After a snowfall, I walked on the bluestone road in the ancient city of Pingyao again. The ancient dwellings with blue bricks and black tiles exude a long-lasting charm, and the exquisite stone and wood carvings vaguely tell the story of the past. I searched along the bricks and tiles in the Rishengchang courtyard. The high-hanging red lanterns are the unique charm of the ancient city of Pingyao. Pedestrians, here is the first of its kind in China's national banking industry, which once controlled the economic lifeline of the entire Qing Dynasty in the 19th century.
In the ancient city of Pingyao, the Qingshiban road is long, and the people coming and going over the years have made the road smooth and flat. Chang, Ming and Qing Ancient Streets, Baichuantong, Xiexiqing, each name silently interprets the profound culture of Pingyao's history.
Past events in Pingyao
The ancient city of Pingyao after a snowfall has become a freehand Chinese ink painting scroll, slowly opening the day of Pingyao people in the tranquility. The ancient city of Pingyao is located in Pingyao County in the central part of Shanxi Province. Known as one of the "four most well-preserved ancient cities", it is also one of the only two ancient cities in China that successfully declared the world cultural heritage with the entire ancient city.
Pingyao used to be the financial center of the country in the late Qing Dynasty. At that time, there were more than 20 ticket offices in Pingyao, accounting for more than half of China at that time. Now walking on the street, there are row upon row of ticket offices. Feel the prosperity of the year, Pingyao Ancient City is an outstanding example of ancient Chinese cities in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Pingyao Ancient City has preserved all its characteristics. Moreover, in the development of Chinese history, it shows people a complete picture scroll of extraordinary cultural, social, economic and religious development.
Practical strategy
1 Pingyao Ancient City has six city gates. It is not mandatory to buy tickets to enter Pingyao Ancient City. You can enter at any time. The ticket for Pingyao Ancient City is composed of 22 small scenic spots in the ancient city. The ticket is 135 yuan, including: ancient city wall, county Yamen, Rishengchang, Qingxu Temple, Confucian Temple, Town God's Temple, Tianjixiang, Huiwulin, Chinese Bodyguard Bureau, Tongxing Public Bodyguard Bureau, Wei Taihou, Wei Shengchang, Lei Lutai's Former Residence, Baichuantong, North China First Bodyguard Bureau, Synergy Celebration, Chamber of Commerce, Ancient Residential Houses, Newspaper Office, Wentao Square, Erlang Temple, Ma Family Courtyard.
2 Tickets are valid for three days, but the attractions you have visited cannot be re-entered.
3 Tickets for Shuanglin Temple and Zhenguo Temple are purchased separately.
New Year's Eve folk performances in Pingyao
I came to Pingyao on a New Year’s trip. The strong New Year’s atmosphere here made me feel the rich historical and cultural heritage of the ancient city of Pingyao. During the New Year’s Eve, the ancient city of Pingyao has different folk customs performances every day.
The ancient city of Pingyao was first built in the period of King Xuan of Zhou from 827 BC to 782 BC. The long years of more than two thousand years have endowed this ancient city with a different annual culture. "The event and the Jinshangshe Fire Festival gradually formed and developed into a series of large-scale Spring Festival celebrations for the Year of China in Pingyao, which is held in the ancient city of Pingyao from the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month to the 16th of the first lunar month every year.
During the New Year’s Eve, the God of Wealth also took to the streets of the ancient city. The God of Wealth in the form of a tumbler attracted tourists from all over the world to take pictures. Festive and joyful.
The spirit of Shanxi merchants can be felt in every ticket office in Pingyao. The success of Shanxi merchants in the Ming and Qing Dynasties lies in the fact that they consciously and unconsciously carried forward a special spirit under certain historical conditions. , Pingyao people used a festive and peaceful way to express the spirit of Shanxi merchants back then, allowing us to see the new year atmosphere that is both novel and lively.
The Chinese people have deep feelings for the traditional Spring Festival. The most beautiful yearning of the Chinese people is the intimacy and harmony between people. During the Chinese New Year, come to the ancient city of Pingyao with relatives and friends to enjoy traditional Chinese folk performances, dragon and lion dances, suona and drum performances, and feel the most festive atmosphere in Pingyao.
