Pingyao Ancient City is located in the middle of Shanxi Province at north China, with a history more than 2,700 years. Pingyao was the home of a powerful trading family with significant commercial influence even beyond Shanxi, as they were in the trade sector, a nationwide business. Once served as a bustling economic center of feudal China, the current Pingyao Ancient Town looks like pretty much as the same as it did about 600 years ago. Either Pingyao History or Pingyao Culture plays an important role in China.
Pingyao is a cultural city with 2700 years of history. It is believed to be one of China's four best-preserved ancient cities along with Sichuan Langzhong, Yunnan Lijiang and Anhui Shexian. In 1986, Pingyao was announced to be national level famous historic and cultural city by the world educational, scientific and cultural organization. On December 3rd, 1997, it was added into the World Heritage List by the UNESCO. Pingyao is the only ancient county town which succeeded in the application of world cultural heritage in China. Pingyao's tourist resources are unique and have typical representativeness; its development of tourism accords with its own economic development mode.
Tourism in the urban economic development in the industry, position, and gradually increase the economic role of the tourism industry to boost the urban economy, social employment, driving force, as well as the promotion of the role of culture and the environment becomes increasingly obvious. Tourism is a pillar of China's economic development industries.
Pingyao Ancient City has a long history and is save completely. It is constituted by a group of large ancient building group, which is very rare and unique in China. The famous Chinese first exchange shop - Rishengchang Exchange Shop, is just located in the west street in this ancient city, which is honoured as " first financial street in Qing Dynasty". Also, it has large-scale and spectacular prosperous merchant courtyards like Qiao Courtyard and Wang Courtyard; has Shuanglin Temple and Zishou Temple which have exuberant incense and Chinese ancient building group.
