Pingyao County Government Office

Near the middle of the walled town. Courtyards run north along a single axis, from the gate past the main court hall, where cases were heard, to the magistrate's private rooms at the back. The plan was set in the Ming and rebuilt over the Qing, and the tower at the far end is the oldest building in the compound.

It gives the rest of Pingyao its context: the banks made the money, and this is where the county was governed. Mornings are quieter. Check what the current town ticket covers before you go.