Pingyao Ancient City after nightfall, the red lanterns of the shops on both sides of the street are gradually lit up. Pingyao Ancient City is also known as China’s Wall Street because of the prosperity of the bank. The smiling faces in the sea of lights are all beautiful and poetic in the night of Pingyao.
How else can we meet each other better? On such a night like water, walking in the night of Pingyao Ancient City with your girlfriends is also a joy in life. The mood at this moment is joyful and beautiful, just like the quiet ancient city of Pingyao, no matter how the years go by, it always remains unchanged The rhythm of urgency, let the years go by, let the vicissitudes of life change.
Pingyao on the tip of the tongue: Yuanheng Restaurant
In addition to the profound historical and cultural heritage and scenic spots and historical sites, what makes a city attractive to people must be the taste on the tip of the city's tongue. The ancient city of Pingyao has a history of more than two thousand years. In terms of food culture, most snacks There are rich and interesting historical stories behind them, full of strong Shanxi style,
Pingyao on the tip of the tongue, starting from the food of Yuanheng Restaurant, the ancient city of Pingyao at night, the red lanterns are gradually lit up, walk into Yuanheng Restaurant, and taste the authentic Pingyao cuisine.
There is an old Chinese saying that one side can raise one person with a thousand hands, and there are a thousand kinds of delicacies. There are many kinds of famous snacks in Pingyao. , Pingyao Daoba noodles, Pingyao oat noodles.
The more precious the delicacy, the more ordinary it looks from the outside. This sentence refers to Pingyao beef. As the gourmet business card of the ancient city of Pingyao, Pingyao beef was included in China's National Geographical Indication Products in 2003. The production process of Pingyao beef is very complicated, with complete color, fragrance, ruddy color, fat but not greasy, and rich nutrition.
The charm of an ancient city, the feeling of day and night is different, I especially love the night of Pingyao ancient city, walking slowly on the ancient bluestone road, the ancient rhyme exuded from brick to tile, let me forget the time Existence, here, time is very slow, the residential buildings in the ancient city of Pingyao have a rigorous layout, clear axes, symmetrical left and right, clear primary and secondary, undulating contours, closed appearance, and deep courtyards.
Accommodation in Pingyao Ancient City: GreenTree Alliance Hotel
Stay in the antique Green Union Hotel under the moonlight, blue bricks and gray tiles, wooden carvings, full of northern residential characteristics, because of the beauty of some small details, the charm is more long, the hotel is not far from Pingyao County Government and Rishengchang , Shopping and eating are very convenient. In the depths of the night, in the quiet Pingyao, it is a joy in life to enjoy the quiet time of living in the ancient city in the quiet.
The 1400-year-old Shuanglin Temple
The long river of history is rolling forward, and there are always some stories that are recorded and remembered, and some stories are lost in the mist of time. In Pingyao, Shanxi Province, there is not only an ancient city of more than two thousand years, but also an ancient temple 6 kilometers away from the ancient city of Pingyao. , with a history of more than 1,400 years, here is the treasure left to us by history, exuding the luster of the years in the eternity of time, this is Shuanglin Temple.
Anyone who has been to Pingyao knows that there are three treasures in Pingyao, the ancient city wall, Shuanglin Temple and Zhenguo Temple. Shuanglin Temple is located in Qiaotou Village, six kilometers southwest of Pingyao County, Shanxi Province. This is one of the national key Buddhist temples in the Han area. Shuanglin Temple was originally called Zhongdu Temple, and its site was originally the old city of Zhongdu, so it got its name. After seeing the ancient city of Pingyao, you must remember to come to Shuanglin Temple for a walk. The painted sculptures here will definitely make people's eyes shine.
The warm winter sun shines on the ancient bricks and tiles of Shuanglin Temple. All the buildings here are rich in history. Even the trees here are from the Tang Dynasty. The Tang pagoda tree, Song stele, Ming bell and ancient buildings in Shuanglin Temple , painted sculptures and murals are all rare treasures.
