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Taiyuan Travel Guide
Taiyuan is a prefecture-level city in China, capital of the Shanxi province.It is also the political, economic and cultural center of Shanxi. Located along the invasion corridors between the nomadic regions to the north and the agricultural heartland around the Yellow River, it was the site of repeated invasion and occupation over the centuries. The central Shanxi region is rich in Buddhist and Taoist sites, including the famous Mt. Wutai and the Taoist Palace of Eternal Joy. Taiyuan is now a major industrial city in northern China, close to major iron and coal reserves. Taiyuan also has a wealth of tourist attractions and notably among these is the Jinci Temple. This is the city's most attractive temple although the Shuangta Si (Twin-Pagoda Temple) has become a symbol of Taiyuan on account of its unique architecture. Another major attraction is the Tianlong Shan Stone Caves where magnificent sculptures dating from the Tang Dynasty (618-907) may be seen.
Spring and summer are often blindingly bright, so sunglasses and a hat are recommended to fight radiation. Since Taiyuan is also a mining city, it is also worth taking along something to clean your face!
Generally speaking the best time to visit is between May and October, if you do not mind the heat.
Shanxi Noodles
Shanxi Noodles are definitely a local specialty and these can be prepared in several ways. Each kind cooked by a special method has a unique name and taste, such as the Fried Oats Noodle, Pulled Noodle, Mao Erduo (Cat's Ear, for it takes the shape of a cat's ear.), Sliced Noodle, and many more. You must taste the noodles yourself to discover how delicious they are.
Taiyuan Food Street
The Food StreetThis street is situated in the center of Taiyuan City. If you would like to taste the snacks from all over the country, come to this street. Antique pavilions, memorial archways on this street replicate the architectural style of the Ming and Qing dynasties and so add greatly to the atmosphere of the area.
By air
Taiyuan Wusu Airport (TYN) is located in the south suburb of Taiyuan, about 18 kilometers (11.2 miles) from the downtown area. Direct flights are available from Taiyuan to some major cities including Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Chengdu, Guilin, Nanjing, Shenyang and Xian.
Taiyuan has opened to five international air lines since July, 2005 with flights connecting Taiyuan with Frankfurt, Paris, London, New York and San Francisco with all of these flights making a stopover in Beijing.
Flights linking Taiyuan with Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Pulau Pinang now are available. Passengers of these three international lines are transferred abroad in Guangzhou Airport.
By train
Taiyuan is the starting point of Taiyuan-Jiaozhou line and the terminus of the Beijing-Taiyuan and Shijiazhuang-Taiyuan lines. Trains from here link large cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangzhou, Xian, Chengdu and Baotou.
UBC Coffee
Location: 100 meters (328 feet) west of the Huayu Shopping Mall, Yifen Jie, Taiyuan City
Xianggen Coffee
Location: No. 251, Qinxian Bei Jie, Taiyuan
East of Parkson Department Store
Manabe Coffee
Location: Middle of Changfeng Jie, Taiyuan
Pubs
Tribes People Bar
Location: No. 63, Mianhua Xiang, Taiyuan, just opposite the Government Building of Yingze Qu (Yingze District)
This is a pub with a friendly atmosphere and fashionable decorations.
Xinqing Bar (Mood Bar)
Location: No. 14, Yi, Wenyuan Xiang, Taiyuan
Ba'er Bar
Location: No. 100, Qinxian Bei Jie, Taiyuan
The oldest bar in Taiyuan
Shanxi Taiyuan International Folk Arts Festival
Initiated in 1991, the festival is held annually in September, and every other year in Taiyuan. Groups from Russia, Korea, Japan, Singapore and Inner Mongolia attend the festival and perform for audiences. Within the festival, an exhibition of fine arts, painting, paper-cutting, sculpture, drama, acrobatic and the culture of costume will open your eyes to a wealth of international folk culture.
Lantern Festival (Yuanxiao Festival)
Lantern Festival is celebrated on the 15th day of the first lunar month. Observed after fourteen days of the Chinese New Year, it is one of the biggest festivals of China. Throughout the day there are several dance performances like dragon dance, lion dance, yangge dance etc. Fireworks and wonderful lanterns add to the glitter of the night. Intoxicated people makes merry when the full moon firsts appears in the night sky.
Yuanxiao is the most popular cuisine of the festival. The customary food varies from place to place. Yuanxiao tea, which is a soup made of vegetables and fruits with a mixture of boiled flour, is widely consumed in Shaanxi Province. Bean dough is favorite amongst the Kunming people of the Yunnan Province. At Luoyang and Lingbao of Henan Province the most consumed delicacy during the Lantern Festival is jujube paste. Besides eating, which is an indispensable part of the festival; people also indulge into other activities like lantern fair, guessing riddles, and performing traditional festivities.
People gather from all the corners in the morning. Sounds of chimes, drums, suona horns, and firecrackers fill the air accompanied by yangge, the lion dance, and many other activities. Running the cloth boats, riding bamboo horses, and walking on stilts are a few activities performed by the villagers during the festival. But the most important activity of this day is watching lanterns. Various shapes and sizes colorful lanterns are hung all over the streets.
