The Next ancient wonder on the list must be the Mu Ta Pagoda, at Ying Xian Village south of Datong. The Mu Ta Pagoda is the very oldest of the few remaining wooden Pagodas in China and the highest wooden pagoda in the world.
This page was last updated on: March 14, 2012
History of Shanxi Province -
Shanxi Province is one of the oldest territories in the current country of China with a history leading back to before the Spring & Autumn Period (722 - 403 BC) when it was the location of the military powerful state of Jin. The State of Jin dis-integrated into three states, starting off the Warring States Period (403 BC - 221 BC). The Warring States Period finally gave Rise to the very first Imperial Dynasty of China - the Qin, who first united all under one Government. Under the Han and Tang Dynasties already, Shanxi was a territory or Province of China. At that Time however, Shanxi Territory included a larger Surface Area today. Todays Shanxi Province was established in Name and Practice by the Ming Dynasty, making it one of the 9 Districts in Defense of the Great Wall.
Full Historic Introduction to Shanxi Province of China
Datong
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Shanxi Province of China
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Highlights, Monuments and Scenic sites of Shanxi Province
North Shanxi Province-
From North to South, the Monuments and Scenic Sites of Shanxi Province start with the City of Datong and the World Cultural Heritage Site of Cloud Ridge 1000 Buddha Caves at nearby Yungang Village. Although today mainly known as a heavy industrial center,with a history of over 2000 years the City of Datong ranks in the list of China's 24 leading Cultural & Historic Cities.
Once the Capital City of China during the (Northern) Wei Dynasty (386 AD- 534 AD), the earliest Datong was a frontier trading post on the Silk (and Tea) Road in a strategic border area. In these early times the Wei Dynasty started construction on the Yungang Cave Statues, which are now a world heritage memory and living proof of the progression of Buddhism into China along the ancient Silk Road.
Not surprisingly, due to its strategic position, Datong soon became a Garrison City guarding the vital Pass to Inner Mongolia on the Outer layer of the Great Wall of China. Throughout history Datong played a crucial role in China's Northern Defenses against invading Mongol (and other) Tribes. The City was attacked by large armies on several occasions and raised to the ground at least 2 times. In the Ming Dynasty the City received its own City Wall and once more became home to an Imperial Palace.
Map of the Gobi Desert & Yellow River Flow
Satellite Image Map of the Gobi Desert Region. Map overviews North-West Xinjiang Autonomous Region, Mongolia, Inner Mongolia and North and North-Eastern China giving a Full Overview of the Gobi Deserts and Yellow River Basin. Map includes country borders, name + location of Cities and Villages (clearly visible).
China Report - Map of the Great Wall during the Ming Dynasty
Satellite image of China and North-East Asia, with a super-imposed schematic Map of the location and Path of the Great Wall as constructed during the Reign of the Ming Dynasty. Included for reference are City names, geographical features of landscape, Names and locations of Passes on the Great Wall of China.
From the North we first move West to the border of Shanxi Province with neighboring Shaanxi Province, where the Yellow River flows South. In the list of Top-sites in Shanxi Province, here we find the Hukou Falls of the Yellow River west of YingXian. When swollen by rains, the yellow river spectaculary moves down falls and rapids into a Gorge running south toward its meeting with the Fen River. Get to the Gorge from Linfen.
After visiting the Gorge and Hukou Falls, sway around to he nearest village, Zhongshi Village (of Linfen County) several kilometers from the waterfall. Here many villagers still wear the traditional North-Shanxi outfit. The Men are adorned with white towels wrapped around their heads, wear coarse clothing and often brandish huge stemmed pipes. The elongated pipe is a cultural oddity of North-Shanxi. Women and Donkeys are dressed up in more colorful ways. Enjoy folk arts like kuaiban - a comic story accompanied by bamboo clappers, buy local woven products or take a donkey ride on the yellow river banks.
Quite some distance upstream to the North lies the village of PianGuan, where the Great Wall of China meets the yellow river and is interrupted by it. Visit remote and unknown PianGuan Pass of the Great Wall of China. A crucial Pass on the outer wall in ancient times, and more recently a well-defended Pass in battles against the Japanese Invaders of 1937 AD. The highest Mountain in West Shanxi Province is Helan Shan in the Luiliang Mountain Range that runs in western Shanxi Province. With its top at 2783 meters the mountain is nationaly famous for its spectacular views. The West is rough and mountainous.
