Actors perform a drama about the life of Shanxi merchants during the opening ceremony of the Pingyao International Photography Festival (PIP) on Sept 19. Jinshang, also known as Shanxi merchants, were traders in the region as far back as the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC). They dominated Chinese commerce in the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911). They were also behind the creation of China's first banking institution. [Photo/pingyao.gov.cn]