Ancient streets keep Shanxi's heritage alive

A traditional building in Yuci Ancient City, Jinzhong, Shanxi province, on July 15. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

One of the most memorable scenes for Moroccan video content creator Fatima Zahra during her journey through Shanxi province was a painter sketching among the old buildings of Yuci Ancient City.

As residents went about their daily routines and shopkeepers attended to their businesses, the painter captured the surrounding architecture. For Zahra, the scene showed that the old city remained a lived-in community rather than simply a collection of historic buildings.

The stop was part of the 2026 Discovering Shanxi's Ancient Chinese Architecture program, jointly organized by China Daily and Shanxi Daily.

Dating back to 582, Yuci Ancient City in Jinzhong has a history of more than 1,400 years. Its historic sites include a city god temple, a former county government office, a Confucian temple, an academy and traditional commercial and residential areas.

"It is not simply a tourist attraction. People still live there and run small shops," Zahra said.

In Xinzhou Ancient City, the group encountered another form of living heritage. During a traditional molten iron fireworks display known as datiehua, performers sent showers of bright sparks across the night sky.

Zahra said the performance left her feeling amazed and joyful.

"I kept smiling throughout the show," Zahra added. For her, the display showed how an old tradition could continue to be practiced by local communities and shared with new audiences.

The journey also prompted Zahra to consider how heritage sites should be managed. Clear rules against touching fragile relics, appropriate limits on visitor numbers at sensitive locations and accessible interpretation could help visitors understand both the value of the sites and their responsibility to protect them, Zahra said.

For Zahra, Shanxi's heritage was memorable not only because of its longevity, but also because historic streets and traditional performances continued to be experienced as part of local life.