Shuanglin Temple sits north and faces south. There are 2052 statues in the whole temple, which are of different shapes but full of charm. The best in plastic. These colorful sculptures have both shape and spirit, and their artistic value is extremely high. Even now, they are colorful and lifelike. I don’t know what method the ancients used more than a thousand years ago, but the colorful statues have been polished over the years and still maintain their original appearance. The perfect presentation of colors and the wisdom of the ancients are still inexplicable under today's modern high-tech.
The buildings in the temple are full of antiquity, quietly silent under the warm winter sun, and the strong branches of the old locust trees that have not yet melted the snow stretch to the sky, showing a desolate and lonely beauty. In the west is the temple, along the central axis there are three courtyards, consisting of ten halls. In the east are Buddhist temples, scripture rooms, etc. (now used by primary schools). In the Ming Dynasty, a tall wall surrounded by rammed earth was built around the temple, and arrow stacks were placed on it.
Standing in front of the colorful statues, the sea will feel very emotional. Time flies, too much historical glory has disappeared in the long river of history. It is the luckiest thing for people to survive today. Shuanglin Temple is only six kilometers away from Pingyao Ancient City, but many people tend to ignore it when they come to Pingyao Ancient City, so there are not many tourists in Shuanglin Temple.
Shuanglin Temple is not very big, but it is worth observing carefully, especially the four heavenly kings, as high as three meters, holding a pipa, a sword, a snake and an umbrella, respectively guarding the southeast and northwest. The objects held in the hands of the four heavenly kings are earth, gold, wind, and water according to the "four wheels" in the Buddhist "Awakening Sutra".
The existing temples of Shuanglin Temple have gone through more than a thousand years of time changes. Today’s temples are all built in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Those exquisite painted sculptures are worthy of our protection. The historical treasures that are still shining through the years are worthy of cherishing by future generations. .
Zhenguo Temple, the oldest wooden building in China
The ancient city of Pingyao has a long history and profound humanities. It is one of the four existing ancient cities in China. There are three treasures in Pingyao, the ancient city wall of Pingyao, Shuanglin Temple and Zhenguo Temple. The Rishengchang bank of "Huitong Tianxia" is known as "the originator of China's modern bank", and Shuanglin Temple is praised by experts as "the treasure house of oriental colored sculpture art". When it comes to Zhenguo Temple, not many people may know it.
This trip to Pingyao, I went to the well-known ticket office and bodyguard bureau in the ancient city of Pingyao, and drove to Shuanglin Temple and Zhenguo Temple. Zhenguo Temple has a history of a thousand years. The Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas It is one of the earliest and most precious wooden buildings in China. The entire temple does not use a single nail. Such architectural wonders are also very rare in history.
The Zhenguo Temple in winter looks clean and solemn. The two big trees in front of the gate have strong branches, guarding the temple for thousands of years. When I came, there were not many tourists. I watched carefully here and felt the great wisdom of the ancients. . Zhenguo Temple is not big. It was originally named Jingcheng Temple. The temple is divided into two courtyards. There are five Ksitigarbha halls each, with three Buddha halls built in the middle. If you visit normally, it will take more than half an hour.
Although the history of Zhenguo Temple is not as good as that of Pingyao Ancient City and Shuanglin Temple, it has a history of one thousand years. The most famous here is the Wanfo Hall, which is one of the oldest wooden buildings in mainland China. Zhenguo Temple is different from other wooden buildings in that there is no nail in the whole temple. The wisdom of the ancients has been brought to the extreme in architecture, which cannot be realized by many modern technologies, and it can be preserved for thousands of years. All the structures of the temple are made of wood and wood riveting each other, which is a great treasure in ancient Chinese architecture.
The dragon locust tree in Zhenguo Temple is protected by railings. This tree has experienced more than a thousand years of vicissitudes. All those that have maintained vigorous vitality over a long period of time are worth cherishing. This tree is also a unique tree in Pingyao. Great spectacle.
