Pingyao, Shanxi | Stroll through the streets of the ancient city and savor the historical charm.

The ancient city itself is free of charge and does not require reservations. The internal attractions require a combined ticket system, which is valid within three days after purchase, and each attraction is limited to one entry. The recommended places to visit are: Chenghuang Temple (5A scenic spot), Xietongqing (the earliest bank and underground money house), Rishengchang Bank, Pingyao County Government (there are three performances every day, the 9:30 show is recommended ⌛️ as it is longer). Walk inward from the New East Gate to the homestay we booked (Pingyao Yueting Jishe Inn). This home has a travel photography service at the lobby, which seems to be the best. The scenery and makeup look pretty good, but because there is really no choice of boys' clothes, we did not experience this. There is a reception desk in the atrium, where a dedicated service butler will help introduce the more worthwhile attractions and delicacies in the ancient city. The room we booked is the 🧑‍🧑‍🧒 family suite, which has a kang and a large bed. The room has good hygiene and smart facilities. The only drawback is that it is on the first floor and may be a little noisy from 8:00 to 21:00. There will be a light show at the Yingxun Gate on the south side. The show starts at 21:00 and lasts for 18 minutes (⚠️This gate is closed from 20:00 to 6:00 every day), so you can either go out early to wait or take a detour from another exit. There is a Luckin Coffee ☕️ near this door. If you are afraid of encountering coffee 🥷 in the scenic area, you can come here to drink. There is a Tingyu Tower in the west, next to the county government office. It is similar to the City Tower. Just choose one to take a photo. We happened to meet a group of "Jin Merchants' Ladies" passing by, and the photos we took actually gave us a feeling of "travel through time"... There is a city building on the north side (very suitable for taking photos), and there is a Qingzhi hand cream store on the road. It is a chain store with Pingyao's special packaging that can be used as a souvenir. The price is the same as 🍑. A short distance across the street, there is a small stall selling millet cakes, which are hollow and filled with brown sugar. They are considered local specialty mooncakes and are very delicious! The food recommended by the B&B is also on this road: Renren Beifang, Baishanxi, and Hongwuji (the queue is quite long) If you don't want to eat at a restaurant that's too complicated, you can choose a snack shop: Dongji Chaowantuo (open kitchen is clean, you can also try the improved version of oil tea, which has a nutty paste feeling), Jinshenglu Food Shop (single-person set meal (small-portion special snack platter, old vinegar egg 👍), Siniu Noodles (20 meters next to the B&B, a very small shop, home-style taste within 100 yuan, delicious!) The performance of See You Pingyao was well-made and immersive, with a lot of interaction between the audience and the actors. The whole process was moving around following the changes in the scene. The actors had a strong sense of conviction and the experience was very strong. (However, the storyline is not suitable for young children. There is a flour-sprinkling segment at the end, so it is best to wear a mask) So was scared, so we left midway. In general, the ancient city of Shanxi is worth a visit, and it has a different charm compared to the ancient towns in the south of the Yangtze River!