Ciqikou Ancient Town

　　   Ciqikou Ancient Town, a millennium-old town and a microcosm of Chongqing, is situated by the Jialing River in Shapingba District, Chongqing. It has a population of 18,000 and covers an area of 1.5 square kilometers.

　　　     Ciqikou Ancient Town is located on the outskirts of downtown Chongqing, administratively under Shapingba District. The ancient town lies near the city’s suburbs, bordered by the Jialing River to the east, Shapingba to the south, Tongjiaqiao to the west, and Shijingpo to the north. It is just 3 kilometers away from the bustling urban core. Established during the Song Dynasty and covering an area of 1.18 square kilometers, this key historical and cultural district of Chongqing has been preserved through a thousand years of change.

　　     It is a protected traditional street.
　　     Ciqikou got its name from its porcelain production. In 1918, local merchants and gentry pooled funds to establish the “Shu Porcelain Factory” on Qingcaopo, utilizing new techniques for ceramic manufacturing. The porcelain was of high quality, came in a wide variety, and gradually gained fame, with products being sold across the province and beyond. Over time, the name “Ciqikou” replaced “Longyin Town.” To date, over 20 ancient kiln sites have been discovered. Commercial activities were concentrated at the main dock and the nearby Jinrong Main Street. Today, Ciqikou Ancient Town retains relatively well-preserved ancient architecture and features traditional performances such as oil pressing, silk reeling, sugar making, dough figurine sculpting, and Sichuan opera, as well as a variety of traditional snacks and teahouses. The annual Ciqikou Temple Fair, held every Spring Festival, is the most distinctive traditional event in the town, attracting tens of thousands of residents. It is the closest ancient town attraction to downtown Chongqing.

　　     - It is a rare, classic traditional cultural and historical district, a scenic destination blessed with rich culture and beautiful landscapes, featuring the unique “one river, two streams, three mountains, and four streets” topography. It is also a convenient place for leisure and entertainment, offering visitors a chance to relive the old days of Chongqing.
　　     Ciqikou was first built during the Xianping era of Emperor Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty (998 AD). It was also known as Longyin Town because Emperor Jianwen of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yunwen, is said to have hidden and practiced Buddhism in Baolun Temple within the town. In the early Qing Dynasty, due to its thriving production and transport of porcelain, it became known as Ciqikou. As an important water-land port along the Jialing River, it once bustled with activity—“by day, a thousand people bow in greeting; by night, ten thousand lamps shine bright”—enjoying great prosperity and earning the reputation of “Little Chongqing.”
　　     Ciqikou boasts profound historical and cultural heritage and is an extremely important part of Chongqing’s status as a historical and cultural city. Bayu culture, religious culture, Shaci culture, Hongyan culture, and folk culture all thrive here: there is the rustic and bold legacy of Bayu, traditional teahouses preserving old-world charm, and a long-standing dock culture; the Nine Palaces and Eighteen Temples where Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism coexist; the solemn historical sites of Hongyan martyrs from the War of Resistance; distinctive Sichuan opera performances and fire dragon dances; uniquely crafted and diverse traditional tourist products; and famous local delicacies like spicy blood curd hot pot, thousand-layer bean curd, and salt-and-pepper peanuts—the “Three Treasures of Ciqikou Cuisine” for you to taste and shop. “A stone-paved road, a thousand years of Ciqikou”—its vivid ethnic and regional characteristics demonstrate strong vitality and immense appeal, drawing over 3 million domestic and international visitors each year.

　　     Origin of the Name

　　　　        Ciqikou was originally called Baiya Market, established during the Xianping era of Emperor Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty (998–1003 AD). It became a bustling commercial port in the Ming Dynasty, with “by day, a thousand people bow in greeting; by night, ten thousand lamps shine bright” illustrating its prosperity. In the early Qing Dynasty, it was named Ciqikou due to its production of blue-and-white porcelain. Its ancient name was Longyin Town.