Ciqikou Ancient Town: Best Place to Discover the Old Chongqing

Written by Veronica | Updated January 26,2026

Famed “Little Chongqing,” Ciqikou Ancient Town, formerly known as Longyin Town, is a time-honored place that has a long history dating back to the Song Dynasty. Surrounded by mountains on three sides, this ancient town is built along the mountain, with the Jialing River running through it. Used to be an important trade port for porcelain and other goods, Ciqikou is one of the best ancient towns in China, and now a landmark attraction in Chongqing that attracts tourists from all over the world.

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• Ciqikou Ancient Town Facts
• Why Visit Ciqikou
• What to See and Do in Ciqikou Ancient Town
• The Bayu Culture Connection
• Tea Culture Experience
• Best Time to Visit Ciqikou Ancient Town
• How to Get to Ciqikou Ancient Town
• How to Visit Ciqikou Ancient Town – Recommended Walking Route from a Real Insider
• Crucial Tips for Visitors
• Accommodation in Ciqikou Ancient Town
• Attractions Nearby Ciqikou Ancient Town
• Travel with China Xian Tour to Explore Chongqing’s Highlights

Ciqikou Ancient Town Facts

• Chinese name: 磁器口古镇 (Ciqikou Guzhen)
• Location: 1 Cinan Street, Shapingba District, Chongqing
• Opening time: All day
• Time needed: 3-4 hours
• Best time to visit: Spring and Autumn
• Ticket: There isn’t an admission fee to enter Ciqikou Ancient Town. Just feel free to enter. Only a few historic sites require a ticket.
• Suited to: Culture and history enthusiasts as well as anyone interested in ancient Chinese architecture

Why Visit Ciqikou

• Trace history: Thanks to its riverside position, Ciqikou has served as a bustling trade hub for over 1,000 years. Boats from other places along the Jialing and Yangtze Rivers docked here, cementing its reputation as a bustling trading hub. Porcelain productionwas especially flourished here. Today, you can still see artisans making traditional pottery and encounter many historical buildings while on a leisure wander here.
• Unique blend of natural landscapes and ancient architecture: The ancient town is nestled among three rivers and three mountains. Ancient buildings from the Ming and Qing Dynasty, stone-paved alleys, stilted houses, and historic docks are scattered among the mountain terrain, forming a picturesque scene, making it just like a miniatureof Chongqing.
• Taste the essence of authentic Chongqing flavors: As the birthplace of famous Chongqing Mao Xuewang (spicy blood curd stew), this area is also a gathering place of diverse Chongqing culinary treasures, including Chongqing hotpot, Chen Mahua, sticky glutinous rice cakes and more. Be ready to satisfy your taste buds here.

What to See and Do in Ciqikou Ancient Town

1. Marvel at the Yinglong Gate

Ciqikou Ancient Town has many ancient architecture, and the Yinglong Gate is prominent among them. As one of the city’s most important gates, especially during the Qing Dynasty, the Yinglong Gate held an important position as “the Throat into Southwest China.” It has witnessed the prosperous past of Chongqing when the city became an economic, cultural, and transportation center of the country.

2. Discover the Ancient Baolun Temple

Ciqikou Ancient Town is an inclusive site for Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism with nine palaces and eighteen temples, among which the Baolun Temple is a must-visit Buddhist temple on your travel to Chongqing Ciqikou. Also named Longyin Temple, it was once a shelter for Emperor Jianwen. Facing the Jialing River with Baiyan Mountain in the back, this old temple in Chongqing Ciqikou boasts exquisite double-eaved wooden architecture and serene lanes.

3. Appreciate the Night View of the Stilted Buildings

On the Back Street of Ciqikou Ancient Town, there is a Diaojiaolou Square where you can see well-arranged stilted buildings with traditional Bayu architecture. When the night falls, the buildings give a visual feast with lights turned on and lanterns shining. What’s more, there will be performances in the center of the square, taking you back to the past. Besides, you can visit a tea house there, taste the Baba tea, and immerse yourself in the charm of this ancient town in Chongqing.

4. Visit the Chongqing Memory Museum

As its name indicates, the museum in Ciqikou Ancient Town bears a memory of Chongqing’s past. It exhibits many micro landscape models of stilted buildings, hotpots, tea houses, and other icons of the city, through which you can learn Chongqing’s culture intuitively. Besides, it displays folk activities like music performances, paper cutting, dough figures making, and so on. It’s not only a historical heritage of Ciqikou Ancient Town in Chongqing but also a window for people to see the old Chongqing.

