World heritage site Pingyao reopens to public

Pingyao, an ancient walled city in North China's Shanxi province, reopened to the public on Wednesday after being closed for two months due to the novel coronavirus outbreak.

The scenic area will be open between 8 am and 6 pm, and the daily number of visitors will be capped at around 56,800, according to a notice issued by the management company of the tourist site.

Visitors are required to book tickets online in advance and have their temperature checked upon arrival. They should also register with their personal information to get a health code, wear masks during their visit, and maintain a distance of no less than 1.5 meters in queues.

Visitors who recently returned from overseas or medium- and high-risk areas need to undergo a 14-day quarantine in designated venues before they can enter the tourist site.

For the coming year, the ancient city will waive entrance fees for medics nationwide and immediate family members of the doctors and nurses in Shanxi who rushed to Hubei to help treat COVID-19 patients.

Pingyao ancient city has been closed to the public since Jan. 25, the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year, after health authorities advised the public to stay indoors amid the outbreak.

With a history of 2,700 years, Pingyao is famous for its well-preserved ancient architecture. It was named a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1997.

On the same day, world heritage site Wutai Mountain, one of China's sacred Buddhist mountains also in Shanxi, reopened its outdoor scenic areas to visitors, while its temples remain shuttered.