{"id":12662,"date":"2021-12-26T11:18:00","date_gmt":"2021-12-26T03:18:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.tour-beijing.com\/blog\/?p=12662"},"modified":"2021-12-27T08:35:28","modified_gmt":"2021-12-27T00:35:28","slug":"how-to-visit-qikou-ancient-town","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tour-beijing.com\/blog\/shanxi-travel\/how-to-visit-qikou-ancient-town","title":{"rendered":"How to Visit Qikou Ancient Town (Tips, Photos & Map)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you plan your Shanxi tour<\/a> or Pingyao tour<\/a> in particular, you should not miss a side trip to the ancient Qikou Town( \u789b\u53e3\u9547, or Qikouzhen as recognized by Google Map). Qikou Town is a rarity of well-preserved ancient town in the style of Ming and Qing Dynasty (1368 – 1911). Unlike the noisy and a bit commercialized ancient Pingyao City, Qikou has kept much of its original outlook, mainly owing to its remoteness and inaccessibility. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Location of Qikou Ancient Town<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Qikou Town is under the jurisdiction of Linxian County, Luliang, Shanxi Province, located at the western foot of Luliang Mountain, 58 kilometers south of (Lishi ) Luliang ; 243km west of Taiyuan and 177km northwest of Pingyao. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The location of Qikou and Lijiashan (Google Map)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The town is on the southeast of the Yellow River and on its south is Qiushui River, a tributary of the Yellow River. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lijiashan Village,<\/a> a long-forgotten ancient settlement of cave dwellings, is just 6 km southwest of Qikou Town. It is a must to include your side trip to the ancient village while planning your trip to the ancient town of Qikou.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ABC of Qikou Ancient Town<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

“Qi” in Chinese literally means “sand and rock in water”. “Qikou” is a place where the massive Yellow River suddenly narrows its riverbed to 80 meters wide with submerged sand and rocks from the upper 500 meters wide riverbed, a bottleneck which challenged the waterway transportation on the Yellow River.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Yellow River used to be an efficient and important waterway transportation linking Northwest China (Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi…\uff09 and Northern and Southern China during the Ming and Qing dynasties ( 1368 – 1911 ) before the advent of highways, trains and flights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Qikou Town flourished in Ming and Qing dynasties because the goods on the water transportation on the Yellow River had to be carried on to the land on Qikou. Qikou later became a busy port town with lots of wharves bringing numerous visitors and businessmen. It served as a trading port and a trading market as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Qikouzhen (Qikou Town) and Lijiashan Village<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

At its heyday, sometimes hundreds of boats berthed everyday. From the Northwest China, cereals, oils, salt, furs, medicines and many other products were carried to Qikou before they were transported overland by horse and camel to other parts of China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vice versa, from central China, silk, tea, cigarettes and liquor were transported to Qikou Town before they were carried on to the boats heading to the northwest China. Hundreds of dock hands worked at the port town and hundreds of camels horses carried goods on the route,which brought prosperity to the port town of Qikou. It remained a trading centre until the 1940s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to get to Qikou Old Town<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You may take the morning long distance bus from Taiyuan West Coach Station \uff08\u592a\u539f\u6c7d\u8f66\u5ba2\u8fd0\u897f\u7ad9\uff09to Qikou Town, or via Lishi (\u79bb\u77f3). Taiyuan West Coach Station is located on Yingze Avenue 10km to the east of Taiyuan Railway Station. Take Bus No.01, 06 from Taiyuan Railway Station, you will get to Taiyuan West Coach Station. Add: Yingze W St, Wanbailin, Taiyuan Tel: 0351 6552571.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Basiacally you have the following choices to reach Qikou Ancient Town or Lijiashan Village<\/a> as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Take the 10:00 am long-distance bus from Taiyuan West Bus Station<\/a> directly to Qikou Town, about 5 hours.
2. Take buses from Taiyuan West Bus Station to Lishi \uff08L\u00fcliang \u5415\u6881\uff09, from Lishi connect the buses to Qikou
3. Take the buses from Pingyao Bus Station<\/a> to Lishi (L\u00fcliang \u5415\u6881\uff09, then from Lishi to Qikou.
Suggested accommodation: Qikou Guesthouse Tel: 0358 – 4466188<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Virtual Tour of Qikou Ancient Town<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now please follow me to Qikou Town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The terraced houses in the town dug into the hillside on the bank of the Yellow River. The ancient town is mainly composed of three old streets – the river front west street, the middle street and the east street, plus 13 narrow lanes on the slopes, connecting all the houses in the old town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The west street faces the bank of the Yellow River was once teemed with piers, restaurants, inns and granaries. Today you could see the evocative stone houses and cobbled pathway, telling us the past glory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cobbled pathway brings you to the riverside west street in the town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The cobbled pathway brings you to the riverside west street in the town<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

