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Taiyuan, historically known as "Dragon City" and "Bingzhou," is said to have been divided into nine states after Dayu's flood control, including Bingzhou. "Because of its location between two valleys, it was named Bingzhou." Located in the heart of Shanxi Province, Taiyuan is surrounded by mountains on three sides. The Fen River, the second largest tributary of the Yellow River and the mother river of the Shanxi people, runs through the city from north to south.
In recent years, the banks of the Fen River have been managed and have become a good place for urban leisure. The construction of three riverside cycling paths has also made Taiyuan the most cycling-friendly city. If you come to Taiyuan, you can experience cycling on the Fen River!
Taiyuan has a very long history. In the early years of the Western Zhou Dynasty, King Cheng of Zhou granted his younger brother Shu Yu the fief of Tang. Later, Shu Yu's son Xiefu moved the fief to the banks of the Jin River and changed the country's name to Jin. Shu Yu was revered as the ancestor of the Jin State. The Jin Temple is mainly used to commemorate the monarchs of all dynasties represented by Shu Yu.
During the Spring and Autumn Period, the famous "Three Families Divide Jin" occurred in the State of Jin, which ushered in the Warring States Period. During the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, nomadic peoples entered the Central Plains and established a political center in Taiyuan. The Yungang Grottoes were built during this time.
At the end of the Sui Dynasty, Li Yuan and his sons launched an uprising in Taiyuan and established the Tang Dynasty. Taiyuan became the "Beijing" of the Tang Dynasty. Unfortunately, Emperor Taizong of Song, Zhao Guangyi, considered Taiyuan a prosperous place for the "Dragon City" and destroyed the thousand-year-old ancient city, which fell into decline.
Taiyuan is located inland, with a dry climate and little rain. The temperature difference between day and night is large. The winter is dry and cold and long, and the summer is hot and humid with a lot of rain. The annual average temperature is around 11 degrees. The average daytime temperature in summer is around 25 degrees and the night temperature is around 15 degrees. It is a very suitable summer resort city.
Because Shanxi is a major resource-exporting province, its transportation is very convenient. It has 1 airport, 2 railway stations, and 5 bus stations. The main transportation in the city is buses and taxis. Currently, there is only one subway line.
Taiyuan Wusu International Airport
The airport is 13 kilometers from downtown Taiyuan, a journey time of approximately 30-40 minutes. An airport shuttle bus runs between downtown and the terminal, taking approximately 40 minutes. Alternatively, you can take bus No. 201 from the airport to Taiyuan Station or Taiyuan South Station, departing between 6:00 AM and 8:00 PM. The journey takes 45 minutes and costs 2 yuan. A taxi from the airport to downtown costs approximately 60 yuan.
Taiyuan Railway Station
This is mainly a stop for regular passenger train lines. Taiyuan currently has direct trains to Hubei, Chengdu, Shaanxi, Guangzhou, Henan, Hunan, Hebei, Shandong, Zhejiang, and Shanghai. There are more than 20 trains passing through and arriving in Taiyuan every day. It is very convenient to come to Shanxi by train!
There's a luggage storage area on the left side of the station building. Small luggage costs 5 yuan per day, and large luggage costs 10 yuan per day. You can choose to store your luggage based on your needs. Taiyuan Station is located near the city center, 4 kilometers from Liuxiang. A taxi ride costs about 11 yuan. If you're staying near the train station, we recommend staying near Wuyi Square.
Taiyuan South Railway Station
This is mainly a stop for high-speed trains. It is about 13 kilometers away from Taiyuan city center and a taxi ride costs about 26 yuan. If you want to go from Taiyuan South Station to Taiyuan Station, you can take bus No. 23, which takes about 1 hour. In 2024, Taiyuan Metro Line 1 is expected to open, and you can take Line 1 to Taiyuan Station, Taiyuan South Station, and Taiyuan Wusu Airport!
Most of the buses in Taiyuan are unmanned. You can bind the Taiyuan electronic bus card through Alipay/WeChat and scan the code to ride the bus.