5. Taste the Delicious Food in Ciqikou

One of the top things to do in Chongqing, Ciqikou is also a paradise for foodies. Don’t hesitate to try the local delicacies on your Chongqing tour of Ciqikou Ancient Town. The Zhengjie Street and Hengjie Street house many restaurants for spicy hotpot, hot and sour rice noodles, Chongqing style boiled blood curd, and other specialties of Chongqing. Also, food stalls along the streets serve mashed potato with egg, cold rice cakes, fried dough twists, and more snacks that are mouthwatering. You may like Top 10 Food to Eat in Chongqing.

Recommended restaurants:

1. Zhuanyunlou Restaurant (转运楼): The most special experience of this restaurant is that customers can taste the dishes meanwhile watching the characteristic local performances like Sichuan opera and face-changing.
2. Linshuashua Old Hot Pot (林耍耍老火锅): The spiciness level can be adjusted according to the customers’tastes, so it is friendly to foreign tourists.
3. Matouhui Restaurant (码头会): It is in a traditional “Old Hall” building with rich decorations of dock culture. You can taste the authentic Sichuan cuisine here. Do not miss the signature dish Chongqing style boiled blood curd with bean soup.

6. Take a Riverside Stroll

Taking a leisure stroll along the Jialing River, the ancient stalls and shops, diverse specialties, bustling crowds and serene river create a stark contrast. The riverfront vendors offer various popular foods in Sichuan and Chongqing. Visitors are invited to sample the Chen Mahua pastries, hot pot, xiaomian noodles and many other snacks while enjoying the scenic views of the Jialing River. The riverfront also offers a respite with tea houses, traditional ear cleaning services, and Sichuan Opera. All these experiences during a riverside stroll embody the desired leisurely pace of travel.

Related reading: Top 15 Things to Do in Chongqing

7. Join Local Cultural Activities

In Ciqikou Ancient Town, the abundant intangible cultural heritage performances show its profound traditional charm, including Sichuan Opera, face changing, Pingshu, etc. They can be enjoyed in some tea houses and the Zhuanyunlou Restaurant. In different seasons, there are also traditional festival celebrations, such as the lantern show, and themed cultural activities, like the folk culture festival.

The Bayu Culture Connection

Bayu heritage is the regional culture with Chongqing and Sichuan as the center and has a long history. And the buildings and streets of Ciqikou Ancient Town display the culture vividly. To strive for living space in this mountain area in ancient times, the ancestors built the stilted house along the steep slopes. Besides, the streets and lanes inside the town are not planned by the human, but follow the layout of natural terrains. So when wandering there, you will find that the streets meander with varying widths.

Tea Culture Experience at Ciqikou Ancient Town

As an old dock, the tea houses in Ciqikou Ancient Town are not only a place to drink tea, but also a social space where the locals talk business, listen to pingshu and watch Sichuan Opera, etc. Now, tourists can also enter a traditional tea house to savor a cup of tea and listen to the boss talk about the rules of teahouses in old Chongqing. There are also plenty of new-style tea houses, which remain the traditional elements meanwhile integrating modern aesthetic designs. They are quite popular among young tourists. Besides, many tea houses also offer intangible cultural heritage performances, such as face-changing and tea art.

Best Time to Visit Ciqikou Ancient Town

Ciqikou Ancient Town in Chongqing, China experiences a subtropical monsoon humid climate, with four distinctive seasons. Particularly, it has a hot summer and cold winter, which is not ideal for traveling. Hence, the best time to visit there is during spring and autumn when the weather is mild and the surroundings are pleasant.

And, what is the best time of day to visit Ciqikou to avoid the largest crowds? Before 09:00 in the morning or after dusk are the two periods with fewer tourists.

You may like: Chongqing Weather & Best Time to Visit

How to Get to Ciqikou Ancient Town

Ciqikou Ancient Town is located in the Shapingba District of Chongqing, and below are practical ways for you to get there.

By Rail Transit: It is the easiest way to get to Ciqikou Ancient Town using Chongqing’s public transportation. Take Chongqing Rail Transit Line 1 to Ciqikou Station, and exit from exit 1. Walk for 5 minutes and then you’ll be in the ancient town.

By Bus: Many buses take you to the Ciqikou Ancient Town with CNY 2, such as Bus No. 101, 105, 202, 220, 261, 467, 808, etc.

