Ciqikou Ancient Town

磁器口古镇

A thousand-year-old riverside port town on the Jialing River, with bluestone-paved streets, Chen Mahua twisted cakes, and old teahouses. It is the best-preserved Bayu ancient town in Chongqing.

Ciqikou is on the Jialing River in Shapingba District. It dates back to the Song dynasty. It prospered in the Ming and Qing dynasties for its porcelain kilns and river port, and it became known as 'Little Chongqing.' The town's main axis is Ciqikou Main Street. It runs about 1 km from the paifang gate entrance to the Jialing River dock. Both sides are lined with shops in green-tiled wooden houses. Local specialities include Chen Mahua (there are several 'Chen Changyin' shops along the main street, so go to the head shop for the old town's Chen Mahua, though the queue can be long), glutinous rice cakes, Mao Xuewang (its birthplace), hot and sour noodles, and handmade cold jelly. At the end of the street, the Baolun Temple (built in the Tang dynasty, 10 yuan) and the Zhuanyun Tower overlook the old town and the river.

To avoid the crowds on the main street, turn into the side streets such as Hengjie and the lanes around Huangjueping. There you will find old teahouses, storytelling, Sichuan opera singing, and local daily life, as well as long-established shops such as Xinji Zhajiang Noodles.

The old town is free to enter, and shops are open roughly 9:00–21:00. The atmosphere is even better after dark, when the lanterns light up.

Tips: arrive before 9:00 to avoid tour groups. Spend about 2 hours there, and have lunch in the old town or at the nearby Shapingba Three Gorges Square. Nearby, you can also visit the Hongyan Spirit Memorial Hall, Zhazidong, and Baigongguan in Geleshan (free with advance booking), which cover red-revolution history.

Getting there: Metro Line 1 to Ciqikou Station, then a 5-minute walk. From Jiefangbei, it takes about 40 minutes.

Note: there are many candy shops on the main street, and prices and flavours are much the same, so don't queue for the longest line. The old town has many slopes, so take care of older travellers on the stone paths.

Ciqikou Ancient Town

Opening hours

Nearby sights

Places to eat nearby