Strolling in Zhenguo Temple, you can feel the profound culture of ancient temples in the solemn and solemn. The typical ancient wooden structure forms an ingenious mortise and tenon structure. There are statues in each hall of Zhenguo Temple, and the statues in the Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas are very old and precious. , is the work when the temple was built during the Tianhui period of the Five Dynasties and the Northern Han Dynasty. The Buddhist altar in the Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas is large, with a length and width of 6.09 meters square and a height of 55 centimeters.
Standing at the height of Zhenguo Temple and looking down, you can see that this temple is really not big. Why is it so precious? Because Zhenguo Temple was in the period of the Five Dynasties, and this period was a period of separatist regimes and wars. It has been preserved since then. There are only a few ancient buildings in the country so far, and painted sculptures are even rarer. Except for a small number of painted sculptures of the Five Dynasties in the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, the painted sculptures in the Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas in Zhenguo Temple are the only works of the Five Dynasties preserved in temples and temples in the country. It is said that Zhenguo Temple, as one of the three treasures of Pingyao, is worth visiting.
Time is like a white horse and a gray dog, passing by in a hurry, it can leave its own chapter in the long history, and it can also preserve detailed text materials. The lecture process of the sculptures of the Song Dynasty and the Song Dynasty provided extremely valuable information.
Pingyao Night
The ancient city of Pingyao in the night is quiet and beautiful. Time has passed for more than 2,800 years. The beauty that has been deposited in the long river of time is still accompanied by the life of modern people and has a long history. On the winding bluestone slab road, the past of Pingyao flows like smoke. The buildings on both sides of the street are antique, with cornices and walls, carved beams and painted buildings, exuding a timeless ancient charm. The ancient city of Pingyao has always been famous for its ancient, beautiful and prosperous. The ancient streets, alleys and ancient houses in the town have witnessed the profound historical and cultural heritage of the ancient city of Pingyao.
When the Spring Festival is approaching, the ancient city of Pingyao is filled with a strong flavor of the year. The ancient city of Pingyao is a world cultural heritage. It is known as one of the four most well-preserved ancient cities. It is also the only one in China to declare the world cultural heritage with the entire ancient city. One of the two ancient cities that achieved success. There are more than 300 historic sites in the ancient city of Pingyao. The Rishengchang Bank of "Huitong Tianxia" is known as "the originator of China's modern banks". In the 19th century, Rishengchang grasped the economic lifeline of the Qing Dynasty.
The originator of China's modern banks: Rishengchang
The first check-in stop in Pingyao Ancient City, I came to Rishengchang, China's first ticket office - Rishengchang, located in the prosperous area of West Street, Pingyao Ancient City, the "first financial street in the Qing Dynasty", with a simple and simple gate , who would have thought that in those days, this was once the most prosperous and important economic and financial center of the Qing Dynasty.
Walking into Rishengchang, the wooden carvings are still showing the glory of the past. This small bank is not very eye-catching today. Don’t you know that in the Qing Dynasty, from the establishment of the bank in the early years of Qing Daoguang to the After going out of business for more than 100 years, Rishengchang Bank was once "the leader of China's finance", with branches in 35 large and medium-sized cities across the country, and business as far as Europe, America, Southeast Asia and other countries. At that time, it controlled the Qing Dynasty of the economic artery.
Walking in the courtyard of Rishengchang, the layout here has a typical Jinzhong store layout, and you can feel the strong style of Shanxi residential buildings. Rishengchang covers an area of 1386 square meters, with a construction area of about 1200 square meters and a total of 21 buildings. The building, the layout of the entire ticket office, the first entrance of the courtyard house is the counter and accounting room, the second entrance is the staff residence and guest room; Residence for VIPs and senior staff. On the west side, there is a corridor leading to carriages, with stables and stables. The reason why Rishengchang can develop so big is due to strict rules and regulations.
The Weishengchang bank where the Empress Dowager Cixi used to withdraw money
Weishengchang Bank is also a well-known bank in the ancient city of Pingyao. When Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu passed by Pingyao westward, they stayed at Weishengchang Bank because they extracted the silver remitted by Prince Chun. This is also a place with a story. Weishengchang was not a ticket office at the earliest time. It was founded in the early years of Kangxi. It was originally a silk shop, and later changed to "Weishengchang" ticket office. Now it is an inn (hotel) and "Weishengchang" ticket office museum. With a history of more than 300 years, its status is second only to Rishengchang.
