Taiyuan possesses 2,500 years of history, and is the site of many cultural remains from ancient times. According to new local government plans, over the next 10 years Taiyuan will become a modern cultural city, with distinctive features designed better to protect its historic sites and promote local culture. The city has joined a National Historic and Cultural Cities Program.

Statues of maidservants at the Hall of Goddess inside the Jin Ci Complex. [Photo: He Ziyi]

Taiyuan was respectively named Jinyang and Bingzhou in ancient times. The name Jinyang can be found in historical records as early as 497 BC, over 2,500 years ago. Now it is the capital city of Shanxi Province and one of the centers of China's chemical industry.

Mengshan Grand Buddha in Taiyuan, the capital of Shanxi Province. [Photo: Wang Yonghong]

Taiyuan boasts 13 state-level key items of cultural relic protection, and 32 provincial-level items. The Jin Ci Complex consists of buildings from the Song, Ming and Qing dynasties, which is very unusual in China. Yongzuo Temple was built in the Ming Dynasty, with the Lingxiao Double Pagodas being the most outstanding ancient pagoda structure in China. The Longshan Grottos are the largest Taoist grottos in the world. Mengshan Grand Buddha, which was originally built in the Northern Qi, compares favorably with Leshan Grand Buddha. Historical remains in Taiyuan have been well preserved.

In October 2008, the local government joined a National Historic and Cultural Cities Program aimed at promoting development and moving industrial structures in the capital. Preliminary excavation of cultural relics and historic architecture has been completed, and a protection plan for ancient remains and a definitive list of historic architecture have also been completed. A collection of promotional pictures and videos will also be released in the near future.

The ten-year plan focuses on the promotion of local culture and a protection system for historical remains. It also focuses on improving the surroundings of the ancient relics.

Additionally, the local government encourages more support from the public to provide better protection for the city's historical and cultural relics.

Fu Shan Garden in Taiyuan, the capital city of Shanxi Province.

Taiyuan has made efforts to develop its reputation as a historical and cultural city, renovating the Mengshan Grand Buddha and erecting the Fu Shan Garden. The city will also strengthen its protection of historical districts, villages and towns, and develop seven scenic spots as well as renovating the environment around these locations.

"The renovation of the Fen River and the Xishan area is already under way. Taiyuan will become a modern city with distinctive cultural characteristics over the next ten years," said Shen Weichen, secretary of the Taiyuan municipal Party committee.

(China.org.cn February 4, 2009)