Taiyuan
Shanxi's capital and rail junction — Jinci's Song halls, the Shanxi Museum, Tianlongshan's looted Tang grottoes and the Twin Pagodas, with fast trains on to Pingyao, Datong and Wutai Shan.
Springs, Cypresses and Song Maids: How to See Jinci Temple in Half a Day
Jinci, south-west of Taiyuan, is a garden of temples around the Jin River springs, with a Song-dynasty Hall of the Holy Mother and its painted maid figures; the ticket is 80 yuan, booking runs on WeChat, and holiday slots sell out.
Free, but Book Three Days Out: Getting the Most from the Shanxi Museum
The Shanxi Museum in Taiyuan is free but needs real-name WeChat booking; slots open three days ahead and on the morning itself, it closes on Mondays except holidays, and foreigners book and enter with a passport.
Two Ming Pagodas and a Peony Garden: Is Taiyuan's Shuanta Temple Worth an Hour?
Shuanta (Twin Pagodas) Temple, or Yongzuo Temple, has a pair of Ming brick pagodas that are Taiyuan's skyline symbol, plus old peonies in spring; the ticket is 30 yuan and April to October hours run 08:30 to 17:30.
Headless Buddhas and a Returned Face: Visiting Tianlongshan Grottoes from Jinci
Tianlongshan Grottoes, in the hills above Jinci, are small Eastern Wei to Tang cave temples whose heads were looted in the 1920s; the ticket is 50 yuan, booking is no longer required, and a scenic shuttle links them with Jinci.
A Daoist Palace Turned Architecture Museum: Taiyuan's Chunyang Palace
Chunyang Palace, a Daoist temple to Lü Dongbin in central Taiyuan, now houses the Shanxi Ancient Architecture Museum; it is closed on Mondays, costs 30 yuan, and opens 09:00 to 17:30 from June to October.
Taiyuan South as Your Shanxi Junction: Trains to Pingyao, Datong and Wutai Shan
Taiyuan South is Shanxi's main high-speed junction: Pingyao Gucheng in about half an hour, Datong South in under an hour and a half, Changzhi East in about an hour; Wutai Shan has no direct high-speed train, so use coaches or a change.
Knife-Cut, Pinched and Poured On: Eating Noodles and Vinegar in Taiyuan
In Taiyuan, eat knife-cut noodles, tijian and cat's-ear noodles with a splash of mature vinegar, try guoyourou, and, in cold months, the early-morning soup called tounao; Qingxu county to the south is the heart of Shanxi vinegar.
Museum, Jinci, Two Pagodas: A Two-Day Taiyuan Plan Before You Move On
Two days in Taiyuan: day one the Shanxi Museum, Chunyang Palace and the Twin Pagodas; day two Jinci and Tianlongshan by the scenic shuttle; then onward by train to Pingyao, Datong or Wutai Shan.