Pingyao County

A beautiful sunny day and we met our guide Marina in the hotel at 9:30. Our first stop was the ancient government building. Although largely rebuilt (some was lost/destroyed during the cultural revolution) the core was 1300 and included tax offices, a prison and the magistrates courts. It also included the government tower which gave great views over the city. Overall very interesting if a bit grim, prisoner human rights not being high on their agenda. I must read some more of the Judge Dee stories when I get home.

Whilst wandering we talked to our guide about Pingyao, this area is known as two black, two white based on the chief products: black vinegar, black coal, white noodles, white wine. Coal is still the key fuel source, when we were wandering in alleys last night we could smell the coal.

After this we headed onto the city walls which form a 6km circuit round the old town. Again a good opportunity to peer into courtyards. The views managed to encapsulate old and new Pingyao, old towers in the foreground and new construction in the background. After this short walk we descended to the Confucius Temple, which was our guide's High School until 2003! The central hall was there then but students were charged 3¥ to go in it! Now they have reinstated the temples and the surrounding buildings and the fences and some walls are Apparently in prayer ribbons bearing the name of students taking exams or thanking Confucius for their achievements... So it rather confirms the idea that however hard people try to suppress belief systems they just go underground until that passes (Putin's Russia?).

Our guide also wanted to discuss schools and exams - this arose out of the government house visit and her temple high school. Apparently she had to get up at 6 to be ready to go to school at 6:30, a half hr bike ride. On arrival at 7am they read for half an hour, then ran for 30 mins. Then an hour for breakfast, lessons till 12:30, two hours for lunch then back for lessons till 5:30-6pm, tea and then a final session 7- 9pm. She said it was hell, I wouldn't argue! She also mentioned that really the cultural revolution wasn't much taught about in school which concentrated on history from 3000 bce to 1900 or so. On reflection it makes sense... I doubt our curriculum includes much from 1950 onwards....

Our final stop was the first Chinese bank founded in 1823. They were dyers with 6 branches across the region until they decided that financial services were more lucrative. So instant bank with 6 branches! They were clever, inventing watermarks that could only be seen in light from a specific lamp and a coding system that used ordinary characters from a poster on the walll to hide details of transactions and dates so that if info was lost it was useless.

After this Dad and I went for a drink (freshly squeezed apple juice) and arranged to meet Marina tomorrow for our ride back to the station. The rest of the day was ours to wander.Read more