If you visit Shanxi, you must visit the Ancient City of Pingyao.

The Ancient City of Pingyao is one of the best-preserved ancient cities in China, with a history of more than 2,800 years. It is located in Pingyao County, central Shanxi Province, and was built during the reign of King Xuan of the Western Zhou Dynasty. The Ancient City of Pingyao is not only a living example of an ancient city from the Ming and Qing Dynasties and a place to see ancient architecture, but also an important birthplace of Jin merchants and Jin merchant culture. UNESCO describes the Ancient City of Pingyao as "an exceptional example of the cultural, social, economic, and religious development of China." The Ancient City of Pingyao's transportation network is made up of four main streets, eight smaller streets, and seventy-two lanes, with a neat layout and orderly streets and lanes. The ancient city is also known as "Turtle City," with the south gate as the head, the north gate as the tail, the four city gates in the east and west as the four legs, and the four main streets, eight smaller streets, and seventy-two lanes as the patterns on the turtle's back, forming a huge Bagua. The Ancient City of Pingyao also has an important place in financial history, as it was the financial center of the late Qing Dynasty, with more than 20 banks headquartered in Pingyao, accounting for more than half of the country's total, making it the "Wall Street" of ancient China. The largest of these was Rishengchang, the first bank in China, founded 200 years ago and famous for "remitting money to the world." The Ancient City of Pingyao was designated a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997 and is listed as a World Heritage Site. It is also a national 5A tourist attraction. The ticket price for the ancient city is CNY 125 per person in peak season, with different prices in low season. Opening hours are 08:30–18:30 in peak season (April to October) and 08:30–18:00 in low season (November to March). To get to the Ancient City of Pingyao, you can fly to Taiyuan Wusu International Airport and then take a long-distance bus or train to Pingyao, which takes about 1.5 to 2 hours. Pingyao Railway Station is located on the west side of the ancient city, only 300 meters from the northwest corner of the ancient city. The ancient city also has a well-developed road network, and taking a bus from Taiyuan to Pingyao is a good option.