Pingyao, City Wall

After looking in the large pile of pictures, which I have made during a trip of three months in China, I surely discovered location-treasures. I have been first to China in 1999 and I spent about three months traveling around. Quite soon I bought a bike to take some tours with it. I soon understood, that this is stupid in such a massive country. But I had to learn. I bought the vehicle with the help of some students in Xian. From there I went south with my bike and I wanted to see how far it takes me. The ride itself was the adventure all ready, hence traffic is meanwhile quite wild in china. But at the same time you have your own speed and you don’t have to talk to anybody. Well not everybody. But it´s amazing as soon as you are on the streets cars and motos drive pass you in a slow gear and are amazed by seeing a laowai (long nose, foreigner) on their street. It is a bit like being Brangelina. I remember stopping at a melon-vendor aside the highway and soon after the place was crowded, because the wanted to be part of the gossip. I slept in the cornfield and with some repairs I reached Pingyao and I was done. But the sight on the UNESCO world heritage built me up again. The centre of the city of 400.000 is one of the few remaining city walls of the past Chinese empire. Most of them have been torn down over the years and used for other buildings. But this wall reminds you so much of martial art movies set in ancient times. I wonder if Pingyao is the true Hong Kong Movie-Mekka.

After looking in the large pile of pictures, which I have made during a trip of three months in China, I surely discovered location-treasures. I have been first to China in 1999 and I spent about three months traveling around. Quite soon I bought a bike to take some tours with it. I soon understood, that this is stupid in such a massive country. But I had to learn. I bought the vehicle with the help of some students in Xian. From there I went south with my bike and I wanted to see how far it takes me. The ride itself was the adventure all ready, hence traffic is meanwhile quite wild in china. But at the same time you have your own speed and you don’t have to talk to anybody. Well not everybody. But it´s amazing as soon as you are on the streets cars and motos drive pass you in a slow gear and are amazed by seeing a laowai (long nose, foreigner) on their street. It is a bit like being Brangelina. I remember stopping at a melon-vendor aside the highway and soon after the place was crowded, because the wanted to be part of the gossip. I slept in the cornfield and with some repairs I reached Pingyao and I was done. But the sight on the UNESCO world heritage built me up again. The centre of the city of 400.000 is one of the few remaining city walls of the past Chinese empire. Most of them have been torn down over the years and used for other buildings. But this wall reminds you so much of martial art movies set in ancient times. I wonder if Pingyao is the true Hong Kong Movie-Mekka.

Looking down into the old city you will see fantastic simple square buildings and simple streets. Wonderful. Back in the days I must have been one of the sole tourists. I remember a real cute rickshaw-driver stepping into pedals right behind me. To indicate, that I don’ necessarily have to walk but could also use his service. Considering the length of 6 km he might be right. The citywall is the best preserved of this scale in the world and already 700 years old. So this is the secret, I hope you can keep it.

http://www.chinaservice.de/pingyao.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pingyao

geschrieben von wil6ka am 2008-08-07 in #Orte #culture #history #location