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Pingyao Historic City and Qiao Family Courtyard Zhang

traditional Chinese idea of “human and nature
governing together” in feudal society. The
Confucian Temple (yin) and Martial Arts
Temple (yang) is another pair of yin and yang
interplay that embody Han Chinese cultural
notion of “respecting literature and
advocating martial arts” [2, 4, 7] .

Figure 5. One of the gate towers, Pingyao Historic City.
Source: Photo by the author, 2017

3. PINGYAO HISTORIC Figure 6. Chenghuang/City God Temple Gate,
Pingyao Historic City. Source: Photo by the author,
ARCHITECTURE 2017
There are six historic temple complexes
organized symmetrically along the South
Avenue, which is also the central axis of
Pingyao Old City: Chenghuang/City God
Temple in the east [Figures 6–7], County
Government Office in the west [Figure 8],
Confucian Temple (文庙) in the east [Figures
9–10], Martial Arts Temple (武庙/关帝庙) in
the west, Daoist Temple (清 虚 观 Qingxu
Temple) in the east, and Jifu Temple (吉甫庙,
destroyed) in the west. Moreover, Zhenguo
Temple (镇国 寺 ) is located 10 km from
Pingyao in the Haodong Village, and Figure 7. Chenghuang/City God Temple Courtyard,
Shuanglin Temple (双林寺) is situated about Pingyao Historic City. Source: Photo by the author,
2017
6 km southwest of Pingyao in the Qiaotou
Village [1, 2, 4] . There is also a Catholic Church
(天主堂) in Pingyao Old City [Figure 11],
revealing Western cultural infiltration into
this inland Chinese city.
Nevertheless, the two main authorities
ruling Pingyao Historic City were
Chenghuang/City God Temple and County
Government Office, which acted as a pair of
yin and yang that complemented each other.
The County Government Office (yang)
controlled the living, whereas the Figure 8. County Government Office Gate, Pingyao
Chenghuang/City God Temple (yin) Historic City. Source: Photo by the author, 2017
regulated the dead. Collectively, they reflect

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