Wender·Vista
Taiyuan
shown on ceramic, 12-inch tilePeople's Republic of China
in the Fen River valley of northern Shanxi

Taiyuan

— — twin pagodas standing over an old coal city.

— Where it lives

Not only on a wall.

A small tile on the nightstand catching the morning. A larger one above the fire. Yours, wherever you spend the slow hours.
— On the nightstand, a 6-inch on a walnut stand
— Among the books, a 6-inch leaning into the spines
— Beside the kettle, a 12-inch propped
— Down a quiet hall, an 18-inch floating off the wall
— Above the fire, the 24-inch in a walnut surround
— a note from the studio

“The capital of Shanxi province, sitting in a broad valley along the Fen River with the Taihang Mountains rising to the east. Taiyuan has been a regional seat for more than two thousand five hundred years, named under the Qin and rebuilt under nearly every dynasty since. Jinci Temple, on the southern edge of the city, holds Northern Song halls in continuous use since the eleventh century. from the studio

from the studio
Taiyuan
— bring it home

Taiyuan, on ceramic.

Each tile is finished by hand in our Knoxville studio. Artwork is slowly infused into the ceramic surface under high heat and pressure, and rests beneath a thin glossy finish. The colour lives in the surface, not on top of it.

What kind of piece?
One tile — square or rectangle.
How big?
the popular one — counter, shelf, nightstand
6 × 6 in · 15 cm · 1.6 lb
Surface finish
A clear glossy finish — the artwork reads as if under resin. Ideal for show-pieces and framed wall art.
How it sits
A hidden cleat — sits ¼″ proud of the wall.
$58
Hand-finished and shipped from our studio at the foot of the Smokies. On your wall in about ten days.
— size
6 × 6 in
15 cm
— weighs
1.6 lb
solid in the hand
— surface
ceramic, hand-finished
art rests beneath a thin glossy finish
— from
Knoxville, TN
our family studio, at the foot of the Smokies
— start a Coaster Set

Pick any four 4-inch tiles — National Parks you've been to, a Smokies set, the four seasons of one place. $ for a set of , cork-backed, ready to live on the table.

— about Taiyuan

The place, in three passes.

A little of what's known, in case you fall down the rabbit hole — or want to go see it yourself.
— the place

Taiyuan is the capital of Shanxi province in north-central China, set in the Fen River valley at an elevation of roughly 800 metres. The Taihang Mountains rise to the east and the Lüliang range to the west. The prefecture-level city covers about 6,988 square kilometres and holds a registered population of roughly five million. Founded as Jinyang in 497 BCE, the city has served as a regional military and administrative seat under the Qin, Tang, Northern Han, and successive dynasties, and remains the centre of Shanxi's coal and steel economy today.

— informed by Wikipedia — Taiyuan
— the stone

Jinci Temple, about 25 kilometres south-west of the modern city, is the most important historical site in Taiyuan. The complex centres on the Hall of the Holy Mother, built in 1023 during the Northern Song and held up by carved wooden dragons coiled around its eight outer columns. Inside, forty-three painted clay attendant figures from the same period survive in remarkable condition. The Twin Pagoda Temple, Yongzuo Si, dates to 1599 and gave the city its silhouette in old maps and prints.

— the visit

Taiyuan Wusu International Airport sits about 15 kilometres south-east of the city centre and connects to Beijing in under an hour by air. Taiyuan South railway station puts Beijing within roughly two and a half hours by high-speed rail. The Shanxi Museum, on the west bank of the Fen River, holds one of the country's most significant collections of bronzes and Buddhist sculpture. Spring and autumn are the best seasons; winter brings hard cold and inversion haze; summer is hot and dry.

— informed by Shanxi Museum
— where
People's Republic of China · Taiyuan, Shanxi
— elevation
800 m · 2,625 ft
— position
37.8706° N · 112.5489° E
— the neighborhood

What's nearby.

A handful of named places within an hour's walk or short drive. Some we've already painted; some we will.
25 km SW
Jinci Temple
Song-era temple
5 km SE
Twin Pagoda Temple
Ming-era pagodas
90 km S
Pingyao Ancient City
walled town
N
Taiyuan
Jinci Temple
Twin Pagoda Temple
Pingyao Ancient City
— common questions

What people ask.

A few questions we get about Taiyuan — and about bringing the piece home.
— about the place

Taiyuan is the capital of Shanxi province in north-central China, set in the Fen River valley at about 800 metres elevation, with the Taihang Mountains rising to the east.

Taiyuan was founded as Jinyang in 497 BCE and has been continuously occupied for more than two thousand five hundred years, serving as a regional seat under multiple dynasties.

A temple complex 25 kilometres south-west of Taiyuan centred on the Northern Song Hall of the Holy Mother, built in 1023 and holding forty-three Song-period painted clay attendant figures.

The Twin Pagoda Temple, Yongzuo Si, holds two octagonal brick pagodas built in 1599 during the Ming dynasty. They are the historical silhouette of Taiyuan in old prints and maps.

Taiyuan Wusu International Airport sits 15 kilometres south-east of the city. High-speed rail reaches Beijing in roughly two and a half hours from Taiyuan South station.

Yes. Pingyao, a UNESCO-listed walled town from the Ming and Qing dynasties, sits about 90 kilometres south of Taiyuan and is commonly visited as a day or overnight trip.

— about the piece in your home

Yes. Taiyuan and its Twin Pagodas are emblematic of Shanxi identity. A Small or Medium with a handwritten studio note travels well to family from the province or its wider diaspora.

The brick, slate, and lantern-amber palette sits well in modern-Asian, Japandi, and warm-traditional interiors. It also reads strongly against soft white or wood-panelled walls.

Yes. The current modern-Asian direction favours specific named places and architectural detail over generic motifs. The piece carries the city's silhouette directly.

A single Large is the right scale above most sofas. A 4-tile Mural reads as a wider city panel; a 9-tile Mural anchors a large room or stairwell.

Yes. Order the Dura Satin or Matte finish for vertical installations in humid rooms. The colour lives in the ceramic surface and is unaffected by steam.

A soft microfibre cloth and water. No solvents, no abrasive pads. The thin glossy finish wipes clean and does not need polish or sealant.

Yes. Every WenderVista piece is original to the studio, curated by Reid Wender, and not licensed from any third party. Each tile is hand-finished in Knoxville, Tennessee.

— if this one stayed with you

A few you might also love.

Hand-picked by the eye that found Sorapis. Same air, same kind of quiet.