Built with rammed earth inside and brick and stone outside, the ancient city walls measure 10 meters high and 6162.7 meters long with 3-5 meters wide tops. Except the southern wall, which zigzags a bit according to the land contour, the other three walls all go straight, making the city area a square one. One city gate was built each to the southern to northern walls and two city gates were built each to the western and eastern walls. All six city gates have gate towers and inside gates attached to them. A watch tower was built on the wall top every 50-100 meters away, totaling 72 watchtowers in all along the four walls. The parapets measuring 2 meters high each were built along the outside edges of the walls with 3000 mouths left open for defense shooting. It is said that Confucius once had 72 disciples and 3000 students, therefore 72 watch towers and 3000 parapets openings on the top of the four walls were built. There were another four grand watch towers originally built on the four corners of the squared walls, but they all disappeared long ago, with only one Great Scholar Tower and one Nameroll Calling Platform on the wall tops left today. Dug around the walls is a defense ditch measuring more than 3.3 meters in depth and 3.3 meters in width with trees planted along it. A drawbridge is built in front of each gate.
The wall is of compacted earth covered by bricks and stones. From a bird's eye view the rectangular wall resembles a tortoise. There are six city gates, one each on the north and south walls, and two each on the west and east walls. The south gate is the head of the tortoise, the two wells outside being the two eyes of tortoise. The north gate, the lowest place of the city, is the tail of tortoise. Traditionally the tortoise was considered a symbol of longevity, so through ancient times the hopes were that Pingyao Ancient City would be permanently secure.
Tips: From Taiyuan City to Pingyao Ancient City, buses run every 20 minutes. You can catch a bus on Jianshe Nan Lu, opposite Taiyuan Railway Station and at the railway station in Pingyao Ancient City to return. The buses run from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The bus fee is CNY 10. Pingyao Ancient City is not very big, so you can take a wonderful rickshaw tour. Pingyao Ancient City is a popular destination for travelers, so you can find hotels with good facilities everywhere. Of course, hotels with the characteristics of ancient architecture are recommended, thus you will experience the atmosphere of ancient times. On the Ancient Ming and Qing Street , you can find hotels that must be booked in advance and some local snacks such as Pingyao Beef that has been well-known from the Ming Dynasty, and Wan Tuo (a kind of delicious food made of flour).
Opentime: 09:00-16:50 tourtime 1.30hs
Admission Fee: CNY 120 (Ancient Pingyao City, this scenic spot is included)