Weishengchang has successively opened 27 branch offices across the country, and it was also very powerful at that time. Weishengchang bank is one of the five joint numbers with the word "Wei" in Pingyao, which has played a very important role in the development of China's ticket bank culture. , here is 90 years earlier than Rishengchang. The Mr. Document here has the highest diploma in Pingyao, and his salary is higher than that of the county magistrate. According to historical records, the annual salary of Mr. Document is 150-450 taels of silver. The county grandfather is only 45 taels.
The ancient buildings are still telling the glory of the past, and the prosperity of the past has also been recorded in history. We now see that Weishengchang is just an ancient bank. In those days, it was the place where even the emperor and queen mother came back to withdraw money and stay. In 1912, Lei Shiwei, the manager, obtained the four characters "Guangxu Palace" written by Mr. Wu Changshuo, a master of calligraphy, painting and seal cutting, so it is also called "the residence of Emperor Guangxu" or "Guangxu Inn".
Baichuantong
There are 300 scenic spots in the ancient city of Pingyao, and there are more than 20 well-known scenic spots. Baichuantong is located at the south entrance of Pingyao South Street. Tickets are included in the big ticket. Baichuantong ticket number is one of the main ticket numbers in Qing Dynasty. It is South Street The best-preserved and tallest storefront among shops and residential buildings is also one of the earliest developed scenic spots in the ancient city. The Baichuan pass number enters the courtyard in three ways, increasing in height from the outside to the inside, implying the auspicious meaning of "climbing higher step by step". In the original accounting room in the south wing of the central courtyard, there is now a full model of Baichuantong, and the north wing room was the silver cellar at that time.
Each ticket number has an underground bank, hidden in a very secret place. Although it looks simple now, it was the biggest secret of the ticket number back then, and it was also a place that was strictly guarded.
Wei Taihou
In the mid-Qing Dynasty, there were 22 ticket offices in the ancient city of Pingyao, and there were more than 400 branch offices across the country. It can be seen how prosperous the ancient city of Pingyao was at that time. It was the ticket office of Rishengchang’s second boss. Today’s Weitaihou has been converted into a ticket shop museum. The overall ticket shop is a traditional three-entry shop courtyard, with 40 brick-and-wood structure houses, which are divided into strategy and business. There are 18 exhibition rooms in three major exhibition areas, namely, people and figures. The museum has extensively collected a large number of historical materials and objects, including Wei Fenghou, Wei Shengchang, Tian Chengheng, and Xintai Hou, known as the Wulian number of the word "Wei".
Pingyao Ancient City has many ticket numbers and escort agencies. The pass for Pingyao Ancient City is 135 yuan, including 22 large and small scenic spots, including ancient city walls, county government offices, Rishengchang, Qingxu Temple, Confucian Temple, Chenghuang Temple, Tianjixiang, Huiwulin, China Escort Bureau, Tongxing Public Escort Bureau, Wei Taihou, Wei Shengchang, Former Residence of Lei Lutai, Baichuantong, North China First Escort Bureau, Synergy Qing, Chamber of Commerce, Ancient Residential Houses, Newspaper Office, Wentao Square, Erlang Temple, Ma Family Courtyard, Tickets are valid for three days, but the attractions you have visited cannot be re-entered. Tickets for Shuanglin Temple and Zhenguo Temple are purchased separately.
Chinese Year Art Exhibition
During the Spring Festival, in the ancient city of Pingyao, you can also enjoy the art performances of the Chinese New Year. The Chinese elements inside are very suitable for taking pictures and checking in.
In the ancient city of Pingyao with a long history, classical and modern, tradition and novelty complement each other here, forming a flowing picture scroll. People who love life will always find the unusual beauty in this ancient city. At this moment, I am waiting in Pingyao you.
