How much is the ticket for Chikan Ancient Town?
It's free, and it doesn't cost money. There are some famous scenic spots in it, such as the cinema, where many movies were shot.
If time returned to the late Qing Dynasty or the Republic of China, what would you imagine? You may have seen it in film and television works: Chinese arcades with western style, multi-tone external walls, small shops and stalls along the street, and traditional signs in China that have long been forgotten. .......
This kind of scene does not need artificial scenes built by cinemas. In Kaiping, Jiangmen, there is such an ancient town-Chikan Ancient Town. The flavor here must be original and take you into the past.
Knowing Kaiping, you will probably ignore the ancient street of Chikan ancient town because of the famous watchtower. If the watchtower is a wonderful flower in the history of architecture, then Chikan Ancient Street is a dreamy space. Walking on the typical Lingnan ancient street and the endless arcade on Xidi Road, there is a feeling of going back in time.
Chikan ancient town, built in Shunzhi period of Qing Dynasty, has a history of more than 300 years. The streets of the ancient town still maintain the original appearance of China in 1980s. Although it looks shabby, it has a unique flavor.
The traffic here is very convenient. Shuttle buses from Guangzhou and Shenzhen go directly to Chikan Town, Kaiping.
The old streets of Chikan Ancient Town are concentrated on the north bank of Tanjiang River, and the arcades built along the river all have European and Nanyang customs, because Kaiping is also a famous hometown of overseas Chinese. At that time, many people crossed the ocean to make a living abroad, or went to Southeast Asia to work and do business, and brought their money back to China to build houses in their hometown. The buildings of that year naturally had the characteristics of combining Chinese and western styles, some like Nanyang style and some like European style.
The arcade is the biggest feature of Chikan Ancient Street, that is, all buildings have built a corridor on the first floor facing the street, and each corridor is connected to form a corridor street.
Inside the corridor are the facades of various shops. Even if it is windy and rainy, walking in the corridor will not be affected at all, so you can go shopping with confidence.
Above the corridor is the second floor. There are several shops, but most of them are their own homes. Below are shops and above are homes.
The second floor is like riding on the first floor, so the locals have become "arcades". Chikan Ancient Street is almost like this, and this architectural style is still preserved in many southern cities. For example, Xiguan in Guangzhou can also find such arcades, but only a few.
I like these places with traditional Chinese characters best, which completely retain the characteristics of the Republic of China. The shops and houses at that time really had the illusion of going back in time if they were not for these dazzling red cloth banners.
When you come to Chikan, you must try several things, such as tofu horn and clay pot rice, as well as Chikan duck porridge (usually eaten at night), Chikan roast goose, Chikan dog meat and three-button sugar water.
Tofu dumplings
Tofu horn is the tender tofu fried on the flat bottom until it is half tender and half yellow, and served with broken fish. It tastes both tofu and fish.
Clay pot rice
Clay pot rice is the most authentic one in Guangdong. In addition to several centuries-old shops along the Chikan River, there are many food stalls near Chikan Primary School, serving local dishes: eel rice, steamed goose in Chikan and duck porridge.
I ate and walked along the way, and I saw too much delicious food. In Chikan Town, there are snacks such as Ai Jiao Xiang and Niu Lan Xiang, which can't be matched by other snacks. Unfortunately, the stomach can't hold it, so I have to shoot while walking.
The two largest families in Chikan Town are Guan and Situ, and it took them centuries to make Chikan prosperous. Chikan Town is divided into two parts by Tangdi Street. The upper port in the west is controlled by Guan, and the lower port in the east is Stuart's territory.
In the 14th year of the Republic of China (1925), Situ's library was completed by the next river. In less than five years, Guanjia Library has provided convenience for the rise of Shangbu River, which is far from Stuart's library.
Xidi Road, Xidi Road, Zhonghua Road and Niuwei Road in Chikan Town are the best places to shoot arcades. A group of us wandered aimlessly in the street and took pictures when we saw the good scenery.
Although many houses are on the verge of collapse, many are well preserved and well maintained. This ancestral hall seems to have been renovated, but traces of the past can still be seen.
The cinema in the street has long been abandoned. Most of the shops in Chikan Arcade are small businesses, which look like the streets of China in the 1980s.
It is said that the once prosperous market gradually declined after moving out of Chikan Town, Kaiping City, but it was this decline that kept Chikan from developing and maintained its original style.
Although many paid tourist attractions are well maintained, the sanitation on the streets is still not so good. Of course, you can also think that this is the original appearance of the town. If the local government pays more attention to these free places and manages these ancient streets well, it will bring more tourists.