Baolun Temple at Ciqikou Ancient Town is a must-visit.

Was not expecting much of Ciqikou: thought it to be highly commercialised and should just be a quick stop. I was completely wrong in my misjudgement. It IS highly commercialised, HOWEVER, I wandered into this temple after seeing it on a street direction post and spent some time in there. WOW! Firstly, the ascending stairway to the main level itself was already making me 'trigger-happy'. I took my time soaking in the nooks and crannies; the terracotta and fall colours around