Jinli Ancient Street, located in Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, is one of the most famous and attractive ancient streets in the country. With a history of more than 1,800 years, Jinli was once a bustling trading place during the Three Kingdoms period and has now become a destination that attracts millions of tourists every year.
A few words about Jinli Ancient Town, China
Jinli Ancient Street, located in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China, is one of the most famous ancient streets with a history of more than 1,800 years. It was once a bustling trading center, specializing in silk and grain trading, contributing to the prosperity of Sichuan. Jinli Street was built in traditional Chinese architecture with old houses and shops along both sides of the street, imbued with the culture of feudal China.
Jinli Ancient Town, China. Photo: @julienintheworld
Jinli Ancient Town attracts tourists not only by its beautiful scenery but also by its unique cultural atmosphere. Tourists coming here can experience ancient folk games, enjoy water puppetry and traditional music performances. Especially at night, the ancient town becomes sparkling with bright red lanterns, creating a romantic and magical scene, reminiscent of an ancient historical period.
In addition, the cuisine in Jinli Ancient Town is also a highlight not to be missed. Visitors can enjoy Sichuan specialties such as Mapo tofu, spicy hotpot and unique street food. With a harmonious combination of culture, history and cuisine, Jinli Ancient Town has become an ideal destination for those who want to explore the traditional beauty of China.
The ancient town is located in Sichuan, China. Photo: @yuliang1127What is the best time to visit Jinli Ancient Town?
The best time to visit Jinli Ancient Town is in autumn (September to November) and spring (March to May). This is the time when the weather in Chengdu is pleasant and cool with temperatures ranging from 15°C to 25°C, ideal for sightseeing and exploration.
Spring: Trees sprout and flowers bloom, creating a fresh and vibrant scene. Spring is also the time for many cultural festivals in China, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the vibrant festival atmosphere.
Autumn: The weather is mild, not too hot or too cold, very suitable for walking on the ancient streets. In this season, the warm yellow light and clear blue sky further highlight the ancient beauty of Jinli Street.
In addition, if you want to enjoy a more vibrant atmosphere, visitors can come to Jinli Ancient Town during the Lunar New Year or Lantern Festival. This is the time when the ancient town is splendidly decorated with thousands of red lanterns, and there are more art performances and folk games.
However, it is advisable to avoid the summer months (June to August) as the weather in Chengdu is quite hot and humid, not ideal for outdoor sightseeing.
Summer in Chengdu is quite hot, affecting sightseeing. Photo: @simbyeolz
Transportation to Jinli Ancient Town
To get to Jinli Ancient Town , visitors have many options for transportation, depending on their starting location and preferred means of transportation.
Plane: If you are coming from distant cities such as Beijing, Shanghai or from overseas, you can fly to Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport. From the airport, you can take a taxi or public bus to Jinli Ancient Town, which is about 20 km away and takes about 30-40 minutes to travel.
Train: Chengdu has a well-developed railway system, so you can take a high-speed train or a regular train to Chengdu Railway Station. From the railway station, you can take the metro, taxi or bus to Jinli Ancient Town. Metro Line 3 has a station near the ancient town, which is very convenient for tourists.
Bus and Metro: If you are already in Chengdu, traveling by public bus or metro is a popular and economical option. Bus lines 1, 82 and 334 have stops near Jinli Ancient Street. Metro lines 3 and 1 both have stations near this area, you can get off at Wuhouci Station and walk about 10 minutes to reach the ancient street.
Getting around Chengdu city is quite convenient and Jinli Ancient Town is centrally located so it is easily accessible by many means of transport.
Photo: @takkatantHighlights of Jinli Ancient Street (Jinli Pedestrian Street)
When you step into this street, every step is a highlight regardless of day or night. Jinli Ancient Street is one of the oldest shopping streets. Strolling down the narrow street, you will find yourself surrounded by a world of shops selling Shu embroidery, lacquerware, folk crafts, souvenirs, calligraphy and paintings. On the street, you can witness the real local life of Chengdu and its authentic culture.
Sichuan Opera Performance
In the middle of the street, there is a wooden stage that looks like an ancient stall, which is sometimes used to perform classic Sichuan Opera. Sichuan Opera is one of the most famous plays in Chinese opera. With a long history, it still retains many traditional features. The most famous trick of Sichuan Opera is "Bending Face", which is used to express the emotional changes of the characters. "Bending Face" is perhaps the essence of Sichuan Opera, and when an actor performs "Bending Face", he will tear, rub or blow off the mask on his face to reveal another mask. Besides the stage, visitors can watch Sichuan Opera at some restaurants or teahouses in Jinli Old Street, and as long as you eat or order a cup of tea at these places, you can watch a Sichuan Opera performance for free.
Sichuan Opera performance. Photo: @asiaculturaltravel.co.uk
Snacks & Local Specialties
Jinli Street is the number one place to enjoy local food. Here, you can find dozens of food stalls selling dishes from morning to night such as rabbit heads, Zhong Shuijiao dumplings, Chuan Chuan, Tianshui noodles, Dandan noodles, Lai sweet dumplings, Long Chaoshou wontons, Zhangfei beef and many other snacks and meals. Eating in public is not a problem because you will see that this is how the locals do it. Although you can find restaurants on Jinli Street if you want to sit down to eat, many of the restaurants are often crowded.
In addition to local snacks, visitors can also find many rare Sichuan specialties in downtown Chengdu. If you want to buy some gifts for your foodie friends, this is a great place to go.
At Jinli you can enjoy many delicious dishes. Photo: @kumadiaryFolk art
At the street stalls, visitors can see many folk art performances on the street. Jinli Ancient Street is a great place to experience local folk art culture. Sugar paintings, clay statues, paper-cut paintings, and shadow puppet shows, etc. are all on the street. You can buy these products and they will be perfect gifts for your friends or family.
Folk art in Jinli. Photo: @localchengdutours
Traditional house
Jinli means brocade alleys, which is derived from Chengdu’s other name, Jin Chengdu – the city of brocade. Jinli was built in a recent original style. All the houses are old-fashioned but not old. Jinli used to be a market in ancient times for people to exchange goods. The nearby Wuhou Temple is a memorial to Zhuge Liang, considered one of the most intelligent men in Chinese history. Zhuge was the prime minister of the Shu Kingdom, one of the three kingdoms of China during the late Eastern Han Dynasty. Wuhou Temple requires an entrance fee and is separate from Jinli Street.
Photo: @_nanyuni
Folk music
Since Jinli Ancient Street is themed on traditional customs and trends, it is famous for its classical and folk music, plays and performances. There is a large wooden stage, which looks like an old pavilion, in the middle of Jinli Pedestrian Street. On this stage, classical Sichuan operas are performed, and you can enjoy Chinese folk music along with the perfect performance of the actors. They can amaze you with their performances and how quickly and beautifully they change their costumes and makeup.
Traditional musical instruments. Photo: @chinatourguideWith the perfect combination of traditional culture and modern life, Jinli Ancient Town offers visitors an insight into Chinese culture and history . Coming to Jinli, you can not only admire the ancient architecture but also have the opportunity to enjoy delicious food, learn about traditional crafts and experience an artistic space. Jinli Ancient Town will definitely leave an unforgettable impression on visitors.
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