[2025 Taiyuan Stay] Travel Guide for Shanxi Hotel (Updated Mar)

Follow me❗This is a journey to visit ancient sites in southeastern Shanxi. It's a 6-day trip through ancient architecture, colorful sculptures, and the filming locations of *Black Myth: Wukong*✨ 📌Full itinerary: 6 days and 5 nights, Taiyuan-Pingyao-Linfen-Changzhi-Gaoping-Taiyuan 🚗Driving is essential! Take my advice! ⚠️Don't count on public transport! 90% of the state-protected ancient buildings are hidden in remote mountain villages (taxis can't get there at all). ⚠️The attractions are so scattered that you'll question your life choices (average 200 km+ driving per day). ⚠️Peak season car rental fees ≈ taxi fees (cheaper than high-speed rail for 4 people). 🌟DAY 1 Detailed Guide (Taiyuan) Wusu Airport → (25 min taxi ride) Shanxi Grand Hotel → (walking distance) Liu Xiang Street → Shanxi Grand Hotel (lunch break) → Jinci Temple → Taiyuan Ancient County Town → Lin Xiang Zhai → (walking distance) Shanxi Grand Hotel 📸Jinci Temple Guide 🎫Tickets: Museum 80 RMB, park free. The park can be skipped. 🦶Must-follow route: Check in at the Three Treasures, Three Wonders, and Three Plaques along the central axis. ✅Three Treasures 1️⃣Hall of Offerings: Original Jin Dynasty structure, a "natural refrigerator" for offerings. 2️⃣Fish Marsh Flying Bridge: The originator of overpasses, praised by Mr. Liang Sicheng. 3️⃣Shrine of the Holy Mother: The only surviving ancient building in China that conforms to the *Yingzao Fashi* hall-style structure. The pillars in front of the hall feature China's earliest wood-carved coiled dragons, including the noticeable "Yeah Dragon" and "Thumbs-up Dragon." ✅Three Wonders 1️⃣Song Dynasty painted sculptures: Inside the Shrine of the Holy Mother, the original Song Dynasty painted sculptures of court ladies are masterpieces in the history of Chinese sculpture. Master Mei Lanfang observed one of the maid statues for three days and commented that her "every frown and smile seems to tell a story of her life." 2️⃣Zhou Cypress and Tang Dynasty Locust Tree: Over a thousand years old, they're almost "spirits." 3️⃣Nanlao Spring: Northern Qi style, the source of the Jin River. ✅Three Plaques 1️⃣Shui Jing Tai: Taken from the *Book of Han*, "Clear water and bright mirrors cannot escape form." 2️⃣Nanlao: Taken from the *Book of Songs*, "May you enjoy enduring longevity." 3️⃣Dui Yue: Taken from the *Book of Songs*, "Facing the heavens, the noble steeds run in the temple." 👉🏻Friendly advice: Hire an official guide! You won't understand anything on your own. 👉🏻Taiyuan Ancient County Town is far from the city center and can be visited after Jinci Temple. It's not worth a special trip. 🍜Taiyuan Must-Eat List (Liu Xiang Street Walking Guide) ✅Ren Yi Li Steamed Dumplings: Intangible cultural heritage cuisine! Thin skin, big filling, juicy and oily, rich but not greasy, delicious. ✅Shun Liu Knife-Shaved Noodles: Locals queue up for this intangible cultural heritage braised pork noodles. Experience the daily noodle-slurping routine of Taiyuan people. ✅Lin Xiang Zhai: A century-old restaurant, sweet and sour meatballs, Guo You Rou (stir-fried pork slices), Taiyuan vinegar fish... all are dishes listed on Taiyuan's intangible cultural heritage list. There are also special dandelion dumplings🥟, the first time I've heard of such a unique filling. 🏰Accommodation Bonus: Shanxi Grand Hotel ‼️Taiyuan's own Peace Hotel ‼️A palace-level hotel converted from the Ming and Qing imperial examination halls ‼️Tagore/Chiang Kai-shek's same style of guest rooms ‼️Carved beams and painted rafters for less than 300 RMB/night (no price increase during Lunar New Year!) 👉🏻Tips: Be sure to get up early to photograph the eaves and brackets in the morning light! 🎁Bonus at the end Stay tuned for DAY 2 Pingyao Ancient City's must-try⚠️guide! (Eat and drink your fill at Pingyao's time-honored brands/stay in the former union club)