There used to be numerous piers below the high west streets rife with inns, restaurants and granaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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There used to be numerous piers below the high west streets rife with inns, restaurants and granaries<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The local residents still keep their old ways of doing things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The local residents still keep their old ways of doing things.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The middle street was once the most prosperous commercial street rife with restaurants, stores and money shops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Middle Street in Qikou<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Middle Street in Qikou<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The middle street teems with shops and restaurants. But it is a tourist shoulder season, not much business on the street. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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a tourist shoulder season, not much business on the street. <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The narrow lanes connect all the houses on the hillside, linking the west street and the middle street. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The narrow lanes connect all the houses on the hillside.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Behind the three main streets in the town, higher on the platform is the Black Dragon Temple.  From the Ming Taoist Temple, people can have a panoramic view of the Yellow River, Qiushui River, the town and Lijiashan. A few minutes hike brings you to the temple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Black Dragon Temple. <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Climb up on to the temple compound<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The Drum Tower in the temple<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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A Bird’s-eye view of the ancient town from the temple high on the hill<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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A panoramic view of Qikou Town by Yellow River<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The sun is setting over the ancient town of Qikou.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The sun is setting over the ancient town of Qikou.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Tip:  Hassle-free Pingyao & Shanxi Guided Tours<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you don\u2019t want to do a self-guided tour and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours,  here are some options for organized tours to Pingyao and Shanxi Province:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pingyao Tour<\/a>
Pingyao Car Rental with Driver<\/a>

Datong Tour<\/a>
Datong Car Rental with Driver<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taiyuan Tour<\/a>
Taiyuan Car Rental with Driver<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shanxi Tour<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further Readings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

How to Visit Pingyao<\/a>
Best Time to Visit Pingyao<\/a>
What to see in Pingyao<\/a>
Where to Stay in Pingyao<\/a>
How to get to Pingyao by bus<\/a>
How to get to Pingyao by train<\/a>
Beijing Pingyao High Speed Train<\/a>
Pingyao Taxi<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visit Qiao Family Courtyard<\/a>
How to Visit Zhenguo Temple<\/a>
How to Visit Shuanglin Temple<\/a>
How to Visit Wang Family Compound<\/a>
How to Visit Zhangbi Ancient Castle<\/a>
How to Visit Lijiashan Village (Tips, Photos & Map)<\/a>
How to Visit Qikou Ancient Town (Tips, Photos & Map)<\/a>
The Best Place to See Sunrise in Pingyao Ancient City<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Any questions, just drop a line.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you plan your Shanxi tour or Pingyao tour in particular, you should not miss a side trip to the ancient Qikou Town( \u789b\u53e3\u9547, or Qikouzhen as recognized by Google Map). Qikou Town is a rarity of well-preserved ancient town in the style of Ming and Qing Dynasty (1368 – 1911). Unlike the noisy and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":38,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2306,1810],"tags":[2303,4238,4237,4236,2305,2304],"class_list":["post-12662","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-qikou-travel","category-shanxi-travel","tag-qikou","tag-qikou-ancient-town","tag-qikou-town","tag-qikou-travel-guide","tag-qikou-travel-tips","tag-qikou-zhen"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tour-beijing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12662"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tour-beijing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tour-beijing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tour-beijing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/38"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tour-beijing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12662"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/www.tour-beijing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12662\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30076,"href":"https:\/\/www.tour-beijing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12662\/revisions\/30076"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tour-beijing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12662"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tour-beijing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12662"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tour-beijing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12662"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}