Taiyuan's scenic spots are relatively concentrated, mainly distributed in two areas, one is Yingze Street-Liuxiang Commercial District, and the other is Jinyuan District. Because Jinyuan District is in the suburbs, it is recommended that you stay in Yingze Street-Liuxiang Commercial District, which is only 4 kilometers away from Taiyuan Railway Station. It is very close to Shuangta Temple, Yingze Park, and Coal Museum, and there are many hotels of all grades. It is also close to the Liuxiang Food District. Basically, all the time-honored brands in Taiyuan are in this area!
Shanxi is the kingdom of noodles. In Taiyuan, you can find special noodles from various regions of Shanxi. When you come to Taiyuan, you must try these noodle restaurants.
Smooth-cut noodles
This is one of the best knife-cut noodles restaurants in Taiyuan. You can choose three kinds of toppings: vegetarian, tomato, and meat sauce. It is a must-try knife-cut noodles when you come to Shanxi!
Tips:
Address: 1st Floor, Hall 05, Zone C, Tongluowan Pedestrian Street, Yingze District, Taiyuan City
Average consumption per person: 20 yuan
Wang Ping's Dough
This is a small restaurant, but it is loved by locals. It currently has many branches, but the best one is the main store located in Taoyuan Lane 2. Their signature dish is the noodles, and they have been open for more than 20 years!
Tips:
Address: Taoyuan North Road, Taoyuan 2nd Lane, Xinghualing District, Taiyuan City
Average consumption per person: 6 yuan
Old street shop
The main dishes here are typical Shanxi noodles, mixed oat noodles and Shanxi kuoluoluo, which are very cheap, preferential and affordable.
Tips:
Address: 50 meters west of the intersection of Banpo East Street and Yangshi Street, Yingze District, Taiyuan City
Average consumption per person: 15 yuan
Liuweizhai
This is a must-try shop in Liuxiang. It is one of the few time-honored brands in China with a history of more than 200 years. You must try the braised pork and braised pork elbow here. The production technique has been listed in the second batch of national intangible cultural heritage.
Tips:
Address: No. 98 Qiaotou Street, Yingze District
Average consumption per person: 30 yuan
Yangji Enema
This is the most popular shop in Liuxiang. It is said that it can sell more than 2,000 bowls a day when it is the most popular. Sausage is a special noodle snack made with buckwheat flour. This is the taste that Taiyuan people remember.
Tips:
Address: No. 35 Food Street, Yingze District
Average consumption per person: 8 yuan
A belly
This is a shop that specializes in beef tripe. The tripe has a very chewy texture and you can also choose other side dishes. It is fresh, spicy and a very popular street snack.
Tips:
Address: No. 16 Food Street, Liuxiang Street, Yingze District
Average spending per person: 28 yuan
rat hole
The original name of Laoshuku Yuanxiao was "Hengyicheng Sweet Shop". In 1928, the founder Shen You started selling Yuanxiao at a stall. There are four main flavors: sesame, osmanthus, rose, and peanut. It is now an intangible cultural heritage of Shanxi Province.
Tips:
Address: No. 51, Qiaotou Street, Yingze District
Average consumption per person: 25 yuan
Qingheyuan
Founded in the early Qing Dynasty, there is a wonderful food here that is comparable to bean juice. People who like it love it, but people who don’t like it will get addicted to it after one bite. This is called Tounao. In addition to Tounao, Qingheyuan’s Shaomai is also very famous. You can try it.
Tips:
Address: Block A, Causeway Bay, Liuxiang North Road, Xinghualing District
Average consumption per person: 50 yuan
Recognize one force
This is a 90-year-old shop that mainly sells beef and mutton steamed dumplings, which are paired with Shanxi aged vinegar and are very delicious!
Tips:
Address: No. 86, Qiaotou Street, Yingze District
Average consumption per person: 50 yuan
Jin Temple is one of the must-see attractions when you come to Taiyuan. It is a place that integrates culture, ancient buildings, murals, colored sculptures and gardens. The Jin Temple was built no later than the Northern Wei Dynasty. Originally, it was a temple to worship Ji Yu, the founding monarch of the Jin State in the Western Zhou Dynasty. However, because Emperor Taizong of Song burned down the city of Taiyuan, only three halls remained in the Jin Temple. It was rebuilt in the Northern Song Dynasty and has been built into its present appearance through successive dynasties.
