In North China´s Shanxi province, the city of Pingyao is known for its history extending back some 27 centuries. Once the center of the country´s financial services, the ancient town now stands as a prominent site of world heritage, thanks to its well-preserved buildings that were constructed hundreds of years ago.

In the 2-thousand-7-hundred-year-old town of Pingyao, local life is centered on Nan Da Jie,or South High Street. That's where the first nationwide financial center of China was born during the reign of Qing Emperor, Daoguang, in the early 19th century. Over the following decades, the town gained a prominent status as the center of China´s financial services.

Today, South High Street still retains most of the buildings erected during the boom years of nearly two centuries ago. But now, nearly all of them have been converted into museums, vividly presenting the colorful life of a faded era.

In 1994, the city of Pingyao applied to become a UNESCO world heritage site. As all the ancient buildings were renovated around the city, modern conveniences were introduced to make local life more comfortable.

Twelve years ago, the city was awarded its inclusion on the world heritage list. Since then, local tourism has grown by a staggering 52 fold in annual revenues. In 2008, the small town received nearly a million tourists from home and abroad.

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