Gaoping

Introduction

Gaoping is a county-level city in the southeast of Shanxi Province, administered as part of Jincheng. Its history reaches back to the Warring States period, and part of the present-day city was once known as Changping.

That older name is tied to a battle fought in 260 BCE between the rival States of Qin and Zhao, one of the events that gives the area its place in early Chinese history. Come here with an interest in that deep past rather than for a large modern city's attractions.

Three days in Gaoping

Day one: Begin in Gaoping, a city in Shanxi Province within the Jincheng area, and take your time getting oriented. The place carries the weight of the Warring States period, so let that history set the tone for your visit rather than rushing from sight to sight.

Day two: Turn your attention to the Changping story, which belongs to this landscape. That chapter of the Warring States era, and the clash between Qin and Zhao, is the thread that ties Gaoping to the wider Chinese past. Spend the day following it at an unhurried pace.

Day three: Come back to the city itself and let the earlier days settle. With the Warring States background in mind, a final wander through Gaoping gives the itinerary its shape before you move on.