The long and prosperous history of Pingyao has left the town many an ancient buildings with unique style and artistic charm, as well as a variety of handcrafts and local products. Along the Ming Qing Street inside the ancient town run lots of diverse stores and restaurants. Souvenirs, handicrafts, and local foods can be found here.
Tuiguang Lacquer ware (Polished Lacquer ware)
Tuiguang Lacquer wares are skillfully painted household goods. Pingyao Tuiguang Lacquer ware is famous for its fine hand-polished finish and graceful designs. The method of its production dates back to the early years of the Tang Dynasty and it prospered throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties. The lacquer ware looks elegant, with a wonderful smooth and shining surface. It becomes brighter and brighter after each polishing procedure. Most lacquer wares are decorated with golden and resplendent designs based on figures from classical novels, dramas or legends. What's more, the designs are beset with small polished shells, pearls, ivory and colorful pebbles, which add much to their delicate appeal. There is a wide variety of lacquer ware produced, ranging from folding screens and wardrobes to jewelry caskets.
Pingyao Beef Jerky
Pingyao Beef dates back to the Han Dynasty and became popular during the Ming Dynasty. As an important part of Shanxi's dietary culture, Pingyao beef differs from soy-seasoned beef elsewhere in the choice of raw materials. Pingyao Beef chooses old cattle as its raw material. The older the cattle are, the more delicious the Pingyao beef tastes, and the longer it can preserve.
Handmade cloth shoes
Pingyao Handmade cloth shoes have unique designs, require elaborate processing and look supremely elegant. They are often embroidered with figures of different animals and natural flowers. The designs not only make the shoes more beautiful, but are also supposed to drive away evil and bring good fortune. These genuinely hand-made shoes have the advantage of good ventilation and sweat absorption and are comfortable to wear.
Pingyao paper-cuttings
The designs of paper-cuttings in Pingyao include human figures, animals, trees, flowers and more. The lines are smooth, the style is rough, and the decoration is strong. In old times, local people in the countryside viewed the skill of paper-cutting as a standard to judge whether a wife was qualified or not. It is no wonder why women in the countryside are the inheritors of Pingyao Paper-cutting.