The Jin Temple can be said to be a museum of ancient Chinese architecture. Here you can see palaces, halls, towers, pavilions, platforms, bridges, and terraces. You can check in many ancient buildings of different styles at one time, but the most precious ones are the "three national treasures of ancient buildings" in the Jin Temple, namely the Holy Mother Hall built in the Song Dynasty, the cross-shaped Fish Pond Flying Bridge, which is rare in the history of ancient bridge architecture, and the Offering Hall built in the Jin Dynasty.
The Song Dynasty colored sculpture of a maid in the Holy Mother Hall, the Fountain of Youth that never dries up, and the Zhou cypress that is over 3,000 years old are known as the "Three Wonders of Jin Temple".
Tips:
Address: Xuanweng Mountain, southwest of Jinyuan District
Opening hours: April to October 8:00-18:00; November to March 8:30-17:00
Ticket price: 80 yuan in peak season, 65 yuan in off-season
Shanxi Museum has a total of 12 exhibition halls, displaying more than 4,000 cultural relics, among which the Splendor of Civil Engineering, The Domination of the State of Jin, and The Remaining Charm of Buddhism are considered the best of the best. There are also many national treasures here, such as the "treasure of the museum" bronze bird statue, the Houma Alliance Book from the Spring and Autumn Period, the Northern Wei Dynasty wood lacquer painting, the dragon-shaped goblet, etc.
Tips:
Address: No. 13, North Section of Binhe West Road, Wanbailin District
Opening hours: 9:00-17:00 (closed every Monday, the 30th day of the 12th lunar month, and the first day of the 1st lunar month)
Tickets: Free, reservations available online
The first thing that outsiders think of when it comes to Shanxi is coal. The China Coal Museum in Taiyuan is currently the largest industry museum in China. Here you can experience the daily life of coal miners and learn about the history of Shanxi coal.
Tips:
Address: No. 2 Yingze West Street, Wanbailin District
Opening hours: 8:00-18:00
Ticket price: 60 yuan
This place used to be the summer palace for Gao Huan and his sons of the Northern Qi Dynasty. Currently, there are 20 grottoes and more than 500 large and small Buddha statues. Because the time when it was built happened to be the transition period from foreign Buddhist culture to localization, the Tianlongshan Grottoes also became the standard statues after the localization of Chinese Buddhism. Among them, the ninth cave of Xifeng is the most complete. The 8-meter-high Maitreya Buddha and the 11-meter-high Guanyin statue are both exquisite!
Tips:
Address: Tianlong Mountain, 40 kilometers southwest of Jinyuan District
Opening hours: 8:00-17:00
Ticket price: 50 yuan
The Longshan Grottoes are the largest existing Taoist grottoes in my country. The main caves were excavated between the sixth and eleventh years of the Yuantai reign (1234-1239) under the supervision of Song Defang, a disciple of Qiu Chuji. They comprise eight caves containing 66 stone statues.
Tips:
Address: Top of Longshan Mountain, 20 kilometers southwest of Jinyuan District
Opening hours: 7:00-18:00
Ticket price: 20 yuan in peak season, 15 yuan in off-season
Built during the Tianbao reign of the Northern Qi Dynasty, the site boasts a history of approximately 1,500 years. It is the largest cliff-carved Buddha statue and Buddhist pavilion of the Northern Dynasties period in China. The exposed chest and neck of the Mengshan Buddha are 17.5 meters tall and 25 meters wide, with a neck diameter of 5 meters. Tang Dynasty records indicate a height of "200 feet," equivalent to approximately 63 meters today using Tang Dynasty standard. It is currently the world's oldest and largest cliff-carved Sakyamuni Buddha statue with a precise date.
Tips:
Address: Sidi Village, Luocheng, Jinyuan District
Opening hours: 8:00-18:30
Ticket price: 50 yuan
Taiyuan Ancient County Scenic Spot is located in Jinyuan District, Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province, covering an area of about 0.8 square kilometers. There are currently 79 cultural relics and buildings in Taiyuan Ancient County. In 2023, Zhang Yimou's film "Man Jiang Hong" was released, and the filming location was in Taiyuan Ancient County.
Tips:
Address: Jinyuan District, Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province
Opening hours: 9:30-21:30
Admission: Free
Taiyuan is a young and vibrant city with delicious food, historical heritage, and beautiful mountain scenery. Let's take advantage of the right time and go on a spontaneous trip with a travel guide!
