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Shanxi

literally means ‘Mountains’ West’, referring to the fact that it lies west of the Taihang Mountains.  Its one-character abbreviation is Jin, after the state of Jin that existed there during the Spring and Autumn period.
Shanxi borders Hebei to the east, Henan to the south, Inner Mongolia to the north and the province with nearly the same name, Shaanxi, to the west.  Shanxi’s capital is Taiyuan.
For centuries, Shanxi was a trade and banking centre and the term ‘Shanxi merchant’ was synonymous for wealth. The well-preserved city of Pingyau still shows signs of Read more