10 Lesser-Known Ancient Streets in Chongqing that Most People in Chongqing Don't Know (Part 1)

This ancient street in Chongqing, like a fascinating black and white photograph, retains the pure old Chongqing appearance. The rich market life, quaint old houses, the roads that cannot be reached by wearing high heels, and the missing persons encountered in office buildings are all the most precious textbooks of our Ba-Yu culture. Anyone, at any time, can feel unparalleled comfort and tranquility on these streets and corners with the memories of several generations, and at the same time, regain the nostalgia for old Chongqing.

Baiyangbei

An old street that can only be reached by ferry. Baiyangbei, located at the mouth of Wentang Gorge on the Jialing River, faces the ancient town of Chengjiang in Beibei across the river. The only way to travel back and forth here is by ferry. In the mid-1960s, the families of workers from the Jialing Coal Mine moved from Er Yan to Baiyangbei, establishing schools, supply and marketing cooperatives, and grain stores. Life was as smooth as flowing clouds, happy and bustling. In the mid to late 1990s, the nearby coal resources were exhausted, and the backward ferry transportation caused the population to outflow year by year. Baiyangbei gradually lost its former hustle and bustle. This population density means decline for Baiyangbei, but tranquility for us. As time passes, neither people nor things can escape the baptism of time. Put your heart in a place where the sun shines and keep moving forward, and it may still be wonderful.

Cuntan Street

An old street that is about to disappear. Although Cuntan Old Street is a tiny place, the road is very special, paved with slabs of bluestone of various sizes, deeply and shallowly engraved with the memories of building dreams with mud.

Tongguanyi

An old street for a day trip by green train. At Caiyuanba Railway Station, take train 5612 to Tongguanyi Station, then transfer to bus 435 to Shawan Station or walk to Tongguanyi Old Street.

Tielu Sicu

Tielu Sicu is located along the railway line near Chongqing South Railway Station. It is an old street relatively close to the main city.

Longxing Town

The numerous temples are a major feature of Longxing Old Street. Perhaps because of this, one of the streets is specifically named 'Temple Street'. The most notable is, of course, the Huaxia Ancestral Hall. An additional ticket fee is required to enter for ancestral worship. Some ancestral halls have gradually faded from history and have become mahjong parlors for local residents to pass the time, with the occasional sound of mahjong tiles and scattered conversations, creating a pleasant atmosphere.