Cicheng Ancient Town

Cicheng, a millennium town in the East China Sea, dates back to 473 BC. This national 4A tourist attraction is a provincial conservation district of historic sites and the only provincial conservation district in the ancient architectural complex in Ningbo. The blocks’ style in the provincial famous historical and cultural town originated during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907).

The ancient town's architectural heritage won the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation. The BBC has praised town as one of 18 "heritage heroes" because of the way it has preserved its traditional handicrafts.

Cicheng, literally "Town of the Dutiful Son" in Chinese, derives its name from a moving story. 

In the Han Dynasty (206 BC- 220 AD), on the north bank of Cihu Lake lived a man named Dong An, a descendent of the famous Chinese thinker Dong Zhongshu. When Dong An was young, he lived poor life with his mother after the death of his father. His mother fell incurably ill and on her death bed expressed her last wish to drink the water from hometown one last time. As an obedient son, Dong trekked every day dozens of miles to a stream in his mother’s hometown to fetch water for his mother to drink. After many days, his mother miraculously recovered. The local governor named the county Cixi (literally, Stream of Filial Love) and the town, Cicheng, to praise the dutiful son.

The town is 10 kilometers northwest of downtown Ningbo. Originally planned and built during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), Cicheng’s style took after the once capital city of Chang'an. 33 buildings in the town have been protected at national or district level status. 

Cicheng is now home to 14 handicraft museums, 28 designer studios, three master handcraft workshops, nine DIY workshops and two gourmet experience centers.