“Chinese Wall Street”--Ancient City of Ping Yao in Shanxi Province."中国的华尔街"-山西平遥古城

　　平遥是个能让中国人腰杆子狠狠地硬一硬的地方。不仅是因为在世界上还没有华尔街的年代这里已经在如火如荼地干着华尔街的事业，在全中国都热火朝天忙着旧貌换新颜的当今，这里依然竭尽权力保全着昔日的旧貌。这里给中国人挣回了荣誉无限。

Ping Yao is a place prided by Chinese greatly, which is not only because there was a successful cause similar with that of Wall Street in the time of there was no Wall Street in the world, but also there still tries its best to keep its original appearance when all China is busy changing the old into the new. The place wins endless honor for Chinese.

　平遥古城

Ancient City of Ping Yao

　　平遥古城位于山西中部，有着2700多年历史，是目前我国唯一以整座古城申报世界文化遗产得成功的文化名城，享誉“保存最为完好的四大古城”之一.

Located in the middle of Shanxi, Ancient City of Ping Yao has over 2700-year history and is the only culture city, at present, as the whole ancient city to apply world cultural heritage successfully in China. It is one of “four big ancient cities preserved best”.

暮色中透着威严的古城墙

Ancient city wall shows its stateliness in the twilight.

　平遥古城

Ancient City of Ping Yao

　　平遥古城自公元1370年重建以后，历经沧桑风雨，时代变迁却基本保持了原有格局，很是难得。

Ancient City of Ping Yao, after rebuilt in the Christian era 1370, has gone through ages, wind and rain. It is uneasy to basically keep its original pattern through times.

　这是一个有很大程度真实性的中国城市风貌

This is a Chinese city with authenticity to a large extent.

　　时间久了我们很容易遗忘，很多人会自然而然的以为中国城市的代表是北京上海。幸亏我们有了平遥，否则这将是全国人民的遗憾。

This is a Chinese city with authenticity to a large extent. After a long time, it is easy for us to forget it and many people naturally think that Beijing and Shanghai are the representatives of Chinese cities. Luckily, we have Ping Yao, or it will be a pity of all national people.

夜色中的古城

Ancient City in the dim light of night

　　平遥古城的交通脉络由纵横交错的四大街、八小街、七十二条蚰蜒巷构成。南大街为平遥古城的中轴线，以古市楼贯穿南北，街道两旁，老字号传统名店铺林立，是最为繁盛的传统商业街，清朝时期南大街控制着全国百分之五十以上的金融机构。被誉为中国的“华尔街”。

The traffic roads of Ancient City of Ping Yao consist of crisscrossed 4 big streets, 8 small streets and 72 scutiger lanes. The South Street is the axle wire of Ancient City of Ping Yao, with ancient buildings in the city across the south and north. Beside both two sides of the street, there are lots of old and famous traditional shops or enterprises there, which is the most prosperous traditional business street. The South Street, in the Qing dynasty, controlled over 50% of financing institutions in China, which is called “Wall Street” in China.

中国古建筑的韵味

Lingering charm of Chinese ancient architecture

　　看平遥不可错过的是品位中国古建筑的韵味，各类亭台楼阁、大街小巷在这里都有活生生是实景案例，在实际生活中的各种地位用途都有精确到位的展示，只是需要一些观赏前的案头准备。

Lingering charm of Chinese ancient architecture should be missed when people visit Ping Yao. All kinds of airy pavilions and pagodas, high streets and back lanes here are actual sceneries and precisely showing their all kinds of status and uses in the real life. However, people need to prepare for the appreciation.

　日升昌

Ri Shengchang

　　著名的中国第一家票号日升昌，位于被誉为“大清金融第一街”古城西大街。中国的“华尔街”指的也是这里。

Ri Shengchang, the first famous exchange shop in China, is located in the West Street of Ancient City--“the first financial street in Qing dynasty”, which is also “Wall Street” in China.