Capital of Shanxi Province - TaiYuan
Surface Area / Size - 156.000 square kilometers
Population - 31.43 Million (under research for update) and rising
The dry dust blown mountains of Shanxi Province, Inner Mongolia AR and Western Hebei Province.
Shanxi Province is bordered in the West by the Huang He, the mighty Yellow River. Flowing North-South along the border with Shaanxi Province, the wild and dustladen yellow river is both the blessing and the sorrow of Shanxi and neighboring Provinces, even China as a whole. Known as the true cradle of Chinese Civilization, it is this river that spawned the earliest chinese kingdoms and Dynasties with the fertile Loess soil carried in its waters. Its frequent floodings during wet
seasons,however, have caused major disasters throughout historyequalling its blessings. Notable features of the Yellow River Basin are the dry and arrid conditions in the North, North-East and North-West mainly, owing to the encroaching of the Gobi Desert and the continuous loess-deposits of yellow dust blown in from the Gobi Desert and the Yellow River Basin (in Shanxi-, Shaanxi-, Ningxia, Inner Mongolia and Gansu Provinces).
In the South of Shanxi Province, around TaiYuan and beyond the situation is slightly different from the dry and yellow North, where the lands and hillsides slowly turn more green towards the south and leading into Shaanxi and Henan Provinces. In the South the fertile lands reminscant of central and coastal provinces return and farmlands grow more and more abundant and lush.
Shanxi Province includes the Capital at TaiYuan in Central Shanxi Province and the Northern City of Datong, both ancient Hsien Cities, or Capitals of centrally administered District of a Province. As such they had their own city walls constructed at the beginnings of the Ming Dynasty, as did PingYao.
These currently are both main industrial centers of Coal and Iron Production, as well as homes to significant Electricity Generation Plants supplying the North. Both cities are further famed for their signifiant cultural heritage, with the ancient Ming Walled City of Pingyao located near TaiYuan world famous for its historic scenery, and the Yungang Cloud Ridge Caves with their ancient Buddha's near Datong, the main attractions.Much more ancient relic sites are hidden around the Province, among
which the Great Wall of China itself.
Taiyuan City is the seat of the Central Government of
Shanxi Province, which is a major heavy industrial center
with a booming growth, and significant responsibility
for the energy supply of China and thus the national
economy. Also traditionally functioning as a central
railway transportation hub, TaiYuan is an administrative
center now easily accesible by air through its National
Airport (TaiYuan). Further TaiYuan is recently home to a
growing tourist industry, mainly focussed on PingYao.
TaiYuan, the Capital lies strategically located in the
center of the Province, reachable from the rough North from Datong and ShuoZhou, passing West along Heng Shan and Yunzhong Shan and through the strategic Xinzhou Pass (Xinzhou Guan) below the Inner layer of the Great Wall of China in Shanxi Province.
In October of 1937 AD, at the time of the Japanese final Battle for TaiYuan, the Xinzhou Guan Pass was the strongest defended pass in Shanxi entire, fortified by over 100.000 troops well-equipped forces of the warlord
Last but not least should be mentioned the Yellow River overpass at Yixian. Nearby lie the famous waterfalls on the Yellow River, the spectacular Hukou (or Hugou) Falls. Especially when the water comes during the wet seasons, many flock to Hukou Falls to see the spectacular scene of the Yellow River plunging through narrows into the Yellow River Canyon below Yixian. It continous spectacularly down south until joining the river Fen and flowing peacefully into Henan Province.
Beijing Region - North Shanxi Province Map : Datong-Beijing-ShiJiaZhuang-TaiYuan quadrangle, an overview of Beijing Municipality (in Hebei Province) and the Area to the West and South-West of Beijing. Includes Datong, North-Shanxi Province and nearby YanMenGuan Pass to Inner Mongolia (Great Wall of China), BaoDing, ShiJiaZhuang and TaiYuan Crossroads-cities. Wutai-Shan Area between Datong and Beijing clearly navigable.