The richest man in Pingyao: Ma Family Courtyard
The ancient city of Pingyao is the most well-preserved ancient county in the country. The bluestone streets and alleys in the city are criss-crossed, and Ming and Qing buildings abound. Strolling in the ancient city full of ancient flavors, you can find the taste that belongs to the ancient city of Pingyao. There are 6 gates in the ancient city of Pingyao, and there are more than 300 scenic spots in the city, including 22 classic scenic spots. The ticket number escort bureau highlights the prosperous past here.
In the ancient city of Pingyao, there is another place hidden deep in the alleys. There are not many tourists who have been there. This is the former residence of Ma Zhongxuan, the head of the four major families in Pingyao and the great merchant of the Qing Dynasty. It is also the first in the ancient city of Pingyao. A big house. This is the fourth time I have come to the ancient city of Pingyao, and it is also the first time I have come to the Majia Courtyard.
The Ma family compound is known as the night pearl hidden in the cloth bag, low-key and luxurious. Although it is known as the kingdom of furniture, it is unique in China. In the past, there was a saying among the folks that "the Ma family's underground treasury cannot be exhausted or filled". , is one of the typical mansions in Pingyao County, but because of the remote location, many tourists who come to Pingyao Ancient City tend to ignore the Ma Family Courtyard after visiting the famous county government, Rishengchang, and the city wall.
Walking into the Ma Family Courtyard, you will involuntarily think of the Qiao Family Courtyard and Wang Family Courtyard in Shanxi, and because the Ma Family Courtyard is too low-key, not many people know about it. The Ma Family Courtyard has a history of more than 170 years History, is the most historical and ornamental ancient residential complex in Pingyao, with 3 large courtyards, 6 small courtyards and 197 houses. It integrates residential buildings, customs and culture, the daily life of wealthy families, and the rise and fall of merchants. The overall layout of the compound looks like a big "horse" from a bird's-eye view, in order to warn future generations to never forget the origin, and it is a metaphor for the meaning of "success in a horse and rapid progress" in the business of the Ma family. A lot of thought was spent in the construction of this building complex.
Let’s talk about the owner of the Ma Family Courtyard. Ma Zhongxuan, a great businessman in the Qing Dynasty, was born in a family of Chinese medicine. Tea houses, shoe houses, silk and satin houses, etc., had the later wealth and became the richest man in Pingyao.
Walking in the Ma family courtyard, you can feel the layout here is very clear. There are three large courtyards and six small courtyards in the former residence, taking the auspicious meaning of "three six nine" in the folk custom. The overall layout of the houses in the courtyard is in the shape of a "horse", and the courtyard has a gate Eight, implying treasures from all directions; 24 small gates, representing 24 solar terms. The owner of the Ma family courtyard has three wives in his life, and each wife has a courtyard. I personally think that the courtyard of the second wife is the most luxurious. According to information, the two His wife Zeng returned from overseas, and she and Ma Zhongxuan are in free love. The Ma family had four daughters and one son. The youngest daughter married into the Qiao family compound and was Qiao Zhiyong's eldest wife.
The three yards of the Ma family courtyard are similar in style but different in style. The brick and wood carvings inside are very exquisite, especially the exquisite and complex furniture carvings, and the furniture is also exquisitely placed. The wealth of the Ma family can be seen from here. It is said that When the Empress Dowager Cixi passed by Pingyao when she fled westward, the Ma family also donated 50,000 taels of silver.
There is also an imperial decree hanging in the square of the Ma family compound, which was given to the Ma family by the Empress Dowager Cixi back then. Be happy, be healthy, be safe, cherish blessings, and be content. There are tens of millions, and the last one is Zhizhi, which means to tell Ma Zhongxuan that the money is donated and cannot be returned. Specially approved horses can enjoy royal treatment: they can be decorated with dragon patterns.
The location of the Ma Family Courtyard in the ancient city of Pingyao is very secluded. This is very similar to the character of the literati selected by Ma Zhongxuan. The Ma Family Courtyard is low-key and luxurious. Tickets are included in the tickets for the ancient city of Pingyao. Every courtyard is worth our careful observation. , the sun shines through the windows, casting mottled light and shadows on the old ground, and all kinds of stories that happened here have turned into silent history.
