually in the tower with the brightest lights.

3. The Xuankong Temple and Mount Heng are in the far southeast of the urban area. It is more convenient to charter a car, and the Xuankong Temple is very small.

some necessary reminders

1. Camera and equipment

A camera is a must when traveling. Although mobile phones are now equipped with high-definition cameras, it is inconvenient to edit pictures later. Personally, I think it is better to use a SLR. If you bring SLR children’s shoes to Pingyao, remember to bring a wide-angle lens. For example, the ancient city wall is more suitable for shooting with a wide-angle lens. You should bring lens paper, waterproof cover, and cleaning tools to prevent rain. The tripod can be brought or not. We have hired a professional photography teacher for our own wedding photos: Mr. Wang Shengliang.

2. Clothes and related equipment

Autumn in Pingyao is a little bit cold. Fortunately, my roommate suggested to bring a thick coat, otherwise the temperature difference between morning and evening would cause a cold. Boys are advised to wear sports shoes, a thin sweater, and a slightly thicker jacket. For girls, wear long skirts and sneakers! Don't wear high heels for the sake of beauty, it will wear out your feet, and the ancient city is very big, you will get pain in your feet if you wear sneakers! Sunglasses, a sun hat are a must, and sun protection equipment is very necessary. Girls must wear sunscreen, no water mask, etc. After all, we girls have to work hard to take beautiful photos.

3. Related to money and valuables.

Pingyao does not need much cash, mainly WeChat + Alipay, which is very convenient. Cash is required when taking the bus. However, it is also very cheap to take a taxi in Pingyao County, and generally do not choose to take the bus. It is not recommended to bring precious gold and silver jewelry. Although Pingyao’s public security is very good, after all, there are many thieves in a tourist city. If you want to bring it, you must keep it close to you.

If you come to Shanxi next time

There are many natural treasures, outstanding people, many natural scenery, and rich ancient rhyme and culture. The slow-paced life here gives people a feeling of paradise. This is also a city that people don’t want to leave when they come. The representative of dishes, large and small gourmet shops, alleys, make people linger and enjoy themselves in Sichuan. Will come again if there is a chance.