Written by Veronica |
Located at the foot of Fengqi Mountain in the northwest of Chongzhou City, Jiezi Ancient Town has a history of more than one thousand years. It is close to the world natural and cultural heritage – DujiangyanĀ to the northeast, and Qingcheng MountainĀ to the north. Jiezi Ancient Town is rich in groundwater andĀ theĀ clean waterĀ flowsĀ all year round, so it has the reputationĀ of “West Sichuan Water Town”.
Jiezi Ancient Town has a profoundĀ cultural heritage. Here not only gathers the unique farming culture of western Sichuan,Ā and the 4,000-year-old Shuanghe ruins (Shuanghe Ancient City), but also preservesĀ the Buddhist culture represented by the ancient temple Guangyan Buddhist Temple.
Jiezi Ancient Town Facts
- Location: No.1, Huifeng Road, Chongzhou City, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province
- Ticket Price: Free of charge
- Opening Time: Open all year round
What to See and Do in Jiezi Ancient Town
Ziku Pagoda
Ziku PagodaĀ was built in the Daoguang period (1821-1850) of Qing Dynasty,Ā with stone piers and bricks. The 15-meter buildingĀ is divided into five floors, and the top four walls are engraved with murals such as “The Legend of the White Snake.”
The people of Jiezi Ancient Town thought that it was wrongĀ to throw away and pollute the paper with characters, so they built Ziku PagodaĀ to incinerate the discarded paper. In the past, there were two Ziku Pagodas dedicated to burning paper, whileĀ only one well-preserved Ziku PagodaĀ is left for peopleĀ to enjoyĀ nowadays.
Guangyan Buddhist Temple
ThisĀ temple is located in the dense forest of Fengqi Mountain, 1,100 meters above sea level. The ancient temple was built in Sui Dynasty and rebuilt in Tang Dynasty, with a history of over 1000 years. ItĀ is renownedĀ for preserving theĀ preciousĀ sole copy of the Ming Dynasty’s official engraving of the Tripitaka, Hongwu Nanzang.
Participate in Cultural Activities
You can watch the traditional Sichuan opera performance in the theatre of Jiezi Ancient Town and feel the charm of it. OrĀ learn Sichuan tea ceremonyĀ in the teaĀ house and experience the fun of making and tasting tea. In addition,Ā it is worth a try toĀ participate in the production of Shu embroidery, bamboo weaving and other handicrafts, toĀ experience classic Sichuan intangible cultural heritage.
Taste Local Dishes
If you have a sweet tooth, you can taste the Yeāerba, a sticky sweet rice cake wrapped by leaves. As for appetizing Jiezi Tofu, it is fried first and then roasted, making the tofu crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Tangmabing is another famous snack in Jiezi Ancient Town. It is popular among people of all ages because of its crisp, refreshing, sweet and not greasy characteristics. If you like tea, you should not miss the specialty of Chongzhou City, Pipa Tea.
āRelated reading: 10 Most Famous Ancient Towns in China
Attractions nearby Jiezi Ancient Town
Dujiangyan Irrigation System:Ā ThisĀ UNESCO World Heritage Site has controlled the water flow of the Min River for over 2,000 years, benefiting people’s livelihood and agricultural production.
Mount Qingcheng: As one ofĀ the birthplacesĀ of Taoism, thisĀ picturesqueĀ mountain featuredĀ byĀ ancient temples, lush forests, and historical sites.
Fengqi Mountain:Ā It is a great place for hiking and you can immerse yourself in this vast mountain, to admire attractions likeĀ Fengqi Lake, Guangyan Buddhist Temple, etc.
