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| Grand Mension of Qiao Family |
The city of Jinzhong, in central Shanxi province, sits next to Taihang Mountains to the east, the Fenhe River to the west, and Taiyuan, the provincial capital, to the north, on a 16,400-square–kilometer space, and has a population of 3 million.
It has a long history and, at the same time, great development potential. It is the home of many famous and talented people and the Shanxi merchants who were famous for their business in the past. From the early 17th century to the mid-19th century, its businessmen opened shops all across the country, and even went as far as Japan, West Asia, Russia, and Mongolia, similar to Anhui province’s merchants.
It had China's first bank-style organization, the Rishengchang Piaohao (a firm for exchange and transfer for money), established in 1824, a symbol of its financial importance at the time. It has long been a major grain, vegetable, animal products, and fresh and dry fruit producer, with developed agricultural technology.
It has large multiple reserves, with more than 20 types, including iron, alumina, sulfur, gypsum, clay, and good quality coal and is one of China’s 10 coal bases.
It began developing its industries long ago and is a pillar in machinery, coal, metallurgy, and chemicals, with large textile machinery, glassware, and medicine production.
Its scenic spots account for almost a tenth of the province's total, and its old Pingyao city is a world heritage site, along with its Shanxi merchant culture tourist area and it continues to improve its tourism infrastructure to make itself more competitive.
