Vieille ville de Ping Yao

Photo : Raffaele Nicolussi (CC BY 3.0)

Located in Shanxi Province in central China, this ancient walled city represents a well-preserved example of Han Chinese urban planning and architecture from the Ming and Qing dynasties. The site encompasses a traditional street layout with residential quarters, temples, shops, and administrative buildings that reflect the social and economic structure of medieval Chinese cities. Its defensive walls, gates, and watchtowers remain largely intact, providing tangible evidence of the city's historical significance as a commercial and administrative center. The architectural ensemble showcases traditional construction methods and spatial organization characteristic of Han Chinese settlement patterns. The preservation of the urban fabric, including both monumental and vernacular structures, makes this walled city an important reference for understanding historical Chinese urban development and domestic life over several centuries.