Just wanted to say that I have been to Taiyuan and have lived and taught in Shanxi for a number of years. I agree, the pollution is rampant and the things could be a lot better... HOWEVER, there is an unseen sort of beauty that lies within the people in this province. This is because a lot of people are quite poor (besides the coal bosses) and a lot of them are quite kind and very interested in foreigners. If you are looking for the REAL China, perhaps the way it ways 20-30 years back, you will find it around this region. It all depends on what you are looking for, and most foreigners don't have the mental or physical ability to live in Shanxi.