A chance to travel back in time today

Editor's Note: An array of Chinese cities have maintained their cultural memories in the form of historical neighborhoods that have only added to their multilayered charm and vigor with the passage of time. China Daily is taking readers on a journey to some of these timeless areas, where President Xi Jinping has left his footsteps and remarked on the preservation and vitalization of heritage. In this installment, we take a walk through Pingyao Ancient City in Shanxi province to see the charm of a well-preserved walled city.

Highlighting its many charms, the ancient city welcomes guests while meeting challenges of preservation and sustainability, Yang Yang and Zhu Xingxin report in Pingyao, Shanxi.

Three decades ago, Gong Li, a college student who grew up in Pingyao Ancient City in Shanxi province, invited one of her classmates to visit her hometown.

It was evening when they were picked up by her brother-in-law at the old railway station located outside the city. The two sat in a motorcycle sidecar, winding through dimly lit old streets and passing a few closed shops that sold daily goods and services such as smoked meat or ironware.

"My classmate said it was quite scary as if through the ancient gate, we had traveled back many years," says Gong, 48, deputy head of Pingyao's cultural center.

Hailed as the best-preserved ancient city inhabited by ethnic Han people, dating back more than 2,800 years, Pingyao Ancient City is an incarnation of historical memories passed down from the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. It houses about 4,000 traditional residences from Ming and Qing, showcasing the evolution and layout of a traditional Han city.

At age 6, Gong moved with her family to the ancient city, living in a quiet alley close to the busy South Street until getting married. In her memories, everyone knew each other around the neighborhood; children played on the ancient walls; sometimes, she got lost in the mazelike alleys.