Ci Cheng Ancient County Town is located in the northern suburbs of Ningbo, preserving the layout of the ancient county town and a large number of Ming and Qing dynasty buildings. Strolling through the town, one can easily find simple and elegant courtyards, with the occasional grand mansions. It is a comfortable and quiet ancient city. Don’t miss the affordable and delicious local snacks, among which the Ci Cheng rice cake, featured on CCTV, is quite famous.
Entering the ancient county town from the visitor center on the east side, one will first pass by Feng Yu Residence, where the poem ‘Ode to the Wandering Son’ displayed outside the ancient residence directly conveys that Ci Cheng is a land of filial piety. Feng Yu Residence is also one of the well-preserved and large-scale ancient architectural complexes in Ningbo, housing exhibitions such as the Seating Culture Exhibition, Huishan Clay Figurine Exhibition, and Jingdezhen Blue and White Porcelain Exhibition. The architecture of Feng Yu Residence alone is worth a visit.West of Feng Yu Residence, Jin Jia Jing Alley runs from east to west, featuring Bu Zheng Fang, Fu Zi Men Tou, and Jia Di Shi Jia, all of which are typical Ming and Qing architecture. Turning south onto Zhu Xiang East Road, one can see the Lingxing Gate of the Confucian Temple, which is the only well-preserved Confucian Temple in Eastern Zhejiang. It contains some ancestral halls and inscriptions, allowing visitors to experience the Confucian atmosphere.
Heading north along Jiefang Road, one will reach the end at the ancient Ci Cheng County Office. The ancient county office is quite large and has now been integrated into the Qingfeng Garden Scenic Area, where wax figures have been used to recreate the scenes of the original county office. A memorable feature is the copper coin-shaped gate, which gives a feeling of ‘crawling into the eye of money’ upon entering. Inside, there are statues of corrupt officials from various dynasties and the three execution knives of dragon, tiger, and dog, creating a gloomy and deterrent atmosphere.
West of the county office, the City God Temple is an interesting place in the entire ancient county town. It houses a Ci Cheng Rice Cake Museum, which not only displays the rice cake production process with physical objects and pictures but also offers a taste of the Ci Cheng rice cake featured on CCTV programs. Walking to the north of the ancient county town is Ci Lake, with attractions such as the Water Tomb, Dong Xiaozi Well, and Shigu Pavilion along the lake.
On the return trip, heading south along Taihu Road, one passes by Feng Yue Colored Painting Tai Men, where the Mother’s Art Exhibition offers a chance to visit and experience Chinese knotting, paper-cutting, and other traditional female arts. Leaving the city and following the moat southward, one arrives at the Qing Dao Temple, a slightly distant attraction on a small hill, offering a climb for scenery and a visit for those interested in Taoism. The entire text is open all year round from 08:30 to 16:50. Preferential policy for children: free for those under 6 years old (inclusive) or under 1.2 meters (inclusive) with adult supervision; from 1.2 meters (exclusive) to 1.5 meters (inclusive), half price.
For those who are 5 meters (inclusive) or between 6 years old (exclusive) and 18 years old (inclusive), there are discounted prices for students. Full-time undergraduate and below students can enjoy discounted prices with valid student ID cards.
For the elderly: Those aged 70 years old (inclusive) or above and retired cadres can enter for free with relevant certificates. Those aged 60 years old (inclusive) to 69 years old can enjoy discounted prices with valid certificates. For military personnel: Military personnel, military dependents, disabled military personnel, relatives of martyrs, relatives of military personnel who died on duty and relatives of military personnel who died of illness can enter for free with relevant certificates. For the disabled: They can enter for free with disability certificates. For journalists: They can enter for free with press cards. For tour guides and Ningbo citizens: Tour guides can enter for free with tour guide certificates. Travel agency managers can enter for free with travel agency manager qualification certificates. Drivers leading tour groups can enter for free with relevant certificates. Honorary citizens of Ningbo and experts in Ningbo can enter for free with relevant certificates. Service facilities: Parking lot: [Parking lot of Cicheng Ancient County Town Scenic Area]. Reference price: Free. Address: No. 113, Cicheng-Luotuo Highway, next to Xiaodongmen. Parking spaces: 50.
