People visiting the Shanxi capital for the first time usually head straight to the Yongzuo Temple's Twin Pagodas or the Jinci Temple, monuments to the city's ancient history. The following sites, which revisit Taiyuan's past and speak of its present, are also worth checking out.

Mengshan Giant Buddha

This 63-meter-high sitting statue, carved on a cliff face of Mengshan Mountain, is the oldest known stone-carved Buddha in China. Constructed in the 6th century, it broke into pieces that were either lost or buried underground, before being rediscovered and repaired in the 1980s. Because of the mountain's greenery, the locals have dubbed the site an "oxygen bar".

Tianlong Mountain Grottoes

Scattered halfway up the peaks of Tianlong Mountain are 25 Buddhist grottoes that contain some 500 statues and 1,000 carvings, paintings and ceiling designs. Created between the periods of the Northern Wei (386-534) and the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (907-960), the works are interesting studies of ancient Chinese art.

Fenhe River Park

The park, situated along the bank of the Fenhe River, offers a promenade by the water. A bridge, shaped like a DNA's double helix, connects the park to a man-made island housing museums, an opera house and other cultural centers. Visitors who get lucky might see multi-colored building lights come on at night, and the park's fountain dance to upbeat tunes.

- Tiffany Tan