Day 1: Zhangbi fortress and Courtyard of Wang family

We will take an overnight train to Shanxi province, arrive next morning. Get a off at a tiny railway station, picked up by bus, then drive to an interesting village called Zhangbi, with visible city walls left and tens of km of underground tunnel, this place was used to be a strategic military point dating back to Tang dynasty, 600 AD. And it is a recently discovered treasure, which is neglected by most of the tour groups. We will walk around in the 1.5 millennium old city, try to find pieces of history while checking the local villagers' life, later explore the underground tunnel which was suppose for military use.

Later we will drive to the largest and best preserved courtyard house-courtyard of Wang family (Wangjia Dayuan), constructed during 1762-1811 by a rich Shanxi merchant family. A huge private palace, built along the slope of the mountain, very good Fengshui. Unlike other famous courtyard house, this one has been kept intact and real, no restoration, no exhibition of unreal folk and custom stuff, wondering in the hundred years old house, listen to the guide elaborating the story of the family. Later on take a look of the village nearby, there are also some old cave houses, a typical residential architecture in the yellow soil plain area, which are used for peasants living in old time but now ordinary villagers live in, rural people, old house, very real China.

We will get to the ancient city Pingao in the late afternoon, stay overnight in a lovely hundred years old courtyard guesthouse.

Day 2 Pingyao city and Jin Ci temple, transfer to Datong

Ping Yao is an exceptionally well-preserved ancient city, founded in the 14th century, and it used to be the major financial centre for the whole of China in the 19th and early 20th centuries. There are still more than 4000 old houses in the city, we will check out the biggest private bank in China, an old county government office courtyard, a live demonstration of local administration procedure, then a pawn shop and an old security company. Later do one hour bike ride in the back lane of Pingyao, around the ancient city wall, and visit some local houses.

Another good part of the old city is the food, so many delicious local cuisines, very different from the popular foods in Beijing, of cause we will try as more as we can.

Drive to the capital city of Shanxi in the afternoon, Taiyuan, then visit Jin Ci, is a remarkable temple complex.Jin Ci is primarily an ancestral temple to the memory of a famous statesman of the Zhou Dynasty (ended 722 BC), and two ancient cypress trees of that period.The complex contains two opera stages and temples of Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian traditions, attempting to be thoroughly eclectic and allinclusive. Later on have a nice dinner, stay overnight in Taiyuan

Day 3 Yungang Buddhist Grottoes and Hanging Monastery

Take an early bus to the Datong city, where the t he Yungang Grottoes are, built at 1500 years ago, w ith its 53 existing rock caves and cover 51,000 statues, Yungang Grottoes is a treasure house of ancient Buddhist art, the largest and best of these kinds in China. And best of all, unlike the others, all the Grottoes are open to public . The long stretch of caves was a masterpiece comparable to the ancient Egyptian pyramids, taking 40,000 workmen many decades (453-493 AD) to finish the majority of construction.

Later afternoon, we will visit the magnificent Hanging Monastery (Xuankong si), astonishing architecture technical, and monastery has also had many influences in its belief system. This is no better highlighted than in the Three Religion's Hall ( Sansheng dian) where Buddha, Confucius and Laotzu (Taoism's founder) sit side by side.

Later on after a superb cuisine, take a night train and get back to Beijing in early morning.