Ancient City of Ping Yao hosts film festival to 30 September
Published on 10/04/2026 at 05:03 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
The Ancient City of Ping Yao hosted the tenth Pingyao International Film Festival from 24 to 30 September 2026 in Pingyao, China. The festival opened at the walled historic city with a programme linking international cinema to one of Shanxi's best-preserved urban heritage sites.
The event took place as the festival reached its tenth edition. Its dates and venue were confirmed in coverage of the opening by Xinhua's opening report.
Pingyao International Film Festival ran until 30 September
The festival brought together 50 films from nearly 40 countries and regions. The programme included 12 short films in the Crouching Dragon section, seven master classes and discussions, eight Pingyao Live conversation events, and a literary strand recommending 10 works for adaptation.
The opening programme included a 4K restoration of Fei Mu's 1948 film Spring in a Small Town, presented as an Asian premiere. The Chinese Film Archive completed the restoration, while the festival also presented a new short film by director Jia Zhangke during its Mid-Autumn programme.
The Pingyao Film Palace provided the main setting inside the ancient city. The combination matters for visitors because the festival was not simply a city-based cultural event: screenings and discussions were staged within the protected historic settlement from 24 to 30 September 2026. Festival venue and programme details placed the master discussions at the Pingyao Film Palace.
Ancient City of Ping Yao gives the festival a historic setting
The UNESCO-listed city is an exceptionally well-preserved example of a traditional Han Chinese city founded in the fourteenth century. Its streets, lanes, shops, dwellings, temples and defensive walls preserve more than five centuries of urban development.
The World Heritage property covers 225 hectares and includes the area within the city walls, as well as Shuanglin Temple and Zhenguo Temple. UNESCO records nearly 4,000 existing shops and traditional dwellings, reflecting the city's importance as a financial centre from the nineteenth century to the early twentieth century. UNESCO's description of Ping Yao identifies the walls, streets and banking buildings as parts of the preserved historic fabric.
That setting connects the festival's film programme with a place shaped by commerce, religion, housing and defence. Visitors who attended between 24 and 30 September 2026 encountered the festival's screenings and discussions within an urban landscape whose layout remains central to its heritage status.
Visiting Ancient City of Ping Yao after the film festival
- The Pingyao International Film Festival ran from 24 to 30 September 2026. Its programme was held at the Pingyao Film Palace within the ancient city.
- The festival period has ended, so the listed screenings, master discussions and Pingyao Live conversations are not available as part of that event after 30 September 2026.
- The heritage site is in Pingyao County in central Shanxi Province, China. Its visitor setting includes the area inside the historic walls, with streets, lanes, shops, dwellings and temples.
- The site is an enclosed historic town rather than a single monument. The city walls and traditional street layout shape the experience of moving between its heritage buildings and former banking premises.
- China's official language is Mandarin Chinese, and the national currency is the renminbi.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Ancient City of Ping Yao
When did the Pingyao International Film Festival take place at Ancient City of Ping Yao?
The tenth edition ran from 24 to 30 September 2026 at the Pingyao Film Palace within the ancient city.
What is Ancient City of Ping Yao?
It is a well-preserved historic city in Pingyao County, China, founded in the fourteenth century and inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Where is Ancient City of Ping Yao and how do you get there?
The city is in central Shanxi Province, in Pingyao County. The heritage property includes the area within the historic walls and associated temples.
