Kuanzhai Alley, located near Changshun Street in Qingyang District, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, is composed of three parallel lanes: Kuan Alley (Wide Alley), Zhai Alley (Narrow Alley), and Jing Alley (Well Alley). Featuring rows of ancient-style Siheyuan (quadrangle) courtyards with grey brick and tile exteriors, it represents one of the larger and better-preserved remnants of Qing Dynasty streets in Chengdu. It holds a national 2A-level tourist attraction designation and is celebrated alongside the Daci Temple and Wenshu Monastery as one of Chengdu’s three major historical and cultural conservation blocks.
The area’s origins trace back to the 57th year of the Kangxi Emperor’s reign (1718 AD). Following the suppression of the Dzungar rebellion, the military governor Nian Gengyao constructed the “Manchu City” (Man Cheng) on the foundations of the earlier Shaocheng, specifically to garrison Manchu and Mongolian Eight Banners soldiers.
In the 1980s, Kuanzhai Alley was officially included in the “Chengdu Historical and Cultural City Protection Plan.” The Kuanzhai Alley district, as it is popularly known today, truly entered the world’s lexicon in 2003. It has garnered numerous accolades, including “China’s Characteristic Commercial Pedestrian Street” (2009), Sichuan Provincial Famous Historical and Cultural Street, one of “Chengdu’s New Top Ten Scenic Spots” (2011), and one of “Sichuan’s Top Ten Most Beautiful Streets.”
The old teahouse in Kuan Alley serves as a cherished resting spot for Chengdu locals. Patrons sip tea and play chess, their distinct Sichuanese accents blending with the aroma of tea to create a unique tapestry of urban memory. Here, visitors can watch artisans craft sugar figurines and paintings, mold clay dolls, or manipulate glass baubles. Simultaneously, one can savor authentic Sichuan delicacies, immersing themselves in the laid-back, “Yi” (安逸 – comfort/leisure) lifestyle of old Chengdu.
Chengdu people are known for their love of leisure, enjoying card games like Mahjong and Dou Dizhu (a popular Chinese card game), and engaging in lively conversation. Kuanzhai Alley perfectly embodies this leisurely, down-to-earth urban life. From the Manchu bannermen of the Qing Dynasty era carrying birdcages and tending flowers, to the Republican-era elites hosting lavish banquets amidst clinking glasses, to today’s literati and tourists savoring life with a cup of tea in a bamboo chair, Kuanzhai Alley stands as the quintessential portrait of Chengdu living.
Kuanzhai Alley: “Kuan” (Wide) broadens the mind, “Zhai” (Narrow) narrows the years. Wandering through its lanes, one experiences the witty paradox: “Kuan Alley isn’t wide, Zhai Alley isn’t narrow.” The brick walls glow softly in the morning light. Here, every step treads upon the traces of history.
Bring a joyful heart and meander through the alleys, stepping into the role of an “Old Chengdu Life Experience Officer.” Every corner offers a picturesque scene. Passersby from various places, speaking different dialects, capture their travel moments with cameras throughout the alley. Perhaps, in someone else’s lens, you become part of the scenery…
