Ciqikou Ancient Town - The History of Chongqing in China

Ciqikou in Chongqing City is an ancient historical and cultural street area has an ambiguous future! Because the extension project of Ciqikou is in progress, no one knows what it will be like after 5 years. Although the official says the Ciqikou ancient town rose up in Song Dynasty, but I recognize it is not important at all to the present Ciqikou, as it has no relics of Song Dynasty, what it keeps is the small city of inner suburbs of Chongqing in the period of Anti-Japanese war.

 Located at the bank of Jialingjiang River, Ciqikou Ancient Town covers an area of 1.2 square kilometers, only 3 kilometers away from the main city of Chongqing. It is said the Ciqikou was called Baiyanchang originally, firstly built in the time of Emperor Xianping in Song Dynasty, even local people realize the Ciqikou was built earlier than Chongqing. In Ming Dynasty, owing to the convenience of shipping in Jialingjiang River, here became a bustling commercial wharf, always busy in day and night. Even a legend popular among local people, there is a imperial coup happened in the early year of Ming Dynasty, the Minghui Emperor - Zhu Yunwen absconded from capital to hide in the Baolun Temple as a monk in Ciqikou, so the Baiyanchang is also famous as Longyin Town, means the dragon hiding here. In early year of Qing Dynasty, because local produced and transported porcelain, it is renamed Ciqikou, became one of the important parts of Chongqing city which is a historical and cultural city.

So far, Ciqikou Ancient Town still keeps the pattern as a small town built depend on the hillside in the end of Qing Dynasty and the flagging, and many old houses also built in the same period; the simple but old flagging is harmony with the bamboo residences; the stores along street are mostly tradition pattern, and back keeps the residences of businessmen and wealthy, usually the Sihe courtyard, with delicate and luxury decoration. 

The advantage of Ciqikou is that it is not completely commercialized, still many local people living there, and keeps the habits and customs of mountain city. What the pity is the usual visitors of Yangtze Cruise tour come here just visit the most flourishing three streets, Center Street, Bystreet and the Food Street which only the corner of Ciqikou, full of specialty shops opened for tourists, although bustling, less traditional life atmosphere. If you are able to climb to the old steps, wandering in the small lanes in the interior of Ciqikou, it is easily find a completely different Ciqikou.

It is said that the present developed area of Ciqikou is limited is not enough to contain the increasing tourists, and the extend area will be built with the pseudo-classic architecture. I do not know the Ciqqikou ancient town in 5 years later is the Ciqikou or the other Shanghai New World. However, if you really like to enjoy the amorous feelings of ancient Chongqing, just hurry up!