The resulting Datong of today is a dusty but interesting historic city, home to some ancient and original Temples and Monasteries containing relics of Wei, Han, Tang and later Dynasties. Main historic sites in the City itself are first of all the Tang Dynasty clay statues of the Huayan Monasteries and Shan Hua Monastery. Second comes the Nine Dragon Screen that remains of the former Ming Dynasty Palace and is the oldest surviving such screen in China entire. As are other Hsien Cities in the North, the City is further enclosed by its own (now dillapidated) Ming Dynasty Era City Wall.
Schematic Map depicting the multiple layers of the Great Wall of circling Beijing, then continuing into North Shanxi Province, passed YanMenGuan at Datong to PianGuan in the North-West Of Shanxiwhere it terminates at the Yellow River.The Great Wall continues westward through Shaanxi,Ningxia and Gansu Provinces.
Outside of the Datong many more historic sites from forgotten dynastic days remain scattered and hidden among the rough mountains and hills of the countryside.
This world cultural heritage site is home to a large collection of well-preserved statues dating as far back as the 4Th Century AD and the Northern Wei Dynasty. Equalling the now destroyed statues of Bamiyan in Afghanistan, and far better preserved than the LongMen Caves at LuoYang in Henan, the statues remain among they very few majestic remnants of the Ancient Silk Road, giving roof of the Path of Bhuddism to the East from India, via Nepal,Tibet and Mongolia into North-China.
The sensational Silk Road Statues of Yungangs Cloud Ridge. The number 1 scenic and historical site in North Shanxi Province.
Immediatly next in importance, although not according to the tourist industry, is the YanMenGuan Great Wall Pass(es) located at some distance to the South-West of Datong. Relatively off the beaten path for tourist busses, this Pass and section off the Great Wall of China remains unrestored and offers a sensational Great Wall of China experience. Remnants of all 3 Gates on the original Ming Dynasty Era Great Wall can be visited.
half the way to the Top of Mount Hengshan (2168 meters). The Monastery, near Hunyuan Village to the South-East of Datong is built into a cliff-face, giving it a unique and spectecular architecture as well as views. Last but not least comes the Five Terraced Holy Mountain Wu Tai, famous for its Silk Road Heritage and Monasteries filled with Buddhas. Datong and Hunyuan serve as a Northern Gateway to this Holy Mountain Area of which Yadou Shan reaches 3058 meters.
Central Shanxi Province -
As mentioned above in central Shanxi Province lie the Capital City of TaiYuan with the nearby world cultural heritage city of Pingyao. Regardless of its 2500 year history, the Capital of TaiYuan does not rank among major tourist Cities as few historic sites remain. The Capital however it does have its very own Ming Dynasty Era City Wall that can be visited at several locations. The rest of the City consist mainly of wide tree-shaded lanes and lenghts of now increasingly modern appartment blocks. Due to its location in the heartland of Coal and Iron producing country, the City is often, if not usually shrouded in a thick mist of industrial exhaust and fog. In recent years however, the city environment has been markedly improved, making Taiyuan somewhat of a model for other chinese industrial cities. The banks of the River Fen have been adorned with Parks and Terraces, making views and life more pleasant. The new LiuXian Shopping Center has added new vitality to the City Center as well as the local economy.
The Main Museum of the City is the Shanxi Provincial Museum (of History) which is divided over two locations in the City.Taiyuan offers are a further two Temples to explore, the ChongShan Si with its impressive GuanYin (Goddess of Mercy) Statue with a-1000-hands-and-eyes, and the ShuangTa Si. The ShuangTa Temple is home to two interesting Ming Dynasty Pagodas, which with their height of 55 meters give a spectacular lookout over the city (suburb) area. We have no information on the Shuanglin Monastery.
Outside of TaiYuan, some 25 kilometers to the South-West of the City lies Jinci Si. A grandiose and spectacular, mainly Ming Dynasty Era, Temple complex at the foot of the Xuanwang Hill. The Jinci Temple stands at the very source of the Jin River (Jin He), and includes architectural features such as a bridge spanning the Zhibo Canal and a Terrace of Iron Statues cast in the year 1097 AD. Other notable features are the collection of Song Dynasty Era Clay statues and figurines housed in the Mother Goddes Hall and four stone tablets inscribed by the Tang Dynasty Emperor Tai Zong himself. A Seven story Stone Pagoda completes this beautiful and extensive Temple.
