在中国的北方有一座保存完好的古城。
There is a well-preserved ancient city in northern China.

它保存了明清时期中国汉民族城市的所有特征,为人们展示了一幅非同寻常的文化、社会、经济及宗教发展的完整画卷。
It keeps all the features of the cities of Chinese Han nationality during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, displaying a complete picture of the unusual cultural, social, economic and religious development.

它就是被联合国教科文组织正式确定为“世界文化遗产”的平遥古城。
The city is the Pingyao ancient city which has been formally named as “World Cultural Heritage” by UNESCO.

从地图上看，平遥古城位于山西省中部，距离北京650公里。
Pingyao ancient city is located in the middle of Shanxi province, 650 kilometers away from Beijing.

它是一座具有2700多年历史的文化名城，始建于公元前827年-前782年。
It is a famous cultural city with over 2,700 years of history, and it was first built between 827 BC and 782 BC.

从空中看这座古老的城市，你会发现平遥古城形如龟状。
Overlooking this old city from the sky, you may find that the shape of the Pingyao ancient city is like that of a tortoise.

城池南门为龟头，门外两眼水井象征龟的双目。
The southern gate of the city is like the head of a tortoise. The two wells outside the gate symbolize the two eyes of the tortoise.

北城门为龟尾，是全城的最低处，城内所有积水都要经此流出。
The northern gate of the city is the tail of the tortoise. It is the lowest spot of the whole city, wher all the water in the city flows.

城池东西四座瓮城，双双相对，形似龟爪。
There are four barbican entrances in the east and west of the city, facing each other like the paws of the tortoise.

中国古人对乌龟怀有深厚的崇拜之情，乌龟乃长生之物。
The ancient Chinese people worshipped tortoises, and regarded tortoises as animals of longevity.

它蕴涵着希冀借龟神之力使平遥古城坚如磐石、永世长存的深刻含义。
Thus the way Pingyao was constructed carried the profound meaning of making this ancient city as firm as a rock and last for ages with the reliance on the power of the tortoise.

它的城墙周长6163米、墙高约12米、墙顶宽3-6米。
The circumference of the city walls is 6,163 meters. The walls are about 12 meters high. The top of the walls is 3-6 meters wide.

东、西、北墙方直，南墙随护城河之势而蜿蜒。
The eastern, western and northern walls are square and straight, and the southern walls wander along the moat.

城墙上有72个观敌楼。
There are 72 towers on the city walls to watch out for the enemies.

墙顶外侧有3千个垛口。
There are 3,000 crenels in the exterior of the wall top.

传说它是孔子3千弟子、72贤人的象征。
It is said they are the symbols of Confucius’ 3,000 followers and 72 virtuous people.

城墙把面积约2.25平方公里的平遥分为两个完全不同的世界。
The city walls divide Pingyao, a city with an area of around 2.25 square kilometers, into two completely different worlds.

城墙内街道、店铺、民居都保留着明清时期的规格。
Inside the city walls, the streets, shops and residences all keep the style of the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

较为完好地保留着中国明、清时期从公元1368年到1911年间县城的基本格局。
The basic layout of the city reflects the urban planning style between 1368 and 1911 during the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

而城墙外则是高楼大厦林立的新城。
Outside the city walls is the new city with serried tall buildings.

平遥古城是完全按照中国汉民族传统城市规划思想和布局程式修建的。
The Pingyao ancient city was built completely in accordance with traditional urban planning style and layouts of cities of the Chinese Han nationality.

在封闭的城池里，有四条大街、八条小街及七十二条小巷经纬交织在一起。
In the closed city, four avenues, eight side streets and seventy-two lanes interweave with one another.

它们功能分明、布局井井有条。
They have clear functions and good-ordered layouts.

城内古居民宅全是清一色青砖灰瓦的四合院。轴线明确，左右对称。
The residences are all Siheyuan (quadrangles) made of black bricks and grey tiles with clear axes and bilateral symmetry.

此外，城池内还建有一些大小庙宇，老式铺面亦是鳞次栉比。
In addition, there are temples, big and small, and rows upon rows of old-fashioned shops.

这座三层木结构的建筑叫古市楼，是古城内最高的建筑，也是古城的中心。
This three-storied wooden-structured building is called Ancient City Building. It is the tallest building in the ancient city and also the center of the ancient city.

因其楼下有一口“金井”也叫“金井楼”。
Because there is a “Gold Well” downstairs, it is also called “Gold Well Building”.

你也许想象不到，平遥在300-600多年前曾经是中国北方的一座商业重镇。
You may hardly realize that Pingyao was a commercial center in the northern China 300 to 600 years ago.

这里有着中国第一家真正意义上的银行，日升昌票号。
The first bank in China —RiShengchang Draft Bank was built here.

如今，这座四合院式的建筑被辟为“中国票号博物馆”共设有二十余个展厅。
Nowadays, this quadrangle-shaped structure is a “Museum of China’s Bank Draft” with over 20 exhibition rooms.

院子中央的这块“大石头”实际上是中国古代的一种货币——元宝。
The big stones in the middle of the courtyard are in fact a currency in ancient China —Yuanbao.

后来，它们成了财富的象征。
Later, they became the symbol of wealth.

你不仅在平遥任何一个票号都能看到元宝，在中国的很多传统民俗物品中都能看到它们的形象。
You see Yuanbao not only at any draft bank in Pingyao, but also in many Chinese traditional folkloric articles.

这么一座有名的古城当然也有它著名的食品和特产了。
Such a famous ancient city certainly has its famous food and specialties.

平遥牛肉和太古饼是平遥最有名的小吃。
Pingyao Beef and Immemorial Pies are the most famous snacks in Pingyao.

据说，当年慈禧太后路经此地，品尝这些东西后赞不绝口。
It was said that the emperor dowager Cixi spoke very highly of these snacks when she passed Pingyao and tasted the food.

平遥的漆器和绣花布鞋是非常有地方特色的手工制品，买点儿作纪念也是很不错的选择。
Pingyao’s lacquer ware and embroidered cloth shoes are handmade articles with strong local flavor, and are good choices as souvenirs.

古城
Ancient City

元宝
Yuan Bao (ancient Chinese currency)