While Chongqing's skyline surges upward with cyberpunk skyscrapers and dizzying multi-level overpasses, the beating historical heart of the city remains safely grounded on the banks of the Jialing River. Ciqikou Ancient Town (磁器口古镇) is a sprawling, 1,000-year-old sanctuary of stone-paved alleys, flying eaves, and vibrant street life. Once known as a bustling maritime trade port, this historic village earned the nickname "Little Chongqing".
Dating back to the Song Dynasty, the town was originally named Baiyachang. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it grew famous for producing and shipping fine porcelain. Its current name, Ciqikou, literally translates to "Porcelain Harbor".
Walking through its 12 historic stone streets, we could see the traditional eastern Sichuan architecture such as wooden-framed homes, white walls, and intricate courtyard compounds.
There is a Mahjong Museum within the village.
Located fittingly on Xingfu Street (Happiness Street - 幸福街) is a dedicated space within Ciqikou Ancient Town for marriage registration, ceremonies, and taking marriage oaths. It is the Ciqikou Marriage Registration Point (磁器口婚姻登记点).
There were many other small museums around the village.
There were two reasons why we only arrived Ciqikou Ancient Town after 6pm. Firstly, we wanted to avoid the crowd and true enough, by the time we reached, most of the tourists had left. However, more importantly, we wanted to see the lights up in the town at night.
When the sun dipped below the Jialing River, Ciqikou underwent a breathtaking metamorphosis. The bustling, street-snack-fueled marketplace of the afternoon gave way to an atmospheric, cinematic dreamscape.
As twilight sets in, thousands of traditional red lanterns suspended across the narrow alleys ignite simultaneously. The warm, crimson glow reflected off the polished, centuries-old flagstone pathways, casting dramatic shadows against the white-and-black timber buildings.
At one end of the town, there was a stage with performances by some local artistes.
When it started drizzling, we slowly made our way back to the metro station.
We reached Chaotianmen (朝天门) at about 8:45pm, which marked the end of day 2 of our Chongqing trip.
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