Ancient wooden Mu Ta Pagoda of YingXian, top historical site in North Shanxi Province.
The Great Wall of China arches North through Shanxi Province in the very North, where the terrain is the most mountainous and passes are suitable for defense. There are two historical layers of the Great Wall of China in North Shanxi Province.
The Outer Layer, protected by the Datong Garrison, arches North around Datong. This is the ancient pass into Inner Mongolia and into the wild areas beyond the Wall. Not much is known about this section.
To the South of Datong lies the Inner Layer of the Great Wall of China in Shanxi Province. The Inner layer has four main Passes which were garrisonned and backed up by the TaiYuan Garrison to the South.
From East to West, the Passes on the Inner Layer of the Great Wall of China in Shanxi are: PingXingGuan, YanMenGuan, Ningwu Guan and PianGuan.
Of these the most visited pass of the Great Wall of China in Shanxi Province lies South-west of Datong at YanMenGuan. The next visited site is the PingXing Pass famous from the anti-japanese Battle. Here, near Hunyuan, on the road to Wu Tai Shan lies a narrow pass lies between Mount Hengshan and the continuing TaiHang Range to the South- and West, in an impressive gorge. Original renmants of the Gates and two fortresses on the Wall can be visited. Other sites include the Pass at PianGuan in the North-West, where the outer layer of the Great Wall is interrupted by the Great Yellow River. Ningwu Guan lies in between.
South Shanxi Province -
To the South-West of Pingyao the Valley continues and meets up with the River Fen. From here it is downstream and along the railway lines to LinFen, an industrial City in the South of Shanxi, recently (2006) declared the most polluted City in the world. Often visibility here is near nil from smog.
Further South, in the extreme South-West Corner of Shanxi Province lies the small but growing City of Yuncheng. Enclosed by the Yellow River to the West as well as the South, Yuncheng has no tourist landmarks to speak of but is an important road and railway junction. Nearby, some 18 kilometers to the South near the Yellow River and the border with Henan Province, lies the GuangDi Miao, a Temple originally dated to the Sui Dynasty. Although destroyed by Fire in the 18Th Century, it was rebuilt in original style and the large Temple Complex and Monastery are very worthwhile to visit. Great Mountain and country-side sceneries abound.
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Another historicly significant South Shanxi landmark can be found at
the small City of Ruicheng, some 93 kilometers south of Yuncheng.
Here, on the banks of the yellow river, we find the Yongle Taoist Temple, which holds valuable historic frescoes dating back to the Tang and Song Dynasty Eras. Interestingly, this is not the original site of the Temple. In the 1960s, in advance of the construction of the SanMenXia Dam on the Yellow River (Huang He),and regardless of the ongoing Cultural Revolution, the Temple was moved no less than 3 kilometers south from its former position. The SanMenXia Water Reservoir that resulted from the construction of the Yellow River Dam, is now a developing tourist area and forms the border with Henan Province.
Across the River lies the famous Shao Lin Monastery, from which it is down south through country roads to LuoYang in Henan. The Southern part part of Shanxi Province, especialy the south-west corner is pleasant and green and many inhabitants of the area still live in Traditional Cave Housing typical for this area of the Yellow River Basin. Although usually not on the main tourist agenda, a visit to one of such houses can be a great way to learn more about the traditional way of life in Shanxi Province, as it has continued for hundreds of years and countless generations. Mind you, even today a majority of the population live in Cave Houses, which constructed and cut inside the abundant yellow loes cliffs of the area, offer warmth in winter and a pleasant coolness during the hot summers in Shanxi and Central China. During his revolutionary days at the communist headquarters, west across the river in Yanan, Shaanxi Province, even 'Chairman Mao' himself lived in such a convenient and comfortable cave dwelling.