🧹Soundproofing/Cleanliness: I read reviews before my stay, and some guests said the soundproofing and cleanliness were bad, but my room was great. I stayed on the first floor, and there was an event in the lobby next to me, but my room was still very quiet. I was also very satisfied with the cleanliness. 🏘️️️Room Type/Layout: This hotel would have been considered a luxury hotel more than ten years ago. I originally booked a standard double room, but I paid an extra 50 yuan to upgrade my room. I don't know what the standard room is like, but the upgraded deluxe room was very luxurious. The ceiling was about 4 meters high, and the room was very spacious, as was the bathroom. 🛌Supplies/Facilities: This is a traditional old-fashioned hotel, and the decor is a bit dated. The bathroom is covered in expensive marble. The shower head is a bit old, but it works fine. The toothbrush and slippers are very good quality. Overall, the room is worth the price, and I was pleasantly surprised! 💰️Average Price: CNY 500–700 💗Other Tips: The hotel looks amazing at night. When the lights are on, the hotel looks like a country girl turned into a rich lady. The hotel is very close to Bell Tower Street in Liuxiang, which has a lot of delicious food.

🌟Taiyuan, a city known as the "Splendid Taiyuan City", is full of historical traces. The years have left deep marks on the eaves, glazed tiles, and green paint of the ancient city, which is shocking. 📸【18 Classic Check-in Spots】 1. Shouyi Gate Night View✨ 2. Shanxi Museum📚 3. Northern Qi Mural Museum🖼️ 4. Yanqiuyuan🍃 5. Gongji Gate Ming City Wall🧱 6. Dou Dafu Temple🏛️ 7. Jin Merchant Museum💰 8. Ancient County City🏯 9. Yangtze Art Museum🎨 10. Yingze Bridge🌉 11. Yongzuosi Twin Towers🗼 12. Taishan Longquan Temple⛰️ 13. Jinci Museum🖌️ 14. Forest of Steles Park🪦 15. Chunyang Palace☯️ 16. Confucius Temple📜 17. Ming and Qing Dynasty Tribute Institute Site (Shanxi Hotel)🏨 18. Engineer Building Site🏢 🚗【Travel Planning Suggestions】 - You can choose a few key check-in points for in-depth visits according to your own interests and time arrangements. - Arrange transportation reasonably, some attractions may need to take public transportation or taxi. 🎉Let's walk into Taiyuan together, use the camera to record the charm of this city, and feel its historical charm!

| Shanxi Hotel - The most beautiful night view in Taiyuan that you can't miss! 🌈 Shanxi Hotel is located in the center of Taiyuan, adjacent to Chunyang Palace and Wenyin Park, and close to May 1st Square, Liuxiang and Gulou Street. 🌈 The Shanxi Hotel, which lights up at night, is full of momentum, giving people a high-profile and luxurious feeling, and has become a landscape in Taiyuan. In fact, the hotel's price is very affordable, it is an economical and affordable type, and it is a good choice for traveling to Taiyuan. You can also visit Chunyang Palace for free.

