14 Days in Jinzhong

The 582-founded grid at ease — city god temple, county yamen, opera stage and the old shopfront streets, an easy jetlag day with noodles and vinegar tastings.

1. jinzhong yuci old town

The Chang manor's restored courtyards over more than ten hectares, then Hougou's loess ravines — cave houses, stone drains and terraced fields in a working farming village.

1. jinzhong chang family manor
2. jinzhong hougou village

The Qiao compound's six courts and 313 rooms from 1756, film location since 1991; the Qu mansion's deep courtyards and tea offices in the county old town.

1. jinzhong qiao family compound
2. jinzhong qu family compound

The Cao family's remaining court block at Taigu, then the county town's drum tower and cross streets that once served the same trade houses.

1. jinzhong sanduotang

UNESCO since 1997 — walls raised in 1370, about 6.4 kilometres with six gates, 3,000 battlements and 72 watchtowers; the Rishengchang draft bank of 1823 was the first of its kind.

1. jinzhong pingyao city
2. jinzhong rishengchang

A second city day — the Ming-era county yamen courts, the market tower, temple lanes and the evening lantern glow along the south street.

1. jinzhong pingyao city

Shuanglin's 2,000-plus painted clay figures southwest of town; Zhenguo's 963 timber hall northeast — both inside the World Heritage perimeter.

1. jinzhong shuanglin temple
2. jinzhong zhenguo temple

A full day for 123 courtyards and 1,118 rooms over the hillside, the valley bridge between clusters, and the Jingsheng old street below.

1. jinzhong wang family compound

Zhangbi's walled village above kilometres of ancient tunnels, then the Qing-era tower in Jiexiu town linked to the Sogdian fire cult — a national monument.

1. jinzhong zhangbi fortress
2. jinzhong jiexiu aoshen tower

The cold-food festival mountain of Jie Zitui — the cliff-hung Daluo Palace and Yunfeng's temple row inside the concave rock overhang.

1. jinzhong mianshan

Boardwalks up Shuitao Gorge's chained pools and cascades in the morning, then the drive north-east for a night in Yangquan.

1. jinzhong mianshan

An honestly labelled neighbour day — the pass at Pingding county in Yangquan, with the waterfall under the gate and the Tang-dynasty story of a princess's garrison behind the name; overnight back toward Yuci.

1. jinzhong niangziguan

A second honest neighbour day — the Song-dynasty Jinci shrine park with the 43 clay figures of its Holy Mother Hall, then the Shanxi Museum's bronze birds, before returning south.

1. jinzhong taiyuan day

One last morning in Yuci's old streets for breakfast noodles, luggage from the hotel, and the HSR from Jinzhong or Yuci stations for the way home.

1. jinzhong yuci old town