Sichuan - Width Alley , ChengDu 成都宽窄巷子

6/28/2014 Chengdu, Width Alley (宽窄巷子)

Gate of Width Alley

Aaron:

narrow width

We went to Width Alley (宽窄巷子). Did you know that it is really just 3 parallel alleys, Width Alley (宽巷子) , Narrow Alley (窄巷子) , and Jing Alley (井巷子)? Width Alley was built in 1718, during the Qing Dynasty. Ever since it was built, Width Alley was never remodeled, although there are modern shops in old-fashion Chengdu style.



tree root carving of Buddha

When we entered, we saw some very interesting things like an incomplete statue of a Laughing Buddha on a tree.





A special grandfather clock caught my attention. It had a plastic panda bear instead of the thing that made the tick-tock in a normal grandfather clock. There was also a person smoking from a long pipe that is 6 or 7 feet long. Another place has silversmith that were making silver jewelry. Finally, there was a waterwheel and sugar candy figures. Width Alley is awesome.




water wheel

long pipe smoking




Gordon:

After visiting panda base, we went to Width Alley. Width Alley was narrow. It was built in Qing Dynasty. It used to be old Chengdu houses. Now it’s a market.

making silver bracelets

A man was making silver bracelets. He used fire to soften the silver.  Then  the fire made the silver more bendable.  After he made the shape, he used a tool to smooth the surface.



grandfather panda bear clock

There was a stuffed panda sitting on a swinging rope. The energy comes from a bike wheel. If the bike wheel keeps on spinning, the panda keeps swinging. Width Alley was the coolest place I ever seen.