　城隍庙位于城东南的的城隍庙街，由城隍庙、财神庙、灶君庙三组建筑群构成。有资料说，城隍神是古代汉民族宗教文化中普遍崇祀的重要神仙之一，大多由有功于地方民众的名臣英雄充当。不知“皇帝有难上天坛，县官有难到此来”出自于何处，但在历史上尤其是明代，城隍受封的官职确实高于县令，据说明太祖诏令各地必需要建城隍庙，与县衙署对称设置，“阴阳各司其职”，也许这是古代“人神共治”思想的明确反映。

Town god's temple, located in the town god's temple street in the southeast of city, consists of town god's temple, Temple of wealth and temple of kitchen. Some information says town god is one the important gods respected universally in the ancient religious culture of Han Chinese. Most of them are acted by famous officials and heroes deserving well of the local people. The provenance of “emperor goes to the Temple of Heaven when getting into trouble, county leader come here” isn’t known, while in the history especially the Ming Dynasty, the official position of town god is really higher than county leader. It is said the Taizu of Ming ordered various regions must build town god's temple, with the same importance as County Yamen, which is “each performs its own functions among the dead and the living”. Maybe it is the clear reflection on the thought of “people and god share the governance” in the ancient.

别有韵味古代居民群落

Ancient resident community with different lingering charm

　　平遥城内的重点民居，系建于公元1840～1911年之间。庭院深深，精巧的木雕、砖雕和石雕配以惟妙惟肖、栩栩如生、浓重乡土气息的剪纸窗花，是别有韵味古代居民群落。

Important folk houses in the city of Ping Yao were built between the Christian era 1840 and 1911. The deep courtyard, delicate wood carving, tile carving and stone carving as well as the vivid, visual scissor-cut paper-cutting pasted on panes full of local features form the Ancient resident community with different lingering charm.

　　平遥古城民居

Folk houses in the ancient city of Ping Yao

　　平遥古城民居，以砖墙瓦顶的木结构四合院为主，布局严谨，左右对称，尊卑有序。

Folk houses in the ancient city of Ping Yao, focusing on timberwork quadrangle courtyard with brick wall and tile roof, has rigorous overall arrangement, symmetrical structure on the left and right as well as priority in rank.

民居院内装饰精美

Ornaments in the folk houses are exquisite.

　　大家族的院落很讲究，修建二进、三进院落甚至更大的院群，院落之间多用装饰华丽的垂花门分隔。民居院内装饰精美，门前砖雕照壁，檐下木雕雀替。

The courtyard of big family is very cultured. The big family will build the second, the third even bigger courtyards. The courtyards are usually divided by festoon gates with magnificent ornament. There are exquisite ornaments in the courtyards of folk houses, tile carving and screen wall in fron of the gate as well as wood carving sparrow brace under the eave.

　　商业的发达催生了保驾护航的镖局，走镖也是当地很是兴隆的买卖之一。

The convoy escort agencies appear because of the advanced business. Serving as a bodyguard on a journey is one the most prosperous businesses in the local.

夜色中的平遥

Ping Yao in the dim light of night

　　到今天，古老的平遥依然是辉煌的，依然充满了魅力。在时下许多文化古城为兴商业而被肢解破坏的时候，平遥却为人们展示了一幅非同寻常的文化、社会、经济及宗教发展的完整画卷。

To now, the ancient Ping Yao is still glorious and full of charm. When many ancient cultural cities were divided and damaged because of business development, Ping Yao showed people a whole different picture scroll on culture, society, economy and religion development.

纪念孔子的文庙

Confucious' temple commemorating the Confucius

　　看平遥不仅要看那颗璀璨的星，平遥的金融商业，还得看那片浓厚的云，平遥的文化底蕴。平遥的文庙就是品平遥文化底蕴的要点之一。这是纪念孔子的文庙。

When appreciating Ping Yao, people should not only see the bright star—financial business in Ping Yao, but also the dense cloud—the cultural deposits of Ping Yao. The Confucious' temple of Ping Yao is one of the most important points on cultural deposits in Ping Yao. This is a Confucious' temple commemorating the Confucius.