Find out more on Shanxi Province through our Full Historic Introduction to The Province, our collection of Shanxi Province Maps or our respective
photo-lined-reports on the Cities of Datong, PingYao, TaiYuan,
Most Tourist that visit the Central Province only pass through TaiYuan on
their way to nearby PingYao, the now tourist blockbuster (restored) Ming
Dynasty era historic city. The small city of PingYao, is located due south
of TaiYuan along a valley and steep eastern mountain-ridge running away to the South-West.
At some 40 kilometers from TaiYuan, just besides the highway to PingYao and Linfen lies the Qiao Family Courtyard House. Due to its appearance in the Film Raise the Red Lantern, by Zhang Yimou, the Qiao Family House and the City of PingYao became worldfamous, and are now a UNESCO world cultural heritage site. Eversince, tourism to this once remote and quiet village-city has exploded and the Qiao Family Courtyard is a well visited site.
The extensive Courtyard House dates from the Ching Dynasty Era, when PingYao, located about halfway along the mountainous route between main Cties Beijing and Xian, became the financial (and banking) Capital of the Chinese Empire. As one result, the rich family father of the Qiao Family, one Qiao Guifa, had the elaborate house constructed counting 6 courtyards and no less than 300 rooms (room=space between 4 pillars). Inside the labyrinth-like complex one can enjoy the unique architecture of the Courtyard House and browse into Ching Dynasty Era Curiosa, Ceramics and Quality Furniture.
At PingYao the main attractions are either the impressive Merchant Family Estates dating to the Ching Dynasty Era, the Cities Preserved Original Lay-out or the 6 kilometer long City Walls of the early Ming Dynasty. Owing to its unique history as the hometown of Late Feudal China's Richest Trading Families the City of Pingyao has a unique and well preserved traditional city layout and architecture of a splendid imperial city of ancient chinese times. Although some major repairs were recently necessary, most of the City remains in its original State.
Main Railway Lines in Shanxi Province -
There are Three Major connecting Railway Lines running through Shanxi Province. In the North in the east-west direction runs the Beijing-BaoTou railway, connecting Beijing (Western Station) in Hebei Province through Datong in North Shanxi Province to BaoTou in Western Inner-Mongolia. This railway has since been connected through to Yinchuan, the Capital of remote Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.
In the East through Nanchizi Pass runs the railway from Shijiazhuang. This is the oldest section of railway line in Shanxi Province, historically known as the ChengTai Railway. Beijing connects through Shijiazhuang with TaiYuan, from which trains can be taken in all four directions of the wind. Up North, West into Shaanxi's arid North, or south-west via PingYao on the Tung Pu Railway Railway through Linfen to Xi'An the old Silk Road Capital in Southern Shaanxi Province. This is the Beijing-YuanPing railway line.
Shanxi has many sections of spectacular railroads, but the most famous section is the one through PingXingGuan Pass on the railway between TaiYuan and Datong.
Here a 6 kilometer tunnel of the Railway cuts through rough Cliffs and Mountain-sides in one of the highest mountain-area's in the Province.
Environment & Pollution in Shanxi Province -
Linfen has now officially been declared the most polluted city in the world, but the entire province can be shrouded in coal dust and emmissions, much to the detriment of tourist visitors to the area.
Datong can be equally problematic, where yellow dust clouds from the Yellow River Basin meet air pollution from the massive local Coal Industry.
Although TaiYuan faces the same industrial problems, the city has done much to improve the living environment and air quality for its citizens. Although there is a long way to go, exhaust from local industry is increasingly filtered.
Recently, the city of TaiYuan has become somewhat of a model city, an example for other industrial centers in china to copy from.
Water is traditionally in short supply in arid and mountainous Shanxi. In recent years, with growing industrial use and population and living standard increasing, the problem has only been enhanced putting further limits on agriculture.
Topography of Shanxi Province -
Shanxi translates from chinese as West of the Mountains due to its rugged terrain of which a long Eastern Mountain Range is the main Topographical Feature. This range, the TaiHang Shan, runs neatly North-South bordering the North China Plain and seperating Shanxi from Hebei Province. The Area of North-Shanxi Province is especially rough and home to one of China's Five Holiest Mountains, the Five Terrace Mountain or Wu Tai Shan.
