1Chenlu Ancient Town, located in the mountainous area of Tongchuan City, Northwest China’s Shaanxi province, is famous for its kilns and ceramics. And it is one of the key attarctions in Tongchuan City. Chenlu formed its distinctive rural features during the long history of ceramic making. Pots make its village walls, and ceramic pieces make the roads. More than 120 kilns in Chenlu ancient town were named the national key cultural relics protection units in 2006.

What to see in Chenlu Town?

What jumped into views were layers of hilly landforms when arrived at Chenlu ancient town. Local people still live in the cave dwellings and support their family by pottery making. The fire never dies out for almost 1000 years, which enjoys the laudatory title of "Sleepless Lushan" and "Ancient Tongguan views" as one of the eight scenes of ancient Tongguan.

Yaozhou Kiln: On its loessial land of dozens of miles around, big and small kilns dot everywhere. As the biggest ceramic kiln in Shaanxi province, the Yaozhou Kiln in Chenlu has its fires blazing for more than 1,400 years. The ancient ceramic handicrafts are handed down to the generations today.

Porcelain Workshop: It was this workshop that these students watched the process of making porcelain and drawing patterns. if you come here, you will be fascinated deeply by the vigorous patterns and modest workshop.

Cave dwellings are the local old houses . The courtyard in the upper side serves as the roof in the lower side. Connected with each other, these cave dwellings look like hives. People in Chenlu still live in caves as their ancestors did. The yard of a person’s cave house is often the cave roof of another. 

On the top of a mountain in Yintai District, Chenlu has been the most important porcelain production base of northwest China since the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). Actually its porcelain kilns can be traced back to more than 1,400 years ago before the Tang Dynasty. The special architecture styles and local customs add more interest to the town.The roads in the town paved with ceramic shards and failed pottery works have withstood the vicissitudes of the ancient town, and are witnessing the diligence of Chenlu people today.

Travel Tips

Entrance Fee: CNY20
Opening hours: 08:00-21:00
How to get there: It's abou half an hour by bus from downtown Tongchuan to Chenlu Old Town.
Add: in southeast of Yintai District, Tongchuan City,Shaanxi Province

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