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Pingyao is a famous historic cultural city and a world heritage site. Located in the center of Shanxi Province, it is 90 kilometers south of Taiyuan and lies on the Fen River. The great majority of Chinese cities have histories extending back hundreds and often thousands of years, but few have anything outside of a museum to show for it. Pingyao is an exception. Chinese and overseas travelers come to this area to see some of the best-preserved traditional Chinese architecture.  

Pingyao became a city and the seat of the county government in the Qin Dynasty (221-206 B.C.). Its long period as a county government seat has left Pingyao with a 2,700-year history of politics, culture and economy, as well as numerous historic buildings and sites. The town looks much the same as when it was the county seat of the Ming and Qing dynasties. The city wall stretches for about six kilometers and the town is protected by a moat.  

Outside the city gate is a drawbridge. Pingyao boasts plenty of cultural relics, including the well-preserved Shuanglin Temple, built in 571 A.D., Xiaoxu Temple, built in 657 A.D., Thousand-Buddha Hall of Zhengguo Temple, and Dacheng Hall of the Wenmiao Temple, built in 963 A.D., and the Huiji Bridge, built in 1671.