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Datong in turn, is the Coal Capital of China, a former industrial model city of the Cultural Revolution and near 1 million inhabitants in size. Quite different from the Capital, Datong lies exposed in the loesslands undernearth a mountain range and a Pass on the Great Wall of China named YanMenGuan.
Other cities of Shanxi Province are LinFen in the South-West along the banks of the Fen River, Lishi on the western border with Shaanxi Province, and Changzhi in the South-East of the Province far below TaiYuan and PingYao. Smaller but not lesser attractions such as the Wu Tai Shan Holy Mountain and its magnificent Monasteries lie in the high mountains in the North-West beyond Datong City on the border with Hebei Province. Take the train to YangMingBao and beyond to isolated and remote Shahe Village for best access to to this world cultural heritage area. Shahe, off-season is still a relatively small village-city with hotels, temples, a gate and traditional wall.
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Yen Hsi-Shan and Nationalist troops from further South under command of General Wei Li-Huang. The Battle for control of Shanxi Province raged on from September until at least the end of Februari 1938 AD and left some 30.000 dead. Earlier, in one of the opening battles, on September 25Th
One of the Famous Photos of the PingXingGuan Battle taken by reporter James Bertram, author of "First Act in China" and "North China Front". Except for Agnes Smedley, Bertram was the only reporter in the area at that time, as he walked across no man`s land between three fighting parties. Japanese, KuoMinTang Nationalist and the boycotted Communist Area`s.
The ancient ceramic Nine Dragon Screen of Datong in Shanxi Province, A remnant from the earliest Ming Dynasty and it`s Imperial Palace.
Ethnic Minorities - Few, only 0.25%
The Han ethnicity makes up almost the entire population of Shanxi Province with 99.75%. There are however 34 other minorities represented in Shanxi, albeit in minute numbers, totalling around 67.000. Ethnic groups include first and foremost the Hui, than the Manchurian and Mongolian Ethnicity. The Tibetan and Korean ethnicities close the list. Due to the Nature of the Shanxi Terrain and cultural/historic reasons, most ethnic minorities
live together, grouped in 58 villages in Shanxi Province.
Mineral Resources of Shanxi Province -
Verified reserves of Coal in Shanxi Province amount to 261.2 billion tons, which accounts for a staggering one-third of the nation’s total. Other mineral reserves of bauxite, pearlite, gallium and zeolite rank first in the nation. The Main industrial Cities of today are Datong and TaiYuan, with a good deal of smaller mines distributed across the Province and at LinFen. The Province abounds with smaller and even lesser mines famous for their dangerous work and many life-taking accidents.
As a result of its mountainous nature, the Province is rich in mineral resources, and since the 1930's has been developed as the Coal (and Iron) producing heart of China.
Most of Shanxi Province, up to 80% of its surface area is Mountainous or Hilly. Surprising as it may seem however, only 20 % of the Province is covered by Forests (3.44 million hectares).
During most of the Republic of China's period of rule over mainland China (1912-1949), Shanxi was held by warlord Yen Hsi-shan, although the arrival in the Northern Area of the communist rebels via their long march would change the situation by 1936 AD. Although nominally under the rule of the Chinese Central Government in Nanjing (Jiangsu Province), Yen Hsi-shan commanded his own loyal troops and was the real power-dealer.
That is, in the main cities (Hsien) of the Province.
After their arrival in the North in 1936 AD, the communist, who had their headquarters in Yan'an, Shaanxi, immediatly started raising peasant militia`s in the Shanxi countryside, and through a clear political program quickly won the hearts and minds of the local villagers, becoming a new player in the Province.
Yen Hsi-Shan was a clever Man. Ordered to attack the communist armies on several occassions, by the treacherous Chiang Kai Chek, Yen Hsi-Shan failed dismally in several half-hearted attempts to root them out. Flocks of his unhappy soldiers deserted and joined the communist army instead.
Always practical and mainly concerned for the well-being of his own Territory, Yen Hsi-Shan quickly struck a deal with the communist, basicly agreeing to tolerate them in his territory and cooperate with them covertly, where possible. Regardless of the wishes of the Central Government run by General Chiang, the Province of Shanxi had its own political arrangements.