Shanxi truly deserves the title of "Look at Shanxi for above-ground cultural relics." This place is simply a paradise for ancient architecture, and this was also my first wonderful journey focused on exploring ancient buildings. Day1⃣️: Guangzhou➡️Taiyuan➡️Datong➡️Hotel➡️Datong Ancient City➡️Oriental Noodles➡️Hotel When I arrived in Datong, it was already 2-3 PM. Originally, I had meticulously planned a full itinerary of attractions to visit, but due to time constraints, I only managed to visit three spots: Huayan Temple, Shanhua Temple, and Datong Ancient City Wall. Even with just these three places, I was deeply impressed and felt the unique charm of Shanxi's ancient architecture. In Huayan Temple, the high-up chiwen (a mythical creature), with its exquisite design, seemed ready to soar into the sky; the murals inside the temple were breathtaking, with delicate brushstrokes, vibrant colors, and vivid images, as if telling ancient and mysterious stories. The statues of the Four Heavenly Kings in Shanhua Temple were imposing and awe-inspiring, while the Twenty-Four Heavenly Deities had varied postures and expressions, each seemingly possessing its own soul and thoughts. Leaving Shanhua Temple and stepping onto the Datong Ancient City Wall, this ancient wall felt like an old man who had seen much of life, quietly telling me about its past glory and splendor. The sunset cast a golden hue on the wall, adding to its historical weight. Day2⃣️: Hotel➡️Tour Group (Hengshan - Hanging Temple - Yingxian Wooden Pagoda)➡️Datong Ancient City Wall➡️Kaige Restaurant➡️Hotel Given that today's attractions were quite scattered, I chose to join a tour group for convenience and to save time. The first stop was Hengshan. The scenery of Hengshan was magnificent and enchanting. Here, you can choose to take a shuttle bus to one-third of the mountain or take a cable car directly to the halfway point. However, the overall height of Hengshan is manageable for tourists with some physical strength, and climbing it is not difficult. Moreover, the one-way fare for the shuttle bus is only 13 yuan, while the cable car costs 70 yuan, making the shuttle bus a more cost-effective option. The second stop was the famous Hanging Temple. Seeing it with my own eyes, I was amazed by its unique architectural style and perilous location. This temple, embedded in the cliff, is like a dazzling pearl, leaving people in awe. Unfortunately, there were too many visitors queuing to ascend the temple that day, and to avoid delaying the subsequent itinerary, I could only admire this magical temple from the foot of the mountain. Even so, its spectacular sight was enough to leave a lasting impression. The third stop was the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda, one of the most anticipated attractions of this trip. When it appeared before me, the excitement was indescribable. The Yingxian Wooden Pagoda is the tallest and oldest existing pure wooden structure in the world. Its intricate structure and long history made me deeply admire the wisdom and craftsmanship of ancient artisans. However, it is regrettable that some main structures were dismantled early on, causing the pagoda to tilt. Seeing this, I couldn't help but feel worried and regretful, sincerely hoping that effective methods can be found soon to save this precious historical treasure. After a day of rich itinerary, we returned to the Datong Ancient City Wall. Since I didn't go up the wall the previous day due to time constraints, I made up for it today. When I climbed the wall and overlooked the scenery inside and outside the city, I was filled with emotions. But to be honest, the view from the wall was relatively ordinary, without many stunning sights. So, if you plan to go up and take a look, the inside is filled with juicy meat fillings, and taking a bite, the juice bursts out, leaving a lingering taste in your mouth. That wonderful taste still makes me reminisce, and I highly recommend it to every food lover. After enjoying breakfast, I eagerly went to the Yungang Grottoes. This grotto was initially excavated by the Northern Wei royal family and has undergone repairs and additions over various dynasties. Its grand scale, exquisite Buddha statues, and splendid murals make it feel like an art palace. Each Buddha statue is lifelike, with a compassionate smile, seemingly comforting people's hearts; each mural is colorful, vividly depicting the social life and religious beliefs of the time. Here, I deeply felt the endless charm of ancient art and was filled with respect for the exquisite skills and selfless dedication of ancient artisans. After leaving the Yungang Grottoes, I visited the Datong Museum. There, I further understood the historical changes and cultural heritage of Datong. The precious relics and detailed introductions gave me a deeper understanding and appreciation of this city. After finishing the Datong itinerary, I embarked on a journey to Pingyao. Day4⃣️: Hotel➡️Pingyao Ancient City➡️Taiyuan➡️May Day Square➡️Shanxi Hotel➡️Hotel In Pingyao Ancient City, I spent half a day slowly wandering through the streets and alleys of the ancient city. Every street and courtyard here exudes a strong historical atmosphere, as if time has stood still. The ancient city walls, quaint shops, and traditional courtyard houses all tell of the city's past prosperity and glory. In the evening, I arrived in Taiyuan. Under the night, Taiyuan was brightly lit and bustling. I went to May Day Square, where people were coming and going, full of life. Then, I was attracted by a building, the Shanxi Hotel, which was magnificently decorated and had an antique style. Its exquisite architectural style and unique decorations made me feel like I had traveled back in time. Day5⃣️: Hotel➡️Shanxi Museum➡️Guangzhou On the last day in Shanxi, I chose to visit the Shanxi Museum. This place is like a huge historical treasure trove, housing many exquisite bronzes, ceramics, paintings, and other artifacts. Each artifact carries a piece of history and tells a story. Here, I also saw detailed introductions about the ancient buildings I visited in the past few days, giving me a deeper understanding and appreciation of them. This trip to Shanxi was very rewarding. Before setting off to Shanxi, I watched many related documentaries. When I stood in front of the buildings and artifacts that appeared in the documentaries, the excitement and thrill in my heart were indescribable. I recommend the documentary "Humanistic Tsinghua" on Bilibili, which provided me with a wealth of knowledge and background information for my trip, allowing me to better appreciate and understand the history and culture of Shanxi.

