Jiezi Ancient Town is located at the foot of Fengqi Mountain in Chongzhou City, about 82 kilometers away from Chengdu. The ancient town has a history of over a thousand years. It features beautiful mountains and waters, as well as antique streets, residential houses and the ancient Guangyan Temple of the Jin Dynasty. It preserves the rich charm of a southwestern town in the Qing Dynasty.
There are currently six streets centered around Jiangcheng Street in the ancient town. Most of the ancient buildings on both sides of the streets date back to the mid and late Qing Dynasty. The residential houses are arranged in a single-eave, blue-tiled style, with a store in the front and a courtyard in the back. The architecture is simple and delicate.
There are various shops on both sides of the street, selling special local snacks like Tangmabing. You might as well buy one and enjoy it while walking.
At the end of the street (the lower entrance of the town) stands a Ziku Pagoda built with stone strips, stone piers and blue bricks. The Ziku is a special facility for collecting and burning papers with characters. The Ziku in Jiezi was built during the Xianfeng period of the Qing Dynasty. The outer wall is engraved with fragments of operas such as “The Legend of the White Snake” and landscapes and flowers. It is an exquisite Ziku unique to the western Sichuan region.
The Fengqi Mountain beside the town is covered with dense forests that block out the sun. There are 32 ancient monuments such as temples centered around the Guangyan Temple hidden in the mountains. The Guangyan Temple was first built in the Jin Dynasty. Inside the temple, there is the “Hongwu Southern Canon” presented by the Ming court. It is the only existing printed copy among Buddhist classics.
In addition, the Huayang Guozhi Museum at the end of Jiangcheng Street, the Tang Gongci at the Yulong Bridgehead, and the “Ruilong Bridge” built on the Wei River. If you have enough time, you can visit them all.
Opening hours: Open 24 hours a day throughout the year.
Must-see tips: 1. If you feel tired from walking around the town, you can take the rickshaw for sightseeing operated in the ancient town. Each rickshaw can accommodate 2 – 4 people.
