Get to know Gaoping
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Full frame retained; proportionally resized and converted to WebP. No retouching or changes to the photographed subject. Card displays may crop the view.
- Administrative area
- County-level city · 县级市
- Part of
- Jincheng
- Chinese name
- 高平市
- Local areas
- County-level city guide
Area & population
- Area in the source
- 946.00 km²
- Population · 2017
- 494,000
Source: cited geographic source, as of the dates shown.
History
In the Spring and Autumn period the place was called Xuanshi (泫氏), and in the Warring States period Changping (长平); the name Gaoping has been used since the Northern Wei. Changping gave its name to the battle in which Qin defeated Zhao, after which the surrendered Zhao soldiers were buried alive, and pits of their bones remain at Yonglu (永录镇). The Changping battlefield is a Shanxi provincial protected site. Gaoping also claims to be the home of the Flame Emperor Shennong (神农炎帝), and it became a county-level city in May 1993.
What to see
Gaoping has 22 national key protected sites, and the city government says its Song and Jin buildings outnumber those in all of China south of the Yangtze. The main hall of Kaihua Temple (开化寺) is described by Science and Technology Daily as the only hall in China that keeps its Song timber structure, painted decoration and murals together; Tsinghua University architects have spent some 20 years recording it. The Jin stage at the Erlang Temple (二郎庙) in Wangbao village (王报村), built in 1183, is described by People's Daily as the earliest surviving theatre stage in China; it faces north toward the main hall and was listed nationally in 2006.
Other national sites include the Yuan-dynasty Ji family house (姬氏民居), which the city lists as the oldest timber-framed dwelling in China, the middle hall of Chongming Temple (崇明寺) with its unique broken beam, the Tiefo Temple (铁佛寺) and the Yangtou Mountain grottoes (羊头山石窟). The old building complex of Lianghu village (良户) is a provincial protected site.
Food and local products
The city calls itself a home of coal and iron, of yellow pears and of Shangdang bangzi opera (上党梆子). Its yellow pears come in more than ten varieties, and the big pears of Tielu village (铁炉村) in Chenqu town (陈区镇), known as Tielu pears, are rated the best.
Highlights
- Kaihua Temple 开化寺: Song hall that keeps its timber structure, painted decoration and murals together.
- Wangbao stage 王报戏台: Jin stage of 1183 at the Erlang Temple, described as China's earliest surviving stage.
- Tiefo Temple 铁佛寺: National key protected site, eighth batch.
- Yangtou Mountain grottoes 羊头山石窟: National key protected site, sixth batch.
Sources for this guide
地理概况_高平市人民政府门户网站 · Gaoping Municipal People's Government
数字技术“唤醒”千年宋韵——山西高平开化寺宋代建筑和壁画焕发新生_高平市人民政府网 · Gaoping Municipal People's Government (republishing Science and Technology Daily)
【央媒看山西】中国现存最古老戏台——王报戏台_高平市人民政府网 · Gaoping Municipal People's Government (republishing People's Daily)
高平市 - 维基百科，自由的百科全书 · Wikipedia (Chinese) · CC BY-SA 4.0
Original English written from the listed sources and checked sentence by sentence against quoted extracts by a separate reviewer. Updated 2026-09-25.
Explore Gaoping
Core places to explore, with English and Chinese names.
Places to explore around Gaoping
AI illustration · AI 示意图（仅供参考，非该地点实拍）Kaihua Temple in Gaoping开化寺
Kaihua Temple stands on Sheli Hill near Wang Village in Chenqu Town, northeast of Gaoping.
Read the place guide →
The Shakyamuni Buddha statue at Tiefo Temple in Gaoping · 山西高平铁佛寺释迦佛像 Source-recorded photograph date: 2026-08-06.Tiefo Temple in Gaoping铁佛寺
Tiefo Temple in Gaoping is known for a dramatic group of Ming painted sculptures, especially its twenty-four heavenly deities.
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The carved entrance of a grotto at Yangtoushan Grottoes in Gaoping, Shanxi, flanked by guardian figures. · 山西高平羊头山石窟，洞窟入口两侧雕刻护法造像。 Source-recorded photograph date: 2024-02-14.Yangtoushan Grottoes羊头山石窟
Northern Wei to Tang Buddhist caves cut into sandstone boulders on Yangtou Mountain, 16 km northeast of Gaoping, Shanxi.
Read the place guide →Plan your visit
Getting there
Gaoping is about 35 km in a straight line from central Jincheng. Search for 高平市 in a map app to find stations and your accommodation.
Where to stay →Build your route
Kaihua Temple in Gaoping and Tiefo Temple in Gaoping are both listed here. The linked place guides have entrance and visit details.
Continue with Jincheng →More in Jincheng
Sources & geographic information
Administrative names and parent areas: Official geographic directory · Reference date 2026-09-06.
Some facts checked against 高平市 — Wikipedia contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photo: Tiefo Temple in Gaoping · Yawen Guo · CC BY-SA 4.0. Full frame retained; proportionally resized and converted to WebP. No retouching or changes to the photographed subject. Card displays may crop the view.
Photo: Yangtoushan Grottoes · Patrick20242023 · CC BY-SA 4.0. Full frame retained; proportionally resized and converted to WebP. No retouching or changes to the photographed subject. Card displays may crop the view.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Pins mark approximate centres, not entrances or boundaries.