Taiyuan, the capital of the province, lies on the upper reaches of the Fen surrounded by irrigated ricelands, orchards and vineyards on the mountain slopes, with enormous seams of coal underground. In Shansi all roads lead to Taiyuan, but the roads that radiate out of Taiyuan in every direction lead nowhere.
1983, William Hinton, “Introduction: Shansi, Land of the Oxhide Lanterns”, in Shenfan, New York: Vintage Books, published 1984, page xxxiv