By September of the next year, 1937 AD, China was under full-scale attack from Japan, who would send an army into the Province to take over by 1938 AD. The country-side of Shanxi Province, however would remain mostly under control of communist guerilla's harrassing the Japanese Troups.
Throughout the remainder of the Sino-Japanese War smaller and larger scale attacks would continue to disturb Japanese communications and transport, finally bogging them down on the Yellow River border with Shaanxi Province.
Most of Shanxi Province, up to 80% of its surface area is Mountainous or Hilly. Surprising as it may seem however, only 20 % of the Province is covered by Forests (3.44 million hectares).
the PingXingGuan Great Wall Pass in North-Shanxi saw a dramatic battle between a small number of Guerilla Fighters of the 8Th Route Communist Army (1st Division under Lin Biao, later renamed 115Th) and one half of the Japanese Main Force. During a one day battle on the Pass, the chinese defenders used guerilla styled techniques to strike a major defeat on the Japanese Invaders. This was the first major victory achieved by the communist troops,
Arch-rivals Mao Zedong and Chiang Kai-Chek toasting the Japanese Surrender in August of 1945 AD. This would be the opening signal of a battle for China between the two.
Overview Map of the Japenese Front-line and directions of Attack during the decisive Battle of TaiYuan in December 1937 to March 1938 AD. After taking Datong in fall of 1937 AD, the Japanese victory at TaiYuan ensured Japanese control of the vital railway lines needed for a further offensive West into China. The Northern attack was supposed to go through TaiYuan, then target Xi'An across the Yellow River in Shaanxi. The offensive never reached Xi'An.
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Much later, after the Japanese Surrender in August of 1945 AD, the communist forces would go on to do battle with Nationalist Armies and American Troops in Shanxi Province during the 1946 (to 1949 AD) chinese Civil War.
In 1971 a spectacular 6188 meter railway tunnel was blasted through the steep cliffs and walls of PingXingGuan pass making for a very interesting railway journey to TaiYuan.
of 1937 AD, at the time of the Japanese advance from Datong in the North, towards the South into Shanxi Province,
A View of Xinzhou (Hsinkou) Pass in October 1937 from a Hillside. Photo taken by James Bertram in the days immediatly after the Battle for the Pass that left 15.000 Japanese and an equal number of Chinese Dead. - Click to Enlarge -
and in fact the entire National United Front Armies, in the war against Japan. Although the Japanese would eventually capture TaiYuan, the entire Province of Shanxi, rugged as it is, is extremely suitable for guerilla warfare and as such the communist guerilla forces would remain a nuisance to Japanese Forces until the very end of world
war II. Already not much after the succesful Japanese invasion, much of
the Shanxi Countryside was in the hands of communist forces.
TaiYuan is reached from the East through the NiangZi Valley
from ShiJiazhuang in Hebei Province and the Central Chinese Plain. To the South the Valley of the Fen River provides access to Shaanxi and Henan Provinces across the Yellow River. In the West through Mountains, Valleys and Green lies the way to Eastern- and Central Shaanxi Province, an arid area at the heart of the Yellow River Basin.
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The Best Time to visit PingYao is during the Lantern Festival, some 15 days after the Chinese New Year. As the newfound Home of the Red Lantern, Pingyao celebrates the festival spectacularly, with multitudes of red lanterns hung outside ancient mansions and along the narrow alleys of the City and a chinese-country-styled Parade through the old city center. At this time, special delicacies and street-stall flavors are especially abundant in each chinese City and Pingyao offers visitors some of its Best.
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Browse around narrow streets and visit the now restored and repainted South Gate of the City. Dotted around are Hotels housed in traditional siheyuan quadrangle courtyards, and musea and tourist shops abound. Many sites are dedicated to the rich merchant families that formed the core of China's transport industry in the Ming Dynasty, monopolized the Tea Road and created China's First Draft Banks during the Ching Dynasty, making Pingyao the richest City in the Empire and a legacy in Chinese Financial and Cultural History. The so called Shanxi Traders made their Family Homes their Palaces in Pingyao for over generations and the City is the living remnant and cultural and architectural legacy of their commercial Empire.
Recently declared a world cultural heritage site in 1997, the entire City of Pingyao may be regarded as Museum. Highlights are the several hundred homes in the (old) City that have been deemed cultural and historical relics, many of whom have now been turned into Museums.
