Pingyao Ancient City & Beyond | My Trip to Shanxi’s UNESCO Heritage and Honest Take

Discover Shanxi like a time traveller - from the lifelike Buddhist sculptures of Shuanglin Temple, to Pingyao Ancient City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a turtle-shaped layout and a history as China’s financial centre, and the towering Bianjing Drum Tower guarding the empire’s northern frontier.

In this journey, experience ancient Chinese architecture, world-class heritage sites, and the living history of one of China’s most fascinating provinces. Perfect for travellers seeking hidden gems in China, history lovers, and anyone inspired by ancient culture and architecture.

🎥 This is part of my “Ground Heritage: Exploring Shanxi, China” series.
Watch the full playlist here →    • Ground Heritage: Exploring Shanxi, China  

00:00 Let's Travel Back to the Past
00:33 Eyes That Glow — Shuanglin Temple’s 700-Year-Old Secret
02:46 Explore China’s Best-Preserved Ancient City
05:03 The 600-Year-Old Fortress That Stood Against Invaders for Centuries
06:20 Thunderous Drums at the Ancient Drum Tower
08:20 Why These Places Stay With You

Here’s everything you need to know before you go 👇
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🌸 FEATURED SPOTS

1️⃣Shuanglin Temple (雙林寺)
Just 6km outside Pingyao Old Town, this ancient Buddhist temple dates back to the Northern Wei dynasty and is home to over 2,000 hand-painted clay sculptures, many of which are from the 14th to 19th centuries. Known as the “long corridor of oriental painted sculpture”, it’s also a UNESCO-listed site.
It also inspired some of the game's environment design in Black Myth: Wukong.

2️⃣Pingyao Old Town (平遙古城)
A perfectly preserved Ming-Qing era city, laid out in the shape of a turtle 🐢.
• 6 city gates = turtle head, tail & four feet
• Over 300 ancient sites and 4,000+ historic homes
• Birthplace of China’s banking system — check out Rishengchang, the first “draft bank” (票號)

3️⃣Bianjing Tower (邊靖樓), Dai County (代縣)
Nicknamed “The First Tower of Yanmen”, this majestic 40-meter-high drum tower was used for military signalling on the frontier. It’s the tallest, largest, and most intact wooden drum tower in China, once standing guard over the ancient border pass of Yanmen.

Don’t miss the bricks marked with the “官” symbol — imperial quality control from the Ming dynasty.

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🚄 HOW TO GET THERE

To Pingyao (for Shuanglin Temple & Old Town):
• ~35 min high-speed train from Taiyuan (太原)
• 10–15 min taxi to Shuanglin Temple
• 15 min taxi to Pingyao Old Town

To Dai County (for Bianjing Tower):
• ~1 hr high-speed train from Taiyuan
• 30 min taxi to town centre

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🎟️ TICKETS & TRAVEL TIPS

• Shuanglin Temple & Bianjing Tower: On-site ticketing available
 - During holidays (e.g., Labour Day, summer vacation, etc.), book in advance if possible

• High-speed trains
 - Bring a valid ID or passport — mandatory for boarding
 - Book early during holiday periods

• Pingyao Ancient City
 - Town entrance is free
 - Most museums require tickets
 - Some lesser-known sites = free with a valid ID

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Music: Moonlight by u_so8lwbb8js from Pixabay

#unescoworldheritage #ancientcity #ancientchina #chinatravel #blackmythwukong #slowtravel #shanxi #hiddengems #buddhastatue