Shanxi Trip Shatters Perceptions

Oh my goodness, is this Shanxi?

Those who used to say that Shanxi only had coal mines, wouldn’t their conscience hurt

The classmate was gnawing on the oily roujiamo while feeling heartbroken and emotional.

I forced myself to hold back my laughter and took a slow sip of Tori’s soup, pretending to be deep and saying, “Stay calm and composed, where are you going? There are plenty of beautiful scenery and delicious food in Shanxi, enough to overturn your cognition

Actually, I completely understand his feelings at this moment. After all, when I first set foot on this land, I was also deeply shocked like him. The stereotypical impressions of Shanxi that I had before were instantly shattered.

For this trip, I deliberately arranged the itinerary to be relatively relaxed. After all, it is a rare opportunity for an old classmate to come out and visit, so we cannot just rush to the scenic spots. We still need to let him experience the local customs and traditions of Shanxi.

Our first stop was Taiyuan. As the capital of Shanxi province, Taiyuan’s historical and cultural heritage is beyond recognition.

We went to Jinci, an ancient architectural complex with thousands of years of history, which is like a living history textbook.

The Hall of Our Lady, the Fish Marsh Flying Beam, and the Difficult Old Spring… every place exudes an ancient and mysterious aura.

Classmates usually don’t pay much attention to history and culture, but being in such a solemn and dignified environment, they are deeply infected.

He held his phone and kept taking pictures of the exquisite carvings and murals, muttering to himself, “Isn’t this amazing? The ancients were really amazing

After leaving the Jin Temple, we went to the food street in Taiyuan, where various Shanxi specialty snacks were dazzling and dazzling.

The fellow student usually eats a lot of food, but now he is more relaxed, such as Daoxiao Noodles, picking, cutting mutton offal, cooking greasy meat… He eats a lot of food and finally rubs his stomach.

After drinking and eating, we took the high-speed train to the highlight of our trip - Pingyao Ancient City.

As soon as we get off the high-speed railway, the smell of antiquity comes to us. Green bricks, grey tiles and carved beams and painted rafters seem to go back to the Ming and Qing dynasties.

The classmate looked dumbfounded and kept their mouth open for a long time without saying anything. Finally, they held back a sentence and said, ‘Let me go, is this really Shanxi?’?

Isn’t it Hengdian Film and Television City

I smiled and said, “This is a genuine ancient city. Pingyao Ancient City has been well preserved. The city walls, streets, shops, and residential buildings are all authentic from the Ming and Qing dynasties. It has a history of more than 2000 years and was listed as a World Cultural Heritage site in 1997. Isn’t it amazing

We strolled slowly along the bluestone road of the ancient city, with various characteristic shops on both sides, selling Paper Cuttings, dough figurines, vinegar.

My classmate wants to buy anything he sees. If I hadn’t stopped him, he would probably have moved the entire store back.

At noon, we went to a time-honored restaurant recommended by the local people, and ordered bowl sauces, Daoxiao Noodles, greasy meat, and of course, the most famous beef in Pingyao, Shanxi.

This Pingyao beef is not just for show. The meat has a strong aroma and melts in the mouth. My classmates even ate two large bowls and said they had never tasted such delicious beef in their lives.

After eating and drinking enough, we went to Rishengchang ticket office to listen to the tour guide explain the culture of Shanxi merchants.

When it comes to Jin merchants, they were a dominant force during the Ming and Qing dynasties. They played with the entire financial industry in the country, making them a true ‘financial giant’.

My classmate listened with great interest and kept exclaiming, “I didn’t expect Shanxi to have such a profound cultural heritage. It’s really broadened my horizons

After leaving Pingyao Ancient City, we rushed to the next stop - Qiao Family Courtyard without stopping.

Speaking of the Qiao Family Courtyard, it is a representative of the Jin Merchant Courtyard. Have you watched the TV drama ‘Qiao Family Courtyard’?

It was taken here.

As soon as the classmates entered the Qiao family courtyard, they were shocked by the magnificent scene in front of them.

Carved beams and painted rafters houses, exquisite gardens, priceless antiques, calligraphy and paintings, all of which demonstrate the splendor and wealth of the Qiao family.

My dear, this is too proud!

How much does it cost to build this

I smiled and said, “The Qiao family was once as wealthy as a country. It is said that when Empress Dowager Cixi fled, she even borrowed money from the Qiao family

Leaving the Qiao family courtyard, we went to the Hanging Temple again.

The Hanging Temple is built on a steep cliff, and from a distance, it looks like it is suspended in mid air, extremely thrilling.

Oh my goodness, this must be amazing too!

How was this temple built?

Will it not fall down

I told him that the Hanging Temple has a history of over 1500 years and is a miracle of ancient Chinese architecture, so there’s no need to worry about it falling down.

We spent a whole week in Shanxi and went to many places, such as Pingyao Ancient City, Qiao Family Courtyard, Hanging Temple, Mount Wutai, Yungang Grottoes… Each place left a deep impression on the students and completely overturned their understanding of Shanxi.

At the end of the trip, my classmate took my hand and sincerely said, “I was really deceived before. I thought Shanxi only had coal mines, but I didn’t expect there to be so many fun places. I will come back again if I have the chance in the future

Haha, I’m also very happy to hear my classmates say that. It seems that I did a good job as a Shanxi tour guide on this trip!

Original address: Bringing a classmate of ten years to Shanxi for tourism, the classmate expressed regret and admitted that he was deceived!

original Author: Travel Official Account: Travel Stories Release time: August 18, 2024 8:30 Published in Beijing