Pingyao Private Day Trip: Shuanglin Temple, Zhenguo Temple & Wang Family Compound

Tour Highlights
• Marvel at Pingyao, an exceptionally well-preserved example of a traditional Chinese city, founded in the 14th century
• Admire Shuanglin Temple with over 2,000 painted sculptures, reputed as an Oriental Art Gallery of Painted Sculptures
• Visit Zhenguo Temple, one of China’s earliest and most precious timber structure buildings in existence
• Visit Wang Family Compound, the largest of Shanxi Courtyard Houses which rivals Beijing's Forbidden City in its magnitude!

About This Tour
• Departure: Daily departing from Pingyao
• Tour Duration: Approximately 8 hours.
• Guide Languages: Chinese & English.
• Pickup Time: Between 07:00 and 10:00, choose a departure time most suitable for you.
• Pickup & Drop-off Place: Your accommodation in Pingyao
• Advice on Meals: Lunch is not included in this tour. We recommend having a substantial breakfast and bringing snacks in case you get hungry while sightseeing. If you'd like to experience authentic local cuisine for lunch, feel free to inform your guide, who will be happy to assist.

Tour Itinerary at a Glance
• Pick up from your accommodation in Pingyao
• Visit Shuanglin Temple
• Visit Zhenguo Temple
• Lunch on your own
• Visit Wang Family Compound
• Transfer back to your accommodation in Pingyao

Price Remark
• Prices are not valid during National Day (Oct 1-7), Chinese New Year, and Labor Day (May 1-5).

Price Inclusions
• Professional English language speaking tour guide.
• Air-conditioned vehicle with an experienced driver.
• Admission tickets to sightseeing places.
• All government taxes.

Price Exclusions
• Hotel accommodation.
• Meals are excluded allowing you flexibility on menu.
• Your personal expenses.
• Travel insurance is not included. Please purchase before your trip to provide for any unforeseen circumstances.
• Gratuities to guide & driver. They are customary and would be of great encouragement and reward for quality service.

Additional Information
• Confirmation will be received at the time of booking.
• Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately.
• The itinerary is subject to change due to traffic conditions or bad weather.
• The itinerary is flexible; changes can be made upon written request from travelers.
• IMPORTANT: It is required by the government regulations that travelers must provide their name, gender, nationality, passport number and date of birth to their tour operator upon booking a tour. Failure to do so could result in being denied access or admittance to sites and attractions during sightseeing. When you book this tour, please complete all required fields at checkout. Please bring your passport with you on the tour.

Cancellation Policy
• Cancellations made 24 hours prior to the scheduled departure time will receive a 100% refund.
• Cancellations made within 24 hours of the tour's start time or after the tour begins are non-refundable.
• Cancellation request will be confirmed within 2-5 business days, with refunds issued within 14 working days.

Tailor This Tour to Meet Your Needs
• If you want to customize this itinerary, contact us via WhatsApp (+86 139 1083 0737) or email (info@GrandChinaTravel.com). We'll create a tailor-made tour package just for you.

Know Before You Go
• Keep your passport with you throughout the tour; it may be needed to buy entrance tickets.
• Pickup time, guide's name, and contact information will be confirmed via WhatsApp or email.
• Your guide will be at the meeting point, holding a GGC pickup sign with your name.
• Meals are not included; please feel free to ask your guide for recommendations.
• If you book an Airbnb, please note that door-to-door pickup and drop-off might not be provided.
• There's a 20-minute grace period for waiting. Failure to show up will result in tour cancellation & no refund.

Hotel Pickup, Transfer to Shuanlin Temple
Your private guide will be holding GoGrandChina pick-up sign and waiting for you in your hotel lobby (or other appointed meeting place) at the appointed time. You will be transferred to Shuanlin Temple in a comfortable private vehicle.

Visit Shuanglin Temple
The Shuanglin Temple is among the many cultural monuments located in the Pingyao, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site inscribed in 1997. Founded in the 6th century, the temple is notable for its collection of more than 2,000 decorated clay statues that are dated to the 12th-19th centuries. It is nicknamed the museum of coloured sculptures. Most of them are dated to the period of the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. The themes depicted are generally religious in nature and relate to the daily life of people. They are considered among the finest examples of Chinese coloured sculptures. The number of coloured sculptures are reported to be 2,052, out of which 1,650 are reported to be extant. The height of the sculptures varies between 0.3–3.5 metres (1 ft 0 in–11 ft 6 in). The formats are of bas-relief, high relief and in circular form. There are also wall sculptures and a few are suspended. Buddha, Bodhisattva, Warrior Guards, Arhat, heavenly generals and also common people are the sculptural themes. The background scenes depict towers, buildings, mountains, rivers, clouds, rocks, grasses, flowers, forested trees, and woodlands. The sculptures are displayed behind caged chambers in a tableaux form.

Visit Zhenguo Temple
Zhenguo Temple is a Buddhist temple located 10 km from Pingyao in the village of Hadongcun. The temple's oldest hall, the Wanfo Hall, was built in 963 during the Northern Han dynasty, and is notable for featuring very large brackets that hold up the roof and flying eaves. The sculptures inside the hall are among the only examples of 10th century Buddhist sculpture in China. The history of the temple begins in 963, when it was recorded that Ten-Thousand Buddha Hall was built. The date is written on a beam in the hall, and is also the date given by a local history of Pingyao county written in the 19th century. A stela written in 1819 also confirms this date. Wanfo Hall (Ten-Thousand Buddha Hall) is the oldest building at Zhenguo temple, and is the only surviving building that dates from the short-lived Northern Han dynasty. Although little is known of the temple's history, stelae record that it was renovated in 1540 and in 1816. In 1997, along with Pingyao city and Shuanglin Temple, the Zhenguo temple was inscribed on the World Heritage list as ‘Ancient City of Pingyao’.

Lunch at Your Own Expense
Please feel free to ask your guide for suggestions and recommendations

Visit Wang Family Compound
Wang Family Compound is the largest of the Shanxi Courtyard Houses. The fortress compound is a tight arrangement of courtyard residences. It is in the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in 2008 in the cultural category. The compound was built by the county's Wang family, one of four historically prominent families in the county. According to family lore the wealth of the family grew from selling bean curd. The local Wangs would reach its apex of wealth and power in 18th century after accumulating riches from business and government position. Over the course of several generations the compound was built on a grand scale during the period from the reign of the Kangxi Emperor (1661–1722) to the Jiaqing Emperor (1796–1820). By the 19th century the fortunes of the family declined and some members took to degeneracy, opium smoking, and public corruption. The Wang family was ousted from the family compound in 1940's. As the building of the compound was a multi-generation endeavor, construction clusters arose one by one. In all there are 231 courtyards and 2,078 rooms on the site situated across 8 hectares. The courtyards are two stories and covered by slate gray roof tiles. The main area of the compound is symmetrical and divided by a moat over which crosses a stone bridge. The four circles of walls are multi-tiered, protecting different layers of dwelling areas from outside threats. Within the courtyards are rooms, kitchens, schools, and prayer pavilions. The ornate stone, brick and wood carvings have themes based on folk customs and folk arts.

Transfer Back to Your Hotel
Your guide and driver will transfer you back to your hotel in Pingyao