Pingyao Ancient Town is located in the middle of Shanxi Province, about 715 kilometers from Beijing. It is one of the best-preserved ancient towns in China. The town was first founded during the reign of King Xuan (827-782 BC) of the Western Zhou Dynasty. After thousands of years, the ancient walls, streets, houses, shops and temples have been almost kept intact. In 1986, the State Council proclaimed Pingyao as a historical and cultural site. Also, it was listed to the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. [China.org.cn/Photo by Han Bo]