Jinzhong

Jinzhong (晋中; Jìnzhōng) is a prefecture-level city in Shanxi Province in China. (Shanxi is abbreviated as "Jin"). It is a national-level cultural and ecological protection experimental area, which has formed a number of provincial tourism masterpieces, such as the World Cultural Heritage Pingyao ancient city, the Shanxi merchants folk culture tourism area, and so on, and is the cradle of Shanxi merchants' culture. Jinzhong is one of the birthplaces of Jin culture (Shanxi culture). In 1824, the first financial institution "Rishengchang" in Chinese history was born here.

Understand
Jinzhong is in the east-central part of Shanxi Province, about 32 km southeast of Taiyuan, the provincial capital. It borders Grand Taihang Canyon in the east, Fen River in the west, intersects with Changzhi City and Linfen City in the south, connects with Yangquan City in the northeast, and borders Luliang City in the southwest. Jinzhong City has jurisdiction over 2 municipal districts, 8 counties and 1 county-level city, with a total area of 16,400 square kilometers.

Culture
The commercial activities of Jin merchants created the commercial culture of Jinzhong. From business philosophy, value orientation, and professional ethics to business mode, organization and management means, and even bookkeeping, abacus, secret and other technical methods, a whole set of ethical culture and institutional culture has been formed. This is the most essential meaning of Jin Shang culture. In addition, due to the mainstream status of Jin merchants in all walks of life, the existence and development of Jin merchants led to a series of cultural phenomena.

Since the ancient city of Pingyao was recognized as a World Cultural Heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization in 1997, the international influence of Pingyao International Photography Exhibition has continued. From the movie "Raise the Red Lantern" to the popular TV drama "Qiao's Yard" and the drama "Start of Autumn" sensation, they have carried the rich connotation of Jin Shang culture of the "four cities" (Taigu City, Pingyao Ancient city, Qixian historical and cultural city and Yuci Old City), "six courts" (Yuci Changjia manor, Qixian Qiaojia courtyard, Qujia courtyard, Lingshi Wang courtyard, Taigu Caojia courtyard, Taigu Kong Xiangxi House).

Festivals
Jinzhong is also home to folk and non-material culture: the Cold Food Festival originated in Jiexiu and spread throughout the country; the legend of "The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl" originated in Heshun; and the legend of Shouyang County is the hometown of the birthday boy, the Zuoquan Xiaohua opera, Qitai Yangge, Yushe Bawangbian and other folk traditions nourish people living and working on this land.

The two days before the Qingming Festival on the lunar calendar were called Cold Food Festival. During the Spring and Autumn Period, Jie Zitui, a leading official of the State of Jin, was burned to death in Mianshang (now Jiexiu). Duke Wen of the State of Jin was deeply grieved and ordered the whole country not to cook with fire on this day, and to use dry food or cold food to satisfy hunger. After the Qin and Han Dynasties, it gradually became a local custom and spread outward. During the Tang and Song Dynasties, there were many literati and bachelors who used the Cold Food Festival to eulogize Jie Zitui's "do not speak of Lu". At the same time, because the two days before the Qingming Festival coincide with the "150" (105 days after the Winter solstice), while common folk also regarded the Cold Food Festival as a ghost festival for ghost marriage, dry funeral, or temporary house burial. Yao He, a poet in the Tang Dynasty, once wrote in Cold Food: "At present one hundred and fifty, the rain begins to clear up." During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, people would maintain the custom of eating cold food, to remember Jie Zitui. On this day, people can start work and earth at will. When they tear down houses or build bridges and roads, they must dig the land and shovel the walls on this day in advance to show that the project has begun. When the work is officially started in the future, other gods will not interfere.

Climate
Jinzhong City is located in the mid-latitude inland Loess Plateau, a warm temperate continental semi-arid monsoon climate zone. The basic characteristics of the climate are: four distinct seasons of the year, dry and windy in spring, hot and rainy in summer, clear and crisp in autumn, cold and snowless in winter, short in spring and autumn, and long in winter and summer.

By plane
The nearest airport is Taiyuan's Taiyuan Wusu International Airport, which lies just outside Jinzhong's muncipal boundaries. Buses operate about 8 times a day between the airport and the city centre. The bus fare is ¥3.

By train
There are two main railway stations in Jinzhong:

By bus
Due to Jinzhong's close proximity to Taiyuan, there are a number of public buses based in Taiyuan that cross over into Jinzhong. Bus no. 901 for instance can take you from Taiyuan Railway Station to the center of Jinzhong.

Get around
A special tourist bus operates from Yuci Old Town. Stops on the route include Yuci Old Town, Chang Family Compound, Qiao Family Compound, Pingyao Old Town, Mianshan and Wang Family Compound.

Movie theaters
There are many cinemas in Jinzhong.

