On the evening of August 31, the 13 incoming college first-years in this year's "Beijing Exploration" pre-orientation program traveled by high-speed rail to Pingyao Ancient City in Shanxi Province. The weekend-long trip served as a means of introducing the students to the second course of the program, entitled "Public Space in Urban China." In line with this theme, the group focused on understanding the order and maintenance of public space in ancient Pingyao, as well as the reproduction and re-designation of such spaces in today's preserved city.
The students got off to an early start on Saturday with a tour of several key historical sites in the old city. First, they visited one of the oldest banks in China (日升昌), followed by the Pingyao Country Government Offices, the Pingyao City Wall, and the Temple of Literature/Culture (文庙).
After a brief respite, they set off for the Wang Family Compound (王家大院), one of the most extensive examples of Ming and Qing-dynasty residential architecture. At each site, the students' guide provided historical context and Professor Paola Iovene provided guiding questions about the extent to which each site was preserved, reconstructed, or presented. In this way, students were able to think critically about the processes that went into creating their experience of traveling through the ancient city.
Sunday was a more relaxed day, with a visit to Shuanglin Temple (双林寺), where students had the opportunity to observe the temple’s collection of elaborate Buddhist artwork. The group concluded their time in Pingyao with a few hours of wandering around the city before catching the train back to Beijing. From riding the high-speed train for the first time to examining the magnificent Ming- and Qing-dynasty art and architecture in Pingyao, students came away from the trip with a wealth of new experiences. Or, as Max Pizer-Lippitz (AB '22) put it, "Pingyao was very fun!"
