Jinci Temple

Day 01Arrival in Taiyuan

 

Our tour guide and private vehicle will pick you up from the airport in Taiyuan. Then you will be transferred to your hotel to check in.

 

 

 

Meals: No Meals
 

Qiao Family Compound

Day 02Taiyuan - Pingyao

 

Be picked up from your hotel in the moring. Visit one of the rare large-scale memorial temple gardens - Jinci Temple. Then drive to Pingyao (2-hour drive), you will visit Qiao Family's Compound and Shuanglin Temple before you check in your hotel in Pingyao.

 

- Jinci Temple: Jinci Temple lies at the foothill of Xuanweng Mountain. It was initially built during the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-535), and is famous for its magnificent building complex and excellent art of statue. It integrates ancient consecration buildings, landscape garden, sculptures, carvings, fresco and stele.

- Qiao Family Compound: Qiao Family Compound was the residence of Qiao Zhiyong (1818―1907), a famous Chinese financier during the Qing Dynasty. The compound was built in 1756, and went through two renovations and one expansion. It is well-preserved and is regarded as a representative of North China folk houses in the Qing Dynasty. Its magnificent structure and delicate decoration attract numerous visitors. The famous Chinese movie "Raise the Red Lantern" starring Gong Li was filmed there.
 - Shuanglin Temple: Also known as "Double Forest Temple", Shuanglin Temple is located about 20 minutes drive from Pingyao Ancient Town. Shuanglin Temple was built about 1,500 years ago, and is renowned for ancient locust trees, steles, frescos and especially the vivid and well-preserved colored-painting mud sculptures which number over 2,000.

 

Meals: B+L

Pingyao Mingqing Street

Day 03Pingyao - Taiyuan

 

Today, you will enjoy a tour in this old area, visit the Key National Relics Protected Units in Pingyao including the Ancient City Wall, Ri Sheng Chang Draft Bank and Ming and Qing Street. Back to Taiyuan in the late afternoon.

 

 - Ancient City Wall: The Ancient City Wall of Pingyao was constructed nearly 3,000 years ago, and at present it still keeps the original appearance of the city wall renovated in the early Ming Dynasty which is several hundred years ago. The contruction method is simply but delicate. Its circumference is about 6,163 meters, with a height at 6 to 10 meters. There are 6 city gates, every day local people and tourists go in and out of the ancient town via the city gates.
- The Rishengchang Draft Bank: Established in 1823, Rishengchang is the first and was the biggest draft bank in China at that time, and had been famous for "Hui Tong Tian Xia", meaning "business conneting the whole world". Rishengchang is located on the West Street of Pingyao Ancient Town. From its establishment via prosperity till its closure, it operated for over 100 years. At Rishengchang, visitors will learn about its development and how it was managed via the exhibitions.
- The Mingqing Street: Mingqing Street is the South Avenue of Pingyao Ancient Town. Buildings and houses of the Ming and Qing Dynasties are preserved quite well, and it is the bustling area and axis of the ancient town. Over 100 shops, restaurants and bars line on this 800-meter-long ancient street. Visitors can shop for some inexpensive souvenirs, watch the ancient buildings and local life, or learn some ancient techniques of making handicrafts.
 

 

Meals: B+L

Wutai Mountain

Day 04Taiyuan - Mt.Wutai

 

Morning take a bus to Wutai Mountain. Afternoon explore the Wutai Mountain Scenic Area. Visit the beauty of rising and falling ridges of Mt. Wutaishan, enjoy the exotic rocks, crisscrossed gullies, crystalline waters, towering green forest and magnificent temples. Stay in Wutai Mountain for overnight.

 

- Wutai Mountain Scenic Area: The beautiful scenery of Mt. Wutaishan is a masterpiece, nature at its most exquisite. There are five glorious peaks: Wanghai Peak in the east, Guayue Peak in the west, Jinxiu Peak in the south, Yedou Peak in the north, and the central Cuiyan Peak. This mountain, one of the four holy Buddhist Mountains, is said to be the dwelling place of Manjusri Bodhisattva. 360 temples were built here dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and 47 of these still exist.

 

Meals: B+L

Yingxian Wooden Pagoda

Day 05Mt. Wutai - Datong

 

Morning take a bus to Datong, visit Hanging Monastery and the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda at Ying County on the way. Stay in Datong for overnight.

 

- Hanging Monastery: It is a wondrous monastery listed as a World Heritage Site. The Hanging Monastery was magically built into a near vertical rock face and hangs about 50 meters above the ground. The monastery is the only one in China that enshrines Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism within one monastery.
- Yingxian Wooden Pagoda: Yingxian Wooden Pagoda is the oldest and tallest wooden pagoda in China. The pagoda was built in 1056. It remains a mystery to scientists and tourists alike that this pagoda withstood several natural disasters and still was able to maintain its original condition.

 

Meals: B+L

Yungang Grottoes

Day 06Datong

 

Full day tour ofthe Yungang Grotto, Nine Dragon Screen Wall and Huayan Temple. Be transferred back to your hotel after the whole day tour.

 

- Yungang Grottoes: As a World Heritage Site, Yungang Grottoes were carved out of sandstone cliffs on Wuzhou Mountain. Yungang Grottoes were dug over a span of forty years (CE 453-493). It stretches some 1000 meters continuously from east to west and it is one of the four famous grotto complexes throughout China. Of the 53 original grottoes of the Yungang Grotto complex, only 45 remain intact. These remaining 45 grottoes contain some 250 niches and 51,000 Buddhism statues and murals.
- Datong Nine-Dragon Screen Wall: Built over 600 years ago, Nine Dragon Screen is the oldest and largest glazed screen in China. It is 45 meters long, 8 meter tall and 2 meters tall. The screen was tiled with 426 specially made multi-colored glazes. The nine dragons on the screen appear vivid and marvelous.
- The Huayan Temple: Huayan Temple is the largest and most perfectly preserved temple of the Liao (916-1125) and Jin (1115-1234) dynasties in China. It is considered a museum of art of the Liao Dynasty. Its buildings, statues and frescos all present the masterpieces of the Liao Dynasty. Inside the temple 31 statues made in the Liao Dynasty are well preserved. 21 large-scale frescos of the Qing Dynasty are still bright colored and resplendent.
 

Meals: B+L

Huanyan Temple

Day 07Departure from Datong

 

Today will be free for you to explore this city on your own. Later in the day you will departure for your

destination.

 

 

 

Meals: B