Jinli Ancient Street

Jinli Ancient Street is Chengdu’s most famous historical commercial lane — a reconstructed Han and Tang Dynasty-style streetscape adjacent to the renowned Wuhou Shrine in Wuhou District. Named after the prosperous silk trading street that once ran through this district over 1,800 years ago, Jinli was restored and reopened in 2004 as a pedestrianized showcase of Sichuanese folk culture, traditional architecture, and regional gastronomy.

The street stretches roughly 550 meters and is packed with wooden-fronted shops selling everything from Sichuan embroidery and lacquerware to bamboo handicrafts and Three Kingdoms-themed souvenirs. The food stalls are the main event for most visitors: skewered rabbit kidneys glazed with chili oil, glutinous rice cakes dusted with sesame, spicy Sichuan sausages, and cool bowls of ice jelly (bingfen) are among the most popular offerings. In the evenings, lanterns illuminate the eaves of the shopfronts, creating a warm, festive atmosphere that draws enormous crowds of both tourists and locals. Street performers demonstrate the jaw-dropping art of Sichuan face-changing (bianlian), switching painted masks with invisible speed. Entry to Jinli is free, though resisting the temptation to spend at every turn requires more willpower than most visitors can muster.