Travelling route: starting from Beijing

Located at the southern foot of Wuzhou Mountain, some 16 km west of Datong city, Shanxi province, the Yungang Grottoes were built against the mountain and extend about 1 km (0.62 miles) from east to west. Liu Huaiyu/For China Daily

Toward the southwest of Beijing, Shanxi province is among the best choices for travelers who wish to travel by car during the Golden Week. The province boasts of the best of temples, ancient towns and traditional yards.

From Beijing, the first wonder along the route is ancient Yungang Grottoes in Datong's outskirt. Datong is also a historic city with rich mining resources.

The grottoes were built during the 5th to 6th century. Hailed as one of the four greatest grottoes in China, Yungang is the best spot to appreciate Buddhist stone carving and sculpture. It has some 250 caves bearing 51,000 figures.

Between Datong and Xinzhou city stands Wutai Mountain, a must stop to see some of China's most famous Buddhist temples. It's said that the five peaks in the area resemble the five upright fingers of Buddha, with Wutai Mountain acting as the palm. After building and rebuilding over several dynasties, the 95 temples in the mountains are examples of ancient architecture mixed with foreign style.

Stop by Shanxi's provincial capital Taiyuan, the haven of all kinds of wheaten foods for some gastronomy treat.

Pingyao is a manifestation of Chinese wisdom in architecture. Yungang Grottoes (below) is a great spot to appreciate Buddhist stone carving. Liu Zhaoming/For China Daily

On the way to Pingyao ancient town, spare some time to visit a yard called The Qiao's. It is a wonderful model of a typical Jin (which stands for Shanxi) businessman's family compound, and northern China's residential architecture.

The final stop, Pingyao, is a collective manifestation of Confucian ideas and ancient wisdom. The town has 72 towers representing the 72 followers of Confucius, as well as retains the ancient layout and architectures of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Don't forget to sample some Pingyao beef, which is tender and rich in flavor.

If you go: Take Beijing-Tibet (G6) highway to Xuanhua, then head to Xuanhua-Datong highway to get to Datong. From Datong, choose Erenhot-Guangzhou (G55) highway to Taiyuan, Xinzhou is on the way. Then take Beijing-Kunming (G5) highway for Pingyao. Qixian is on the way.