First of all, it is very large with many rooms. We stayed in the building opposite the front desk, which is the South Building. The South Building is relatively new. The breakfast room is on the 12th floor of the main building, so if you stay in the South Building, you need to walk to the main building for breakfast. 🏨Hotel Room You can see that the overall decoration is very traditional because it is a large state-owned enterprise. The bedding is quite comfortable overall. The hotel's night view is really amazing, not worse than the scenic spots, really beautiful! Location The location is extremely convenient, surrounded by the hotel, with a large parking lot in the middle. There are many snacks at the entrance, and there is an ancient city wall not far away. A few hundred meters walk is Chunyang Palace. There is a Wenying Park next to it, and walking through the park leads to Liuxiang. Basically, with Shanxi Hotel as the center, you can walk to all the popular places around. Breakfast The breakfast buffet has hot yellow wine and Fenjiu, which really surprised me. Do Taiyuan people start drinking early in the morning? I think the overall price of hotels in Taiyuan is quite reasonable, and Shanxi Hotel is not expensive either. 🍃Address: No. 21, Chunyang Palace, Yingze Street

Walk into Taiyuan Liuxiang, encounter the city's fireworks. In Taiyuan, Shanxi, there is a place full of charm and vitality—Liuxiang. This is a place where prosperity and fireworks blend, waiting for you to explore. As night falls, the lights of Liuxiang light up like brilliant stars, illuminating this bustling area. Two rows of 'small trains' shuttle on both sides of the street, and the aroma of food wafts from the carriages, making one's mouth water. The fresh aroma of teppanyaki squid, the sweet and glutinous osmanthus rice cake, and the unique pan-fried stinky tofu all become temptations that attract passersby to stop and taste. Liuxiang is located in the Liuxiang business district of Yingze District, Taiyuan City. It is open all day without an entrance fee, and the transportation is very convenient. You can reach it by walking 870 meters from Exit C of Fuxi Street Station on Metro Line 2. Along the carefully planned strolling route, you can experience more excitement. Starting from May Day Square, feel the bustling atmosphere of the city. At Taiyuan Film City, take a photo of the naked-eye 3D 'Taiyuan' characters, leaving a unique memory. The Taiyuan Mansion ground sculpture at Shouyi Gate showcases the profound heritage of this city. The magnificent gate of Shanxi Hotel exudes nobility and grandeur. Walk through Haizibian Street to Qiaotou Street, check in at the naked-eye 3D screen, and feel the perfect combination of modern technology and the city. Arrive at the entrance of Zhonglou Street in Taiyuan Liuxiang, and immerse yourself in the charming night view of Zhonglou Street. Finally, head to Food Street, and at the end, you can admire the beautiful night view of the Governor's Mansion. In Liuxiang, you can taste various delicacies and appreciate unique cultural landscapes. Every inch of land here is full of stories, and every corner exudes charm. Whether you are walking with friends or spending quality time with family, Taiyuan Liuxiang is your best choice. Come on, let's encounter the most authentic fireworks of this city together in Liuxiang.

This is the last day of the trip to Taiyuan, so take a leisurely walk. After exiting the back door of Shanxi Hotel, enter Wenyin Lake Park, cross Zhuangyuan Bridge, pass through the bustling Liuxiang, turn into the newly built Zhonglou pedestrian street, where the magnificent Zhonglou and some buildings imitating the Qing Dynasty and Ming Dynasty have been rebuilt, gathering many internet-famous stores and time-honored brands, then drill into Mao'er Lane to the chanting building on Gulou Street, this group of Ming Dynasty buildings is the legacy of the imperial examination culture, bypass the chanting building, opposite Fuxi Street is the governor's mansion built by Yan Xishan, the old system is restored and new buildings are added, it is brand new, exit the governor's mansion and go south along Jiefang Road and then turn into Yangshi Street, you will arrive at Daguan Temple, which is also a group of Ming Dynasty buildings, not big, but somewhat solemn, then return to the "Rat's Nest" on Zhonglou Street from Yangshi Street, spend 18 yuan to eat a few desserts (honey balls/sesame balls/yuanxiao/egg flower laozao), and then return to the hotel contentedly. (Travel notes on 12/26)