Editing Shanxi (section)

== Tourism ==

[[Image:PingYaoCity.jpg|thumb|250px|A street in [[Pingyao]].]]

Shanxi is known for its abundance of heritage sites. There are 3 [[World Cultural Heritage]] sites in the province, namely [[Pingyao]], [[Yungang Grottoes]] and [[Mount Wutai]], 6 places "National Key Scenic Spots" (国家重点风景名胜区), 6 "National historic and cultural cities" (国家历史文化名城), 7 "National historic and cultural towns" (国家历史文化名镇) and 23 "National historic and cultural villages" (国家历史文化名村). It also possesses 531 [[Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level|Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level]],and more than 53,800 immovable cultural relics, a number that is by far the greatest among all Chinese provinces. Some of the more notable sites are listed below.

* [[Jinci]], a royal temple in Taiyuan, dating back to the [[Zhou dynasty]], noted for its temples, Song dynasty paintings and architecture.
* The Ancient City of [[Pingyao]] is a county town noted for its noted for its state of preservation; It boasts a variety of [[Ming dynasty|Ming]] and [[Qing dynasty|Qing]] dynasties.
* The [[Yungang Grottoes]], its literal translation being the Cloud Ridge Caves, is a [[World Heritage Site]] near [[Datong]]. The site consists of 252 shallow caves containing over 50,000 carved statues and reliefs of Buddhas and Boddhisatvas, dating from the 5th and 6th centuries, and ranging from 4 centimeters to 7 meters tall.
* [[Mount Wutai]] (Wutai Shan) is the highest point in the province. It is known as the residence of the [[bodhisattva]] [[Manjusri]], and as a result is also a major [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] pilgrimage destination, with many temples and natural sights. Points of interest include [[Tang dynasty]] (618–907) era timber halls located at [[Nanchan Temple (Wutai)|Nanchan Temple]] and [[Foguang Temple]], as well as a [[Sarira Stupa of Tayuan Temple|giant white stupa at Tayuan Temple]] built during the [[Ming dynasty]] (1368–1644).
* [[Mount Heng (Shanxi)|Mount Hengshan]] (Heng Shan), in [[Hunyuan]] County, is one of the "Five Great Peaks" of China, and is also a major [[Taoism|Taoist]] site. Not far from Hengshan, the [[Hanging Temple]] is located on the side of a cliff and has survived for 1,400 years despite earthquakes in the area.
* [[Pagoda of Fogong Temple]], in [[Ying County]], is a pagoda built in 1056 during the [[Liao dynasty]]. It is octagonal with nine levels (five are visible from outside), and at 67&nbsp;m (220&nbsp;ft) in height, it is currently the tallest wooden pagoda in the world. It is also the oldest fully wooden pagoda in China, although many no-longer-existing wooden pagodas have preceded it, and many existing stone and brick pagodas predate it by centuries.
* [[Yongle Gong]], a [[Song dynasty]] Taoist temple complex noted for the wall paintings inside its three main halls.
* [[Hukou Waterfall]] is located in the [[Yellow River]] on the Shanxi-[[Shaanxi]] border. At 50 meters, it is the second highest waterfall in China.
* [[Zuoquan County]], known for its Chinese Communist Party battlefield sites.
* [[Dazhai, Xiyang County|Dazhai]] is a village in [[Xiyang County]]. Situated in hilly, difficult terrain, it was revered during the [[Cultural Revolution]] as exemplary of the hardiness of the [[proletariat]], especially [[peasant]]s.
* [[Niangziguan Township]] is located in northeast [[Pingding County]] which is at the junction of Shanxi and Heibei Province. It is an old village noted for the [[Niangzi Pass]].
* Susan Prison is an ancient prison located in Hongtong, the middle of Shanxi. The prison is built during the Ming dynasty (1369) and is the only well-preserved ancient prison in China.<ref>原化周. (1996). 一座完整的明代监狱——苏三监狱. ''上海集邮 / Shanghai Philately'', ''6'', 11.http://lib.cqvip.com/qk/80553X/199606/4001179067.html</ref>