Explore. Dream. Discover.
Join us on this amazing adventure...
Join us on this amazing adventure...
Our experience in the temples of Pingyao. The days in Pingyao were peaceful … We had a medieval city which wasn’t too big and three days to visit it, so on the first day we were very patient in our approach. Maybe that was a mistake, but we don’t feel bad about it 😀 😀 😀
On the second day we decided to leave after breakfast and, after having worked a little bit on the blog, we met with Li and her friend Laura at the south gate of the city, Ying Xun Gate, to start exploring some of the temples of Pingyao.
First we headed to a street that currently serves as a meeting point for a drink with friends, but you can tell that it was an important street in the city as the façades of the buildings are different and there is also access to the wall (although it was closed).
On a recommendation from Giuseppe and Maura we decided to start our visit to the city in its temples, as they told us they were very much worth it … In truth they were right. The temples of Pingyao are amazing – thanks guys!
The Pingyao Confucian Temple was the first of the temples of Pingyao we visited. The access door is guarded by lions and the main temple is accessed via a bridge.
The temple has many decorative elements, both architectural and artistic. There is also a reconstruction of a classroom where Confucius taught his students.
Before leaving the temple we climbed to the top of the Zun Jing Pagoda, and from the top we were able to see the medieval city of Pingyao.
Cheng Huang Temple or the Temple of the Gods is not only one of the best preserved temples of Pingyao, but also one of the most preserved temples in China. It has a great wealth of wooden and stone sculptures, paintings and murals.
The alleyway that leads to the temple has several statues with animals of the Chinese zodiac … Li explained why Noah always pretends he’s a dragon – he was born in the year of the dragon!!! It couldn’t be any other way 🙂 🙂
One of the things that struck us the most was that in the second courtyard on the right-hand side (as you enter the temple) there is an area dedicated to hell and those who have behaved badly, specifying the punishments that they will receive after their earthly death … It is a really terrible image.
On the left-hand side when you enter the temple there is a dedication to all that is divine, where personalities or citizens of Pingyao who have behaved properly may enjoy a blessed life in heaven and may even be reincarnated.
In the last building we entered we could see the colorfully decorated roof of the temple.
Qing Xu Guan Taoist Temple is located on East Street quite close to the Qinhan Gate. We visited this temple on our last day in Pingyao, and it was a very pleasant surprise.
The route to reach this temple is a bit more neglected than the rest of the city, although you could tell they are gradually restoring some of it. Walking that way showed us the state the city could have been in if it hadn’t been protected and declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
We are travelers of the world - our story proves that. We are Fabio from Brazil, Ruth from Spain and Noah born in Belgium. We have had the opportunity to visit many places, mainly in Europe, and now we are doing a world tour as a family. Excited? If so, follow us during this amazing journey.