Tours and holidays with added interest
Shanxi
- Name in Chinese characters: 山西
- Name in Pinyin: Shānxī
- Status: Province
- Capital: Taiyuan
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Location within China
General Overview
Shanxi Province (not to be confused with Shaanxi Province) lies between Shaanxi and Hubei, the Province surrounding Beijing
The geography of Shanxi Province is dominated by mountains and the Yellow and Haihe Rivers. Much of the remainder is loess plateau.
Shanxi Province has a rich ancient history but is only a backwater in the modern China. It therefore offers a less distorted view for those seeking to understand the Real China but not so much for regular tourists.
Attractions For Visitors
The walled town of Pingyao is becoming better known as an alternative to the more developed Xi'an which is, otherwise, one of the few cities to retain its wall. The merchants of Pingyao were particularly advanced in terms of their financial arrangements and became immensely rich. The visitor can therefore wander an old walled town and enjoy some very special architecture all at the same time. Pingyao is easily reached from Taiyuan, capital of Shanxi Province.
The slopes of Wutai Shan contain many Buddhist Temples. This five-peaked mountain is considered a sacred place associated with Wen Shu, the Chinese name for Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom. Manjushri has a special relevance in Tibetan Buddhism and so the temples have many Tibetan features as well as numbers of visiting Tibetan and Mongolian monks.
Dataong has two main claims to fame: the Yungang Grottoes, easily reached from the downtown are amongst the best in China; the Xuankong Hanging Monastery is a spectacular series of buildings suspended on prtrusions from a cliff face such that the whole complex looks as if it is just hanging there. The latter site can be found about 80 kilometres from Datong.
The Hukou Waterfalls on the Yellow River, about 45 kilometres from Datong, are a classic image for Chinese tourism. They are a major hurdle and passing them is often taken to symbolise achievement of a major goal in life. In days gone by this could well mean something important like passing the government entrance examination - effectively 'making it' for life.
Yingxian Wooden Pagoda was made entirely of wood with not one single nail. Standing at nearly 70 metres high that is an impressive achievement. The 70 kilometre drive is perhaps a bit far to go just to see one building but if you are in the area and like architecture then it could well be part of a good day out.
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