During the Song Dynasty, throughout the Yuan Dynasty and in the early Ming Dynasty Shanxi Province became a destitude place, an overcrowded province which had very few resources. Plagued by droughts, floods and infertility of the land Shanxi People perished from poverty or traveled across China in search of a livelyhood. Through a long and hard struggle, centuries on barren roads and by the grace of the strategic location of their Province between the Chinese Heartland and the Immense Defenses of the Great Wall of China, Shanxi People became wandering traders and the transporters of the empire. On their backs they caried grain from the Chinese Heartland (Henan and Shandong Province + beyond) to the 1.2 million defenders in the 9 fortress districts on the Great Wall, returning from the outer borders with much needed goods and salt from the Pond of Xiezhou in Shanxi Province, the salt as the payments of the Empire for their labors. Thus the first basis of Shanxi's transportation monopoly and later economic success was layed.
The Victory of the Ming Dynasty over the Northern Tribes brought stability to the Provinces leading once more to prosperity but also to a new population boom. Natural Disaster among which an 11 year drought brought new stresses to Shanxi Citizens, driving them once more on the path to other lands and trading prosperity. In this case the new lands lay beyond the Great Wall and beyond the West Pass (on the Great Wall in Shanxi Province).
Once more the strategic location of the barren province became the key to survival and eventual prosperity. When peace and stability ruled over the Inner Relations inside the Empire and Good Relations set in with the Northern Tribes, it were the Shanxi Merchant Societies that benifitted. Now the new markets of the lands beyond the Great Wall became the target and although these were rough and mainly unexplored new territories, the Shanxi Trading Families, through hard work and many challenges managed to set up new trade routes and towns, becoming rich in the process.
In the Ching Dynasty Era, the Shanxi Merchants as they were then known grew to be the most powerful economic clique in the Empire, controlling through transport most interior trade routes and therefor the economy of the entire Nation. In the wake of the Early Ching Dynasties military successes against the Northern Tribes in area's beyond the Great Wall, the Shanxi Businessmen followed and moved into new Markets. Due to the success of Shanxi Traders and their influence, Shanxi was extended northwards beyond the Great Wall to include parts of Inner Mongolia, including trading villages that are now the cities of BaoTou and Hohhot, the latter a city established by Chinese Shanxi Traders. The Authority of Shanxi Province overlapped with the jurisdiction of the Eight Banners and the Guihua Tümed banner in Inner Mongolia.
By the Time of the Qianlong Emperor of the Ching Dynasty the Shanxi Merchants and their various monopolies had made Shanxi Province the wealthiest province of the prospering nation, with more cash silver teals than the Imperial Coffers. Shanxi Businessmen controlled trading as far as Dunhuang in far Western Gansu Province, Xinjiang and well into area's now part of the Capital of the Republic of Mongolia. In the wake of their trade Chinese Han Culture, new technologies and Shanxi's Influence followed.
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The Ching Dynasty Era would become the Golden Age of Shanxi Province and the small City of Pingyao in particular. Already rich and nationally powerful traders the 1727 Treaty of Cakurtu, opening up trade with Russia provided another Golden Opportunity for the Shanxi Traders. The new Tea Trade with Russia, soon dubbed the Tea Road was soon monopolized by the Shanxi Traders, bringing a staggering 19% of China's imports and exports under their control. The Last and possibly most impressive economic and cultural contribution delivered by the Shanxi Merchants was the Invention and Establishment of the First National Drafts Bank, by Shanxi Trader Wei Lutai from Pingyao in Shanxi.
Turning Pingyao and Shanxi Merchants into the Bankers of China made them rank among the most powerful people in the Nation and Vital to the Empire. The year 1828 AD invention of the first bank in Pingyao, Rishengchang ensured the prosperity of Shanxi Province well into the 20Th Century, after which the recurrent wars, foreign encroachement and the
introduction of railways gradually reduced the Shanxi Merchants to bankruptcy
(Read More about the Shanxi Merchants in our Introduction to Pingyao at PingYao Report and our History of Shanxi Province Page).
TaiYuan
Yuncheng
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