By Taxi: You can also take a taxi from any part of Chongqing to the ancient town, and the starting price will be CNY 10.

If you find yourself in other cities in China like Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu, you need to get to Chongqing first by flight or high-speed train and then visit Ciqikou Ancient Town by the transportation above.

How to Visit Ciqikou Ancient Town – Recommended Walking Route from a Real Insider

If you follow the crowds to explore Ciqikou Ancient Town, you may feel it is just a commercial street, but our route will make you experience the real highlights of this thousand-year-old town. It is Huangjueping Archway – Baoshan Palace – Zhong’s Family Courtyard – Baolun Temple – National Academy – Ciqikou Folk Custom Museum – Ancient Wharf.

• Huangjueping Archway: the main entrance and landmark starting point of Ciqikou Ancient Town
• Baoshan Palace: the Ding Zhaozhong Exhibition Hall is set here, Ding Zhaozhong is a Nobel Prize winner in physics. The palace itself is in the typical architectural style of eastern Sichuan, with a secluded environment.
• Zhong’s Family Courtyard: a Qing Dynasty residence which integrates the courtyard in the north and the architectural features in the south. The wooden carvings and brick carvings here are worth appreciating.
• Baolun Temple: a thousand-year-old ancient temple hidden in the town. Its serene environment makes it a good place to escape from the hustle and bustle on the main street.
• National Academy: a well-preserved private school in ancient China. Here you can experience the cultural charm of the ancient town.
• Ciqikou Folk Custom Museum: through physical objects and pictures, it displays the historic stories and folk cultures of Shapingba and Ciqikou.
• Ancient Wharf: located by the Jialing River, it is the witness to Ciqikou as an ancient water and land port.

Crucial Tips for Visitors

1. To avoid crowds, go there on weekdays and arrive before 09:00 or after dusk.
2. Most roads in the ancient town are paved with bluestone and tourists need to climb up and down slopes, so a pair of comfortable shoes is a necessity.
3. Besides the main street, it is also strongly recommended to explore the small lanes, where you can experience the authentic daily life.
4. Inside the town, there are many traditional handicraft stores. The handmade iron sheet model and Shu embroidery are all delicate and unique, and suitable to be a souvenir or gift for your friends or family.
5. The operating hours for the town and its shops/attractions: The ancient town is open all day long, but the shops usually close around 22:00.
6. Historical sites within the town that require a separate ticket: Baolun Temple and Zhong Family’s Courtyard need a ticket. But the price is very cheap, which is only CNY 5.

Accommodation in Ciqikou Ancient Town

Generally, it takes about 3 – 4 hours to explore the whole ancient town, so there is no need to stay overnight. But if you want to enjoy its dawn, dusk and night views, then slow your pace and live one night to have an in-depth tour.

Inside the ancient town, there are plenty of special homestays and inns. Most of them are transformed from traditional residences and integrated into the town perfectly. Their designs are usually featured by the Republic of China era style, neo Chinese style or the characteristics of the mountain city, offering an immersive experience. There are also more high-quality hotels around the town. These hotels are usually equipped with more complete facilities and within walking distance to the scenic area.

Attractions Nearby Ciqikou Ancient Town

• Geleshan National Forest Park: Located 7km from Ciqikou Ancient Town, this forest park is a popular tourist attraction with stunning views of mountains and lakes. Besides, it is also a place for sports and conference services.
• Ancient Bashu Architecture Museum: Located in Shapingba District near Ciqikou Ancient Town, the Ancient Bashu Architecture Museum has over 1,000 collections of excavated carvings, paintings, inlaid porcelains, and more.
• Three Gorges Museum: Built in 1951, this comprehensive museum near Ciqikou Ancient Town boasts exhibition sections with different themes of the Three Gorges, archaeological excavations, valuable porcelain, and more, showing a window to see the history of Three Gorges and Bayu culture. It is also a must-visit attraction on your Yangtze Cruise tours, and you can head there after you visit Ciqikou Ancient Town.

Travel with China Xian Tour to Explore Chongqing’s Highlights

Due to the complex terrain in the city, almost every tourist gets lost during a travel in Chongqing. You will find even the map does not work in this mountain city. So it is strongly recommended to travel with an agency. China Xian Tour is glad to arrange an experienced local driver to escort you, so that you can avoid detours and leave more time to explore the charm of Chongqing. Also, we can customize an itinerary to include all the scenic spots you prefer to visit. So do not hesitate to contact us.