棂星门

Lingxing gate

　　文庙前棂星门。孔子倡导的儒学被历代统治者奉为国学，有尊孔如尊天的说法。棂星门意为天门，门内的文庙也就成了设在天堂中的，以示对孔子的尊敬。棂星又传说是天上的文曲星，可保佑登科极第。

Lingxing gate is in front of the Confucious' temple. Confucianism, initiated by the Confucius, is regarded as studies of Chinese ancient civilization by the governor in the past dynasties. It is said that what the Confucius to the governor is what the god to him. Lingxing gate means Tian gate and the Confucious' temple in the gate is like something in the heaven, reflecting the respect to the Confucian. Lingxing, also called the star of wisdom in the sky, can bless people to pass civil examinations.

平遥

Ping Yao

　　平遥虽说是中国著名商城，但它产生于中国儒家主导文化土壤中，儒家文化对这个“异类”行业有着不可摆脱的规范作用，也使平遥的商业有着浓厚的儒家气息。平遥的商业只是一条街，而平遥的文化韵味确是整个一座城。平遥出商人，更出读书人，甚至平遥的商人大都是读书人出身。

Though famous business city in China, Ping Yao was produced in China with the overculture of the confucianist. There is a indispensable standard effect on the “different” industry from Confucian culture, which makes the business in Ping Yao has dense Confucian characteristics. The business in Ping Yao is just in a street, while the cultural lingering charm is though the whole city. There are many businessmen from Ping Yao as well as more scholars there and even most of the businessmen of Ping Yao are scholars.

龙门

Longmen

　　在中国文化中跳入龙门是人生的境界。在商业气氛如此浓厚的平遥城里，能跳入龙门的不是商业成功人士，而依然是读书有成的读书人。

The saying of jumping into Longmen, in Chinese culture, is a success in a person’s life. In the city of Ping Yao with dense business atmosphere, the people jumping into Longmen aren’t successful businessmen, but still the scholars with success.

论语

The Analects

　　连论语都被如此供着，对孔子、儒学、文化的尊重程度可想而知。

The Analects is respected so much that we can think how people respect the Confucius, Confucianism and culture.

独占鳌头

Be the champion

　　学而有成之人才可以站在这个鳌头上。

Only the scholars with success can be the champion.

平遥

Ping Yao

　　现代平遥人也开始享受起老祖宗带来的福利。

Modern people in Ping Yao also begin to enjoy the welfare brought by the ancestor.

古城县衙门的大堂

The principal hall of county yamen in the ancient city

　　县衙门的大堂，县老爷处理公务的地方。

The principal hall of county yamen is where the county leader disposes events.

　尚武

Warrior 

　　平遥不仅崇文，也尚武，全国最有钱的人总会缺乏点安全感，养些保镖，把日子过得踏实点，也给手脚比脑子好使的人提供些生机。

Ping Yao not only prefers to culture but also warrior. People with the most money in the whole nation are usually lack of sense of security. The life will be safer with some bodyguards, at the same, the people, whose behaviors are more valuable than their brains, can be provided some opportunities to live.

澡堂

Bathhouse 

看见右面澡堂两字没?那不是古代澡堂，是现在还在使用的澡堂。

Do you see the words—Bathhouse in the right? It isn’t ancient bathhouse, but one which is still used now.

古色古香之地

A place with antique beauty

　　在古色古香之地享受现代文明的场所。

Enjoy the place with modern civilization in the place with antique beauty.

　西方天主教堂

Western Christianity church

平遥城里的西方天主教堂。

There are western Christianity churches in the city of Ping Yao.

彩色泥塑

Colorful clay sculptures

这是极其珍贵的彩色泥塑，不是平遥独有，但平遥是现今保存相当完好的，尤其是平遥城边的双林寺里，已经成为中国彩色泥塑保存最大最完好之地。

These are very valuable colorful clay sculptures, which aren’t owned by Ping Yao. However, it is now preserved quite well in Ping Yao, especially the Shuanglin Temple on the side of Ping Yao, which has become the biggest and the most perfect place on preserving Chinese colorful clay sculptures.

入住的酒店也是古色古香。分享就到这里，希望大家支持。

The hotel stayed at is also of antique beauty. The share stops here. And hope to  supports from everyone.