The Living Fossil of Sichuan Tea Culture: Pengzhen Old Teahouse and the Time Tunnel of Guanyin Pavilion

A Time Capsule by the Yangliu River

1.Located in: Pengzhen, Shuangliu District, about 30 kilometers from downtown Chengdu, Pengzhen Old Teahouse (also known as Guanyin Pavilion Old Teahouse) is widely regarded as the "Living Fossil of Sichuan Tea Culture." Tucked away by the Yangliu River, this century-old establishment feels like a portal to the past, completely detached from the hustle of modern Chengdu. The teahouse occupies a traditional bright and airy tiled building that dates back to the Qing Dynasty. Originally a Guanyin Pavilion (dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy), it miraculously survived a devastating fire about 150 years ago that destroyed much of the town. Locals believed Guanyin protected it, and during the Republic of China era, it was converted into a teahouse, preserving its name and spiritual aura. Today, it stands as the only tea house in Sichuan that fully retains the cultural symbols of the region's ancient tea-drinking traditions, surviving even the cultural shifts of the 1960s, with slogans from the Cultural Revolution still faintly visible on its walls,.

The Theater of Light and Smoke

2.The interior of Pengzhen Old: Teahouse is a photographer's dream and a cinematographer's perfect set. The floor is not paved but made of "Thousand-Foot Mud" (Qianjiao Ni)—a unique, uneven surface formed by the tread of countless customers over a century, creating a texture that speaks of time itself. The roof, loosened by the Wenchuan Earthquake in 2008, features gaps that act as natural skylights. On sunny mornings, beams of light (the Tyndall effect) pierce through the smoke of boiling water and tobacco pipes, illuminating the faces of elderly patrons in a dramatic, almost cinematic fashion. The centerpiece of the teahouse is the Tiger Stove (Lao Hu Zao), a traditional coal-fired stove that boils water in large copper or aluminum kettles. It is reportedly the only fully functional Tiger Stove remaining in a Sichuan teahouse today. The steam rising from the stove, the clinking of porcelain teacups, and the hum of conversation create a mesmerizing atmosphere that has attracted photographers and filmmakers from around the world,,.

The Authentic "Old Chengdu" Lifestyle

3.While many teahouses in: Chengdu have modernized, Pengzhen remains stubbornly authentic. It is the social hub for the local elderly, who arrive as early as 4:00 AM when the stove is lit. For a nominal fee (often just 1 RMB for locals), they spend their entire day here sitting on low bamboo chairs, sipping jasmine tea from "Sanjiantou" (the traditional three-piece tea set: lid, bowl, and saucer), smoking long-stemmed pipes, playing cards, and engaging in "Longmenzhen" (gossiping and chatting). The service is famously warm, with the owner, Mr. Li Qiang, skillfully pouring boiling water from a distance with a practiced flair. The teahouse represents the epitome of the "Slow Life" in Chengdu, a place where social hierarchy dissolves over a cup of tea, and the simple joys of life are celebrated daily. It is not just a place to drink tea; it is a living museum of the community's collective memory and a sanctuary for the "Bashu" spirit of leisure and resilience,.