Jinzhong Cinema is located in North Dao Street, Zhongdu Road, Yuci District, Jinzhong City, Shanxi Province, China. Many movies can be watched in this cinema.

Shehuo Festival
On February 28, the highlight of the China (Jinzhong) Shehuo Festival was held in the urban area of Jinzhong City. 14 teams and nearly 3,000 performers from various counties (cities) of Jinzhong City showed the new look of Jinzhong land. This year's Shehuo event features a large lantern show and street art performance. The "large-scale Lantern Exhibition" was exhibited in Yingbin Square, Yuhu Park, Yingbin Green Square, Yuci Cultural Center Square and Yuci Old Town of Jinzhong City, focusing on showing the "moving" style of Jinzhong colored lanterns.

Buy

 * Taigu Guilingji: Taigu Guilingji is a specialty of Taigu County, Jinzhong City, Shanxi province. Turtle Age set has been sold to Hong Kong, Macao and other regions, and even exported to Southeast Asia, Africa, Europe,  and other 21 countries. In order to meet the needs of drug diversification and export, Taigu people used good wine fenjiu as base wine, and made Guilingji into a rare medicinal liquor guilingji with unique flavor.
 * Pingyao paper-cut: Traditional Chinese paper cutting decorations. The Pingyao style of paper cutting comes in three rich and diverse forms, close to life, with profound meaning. In ancient Ming and Qing streets, every three to five steps is a home, has become a unique folk culture scenery line. Paper-cut works, emitting a rich flavor of life and rustic flavor, as an expressive folk custom, gently touch the hearts of visitors.
 * Liu He tai pillow: The Empress Dowager Cixi is said to have travelled west to Pingyao，she was suffering from internal and external troubles, so she could not sleep for a long time. The Pingyao officials who were waiting for him outside hurriedly presented the "Six-pillow" that was unique to Pingyao at that time, to put Empress Dowager Cixi to sleep. The next day, Empress Dowager Cixi was so happy that he asked the pillow why it was called "Liu He". She learned that "Liu He" was a finger pillow with six holes in it, and that each hole was connected to the other, representing the upper and lower parts, the east and the west, and the north and the south, it means peace and harmony in the world. Empress Dowager Cixi was so pleased that she blurted out, "The world is at peace, the country is at peace, the people are at peace!" and she gave the name "Tai".
 * Shanxi lingshi embroidery: Shanxi lingshi embroidery has a unique form of expression unique form, complement element, simple, refined. Shanxi is the representative of rural embroidery. There are three types of embroidery, clothing, daily necessities and ceremonial decorations. Typical embroidery works for the pillow, some design into two tiger head, a human face tiger head, a fish tail tiger head or a frog. Today, embroidery is more widely used in cushions, insoles, wallets and tourist souvenirs.
 * Six tunes of fragrant wine: Qi County, in Jinzhong Province, has fertile soil and rich water resources. It is rich in grains such as wheat and sorghum, and is suitable for making wine. According to the Qi County Annals, people have the custom of "Making wine on the day of the spring equinox" and "Making music on the 6th of June.". Lutian fragrant wine of Qi County was named a famous wine of Shanxi province in 1974. It has pure fragrance, mellow and refreshing, soft and sweet, and has an aftertaste.

Eat

 * Pingyao bowl holder: Long-standing Pingyao characteristics of the flavor of pasta snacks, with gluten texture, smooth and delicious characteristics.
 * Guanxian: Also known as filling sugar, Shanxi Jiexiu characteristics of the traditional sugar, Jiexiu eight precious one of the precious, but also one of the top 10 Shanxi special food. It is a kind of food with crispy and sweet bite, which is highly praised by the majority of consumers. Jiexiu Guan Tang has a long history. According to county records, as early as the late Ming and early Qing sold nationwide, has a high reputation.
 * Pingyao beef: A specialty of Pingyao County Province, this is a Chinese National Geographic product and the Qing dynasty imperial palace tribute.
 * Baked cake by hanging stove: Well-made, exquisite materials, crispy outside inside tender, crispy delicious, beautiful appearance, because of its utensils, workmanship, modeling, appetite and other“Pasta” different, it was named“Traditional famous food” by the industry and Commerce Department.
 * Pearl porridge: One of the traditional snacks in Shouyang County province. Pearl porridge is a common Xiaomi mung bean porridge in Shanxi province.
 * Shouyang County tea: A famous traditional snack in Shouyang County, Shanxi province, it is a combination of pancakes and mooncakes for breakfast. This kind of food, crispy on the outside and crispy on the inside, is shaped like a small pastry moon cake. According to legend, the name “Tea Food” was given by Tang dynasty great writer Han Yu.

Sleep
Not many hotels to choose from if you are not Chinese





Emergency numbers
110 - Police, 119 - Fire, 120 - First aid, 122 - Traffic accidents

Go next

 * Taiyuan, the capital of Shanxi Province.