Taiyuan is one of the great industrial cities of China and lies on the Fen River in the north of its fertile upper basin. It commands the north-south route through Shanxi, as well as important natural lines of communication through the mountains to Hebei province in the east and (via Fenyang) to northern Shaanxi province in the west.
As an inland city, Taiyuan is a place propitious for giving birth to great men, where the people are honest and warmhearted. Many famous historic figures came from Taiyuan such as follows: the famous general Lian Po during the Warring States Period (475 -221 B. C. ); the prime minister Di Renjie; the literator Bai Xingjian and his brother Bai Juyi - a great poet, all in the Tang Dynasty (618 -907); and poets of Wang Han, Wang Changling and Wang Zhihuan, the famous generals of Hu Yanzan and Yang Yanzhao, all in the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279); the famous calligrapher and painter Mi Shi, and the author of "Three Kingdoms" Lou Guanzhou. There are a lot of historical relics and attractions in Taiyuan, such as the Holy Mother Hall in Jinci Temple, the Grottoes on Tianlong Mountain, the Taoist rites on Dragon Mountain, the Chongshan Monastery, Chunyang Taoist Palace, Baiyun Temple, and the emperor of the Tang Dynast (618 -970) Li Shimin's handwritten tablet inscription of" Zhenguang Baohan" (An Inscription with Preface to the Ancestral Temple of the State of Jin) in Jinci Temple, etc.
The most populated area in Taiyuan is Yinze District which is the downtown of Taiyuan City. Wanbailing and Xinhualing Districts are the other major residential districts. Apartments in high rises are the most common residence for the civics. Rare houses occupied by the government officials can be found along part of the Fen River and the suburbia except the northern area of the city for the high density of heavy industry in the north.
The city's most expensive housing area currently is the part of Beidajie Avenue between Fen River and Wuyi Road for the CBD (Central Business District) of the metropolis is being built along the street. Taiyuan Metropolitan Area's most luxurious hotels and restaurants have been built along the avenue with some shopping malls and huge supermarkets surrounding. The City Revenue Agency, the City Procurator Fiscal, City Hall, and several telecommunication companies, such as China Telecome and China Mobile are located along the avenue.
Several tourist attractions in and around Taiyuan include the Liu Xiang Lane, which contains ancient Chinese houses of important heritage, and several temples, such as the Chongshan Monastery, the Jinci Temple, the Twin Pagoda Temple, and the Shaunglin Monastery Longtan Park and Yinze Park are also popular tourist destinations.
Taiyuan is also known for its Liuxiang shopping district and the construction of parks and recreational areas that are praised by the UN Environmental Programme for their role in the improvement of the environmental condition of Taiyuan. Taiyuan's environmental improvement project is being copied in many other Chinese cities and urban areas around the world.
