Shanxi

Introduction

Yungang Grottoes, North Shanxi

Shanxi Province（山西） is a historically important province in Northeast China. It was a centre for banking throughout several dynasties. The area was heavily damaged during the Japanese Occupation and was the setting for many bloody battles during the Communist Revolution.

Presently the main economic force behind Shanxi Province is coal mining with over 300 million metric tons a year. There is also extensive metal refining within the province, which can make some of the larger cities extremely polluted. Today Shanxi Province is trying to create itself into a banking center again against such economic mega houses like Shanghai. Although it's by-passed by most tourists, cities such as Pingyao and sights like Wutai Shan make Shanxi Province well worth visiting.

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Geography

Shanxi is on a plateau between the Taihang Mountains and the Luliang Moutains. It is also bordered by the Yellow River to the west. Shanxi shares borders with Hebei, Shandong, Henan, Shaanxi and Inner Mongolia.

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