Shanxi

Shanxi is a plateau province of North China. Its ancient sites include Pingyao, a preserved old town dating from the Ming and Qing dynasties, with a circa-1370 wall. On the outskirts are sprawling old merchants' mansions including the Qiao Family Courtyard. Taiyuan, the modern provincial capital, is known for temples and the Shanxi Museum, with expansive collections of regional artifacts going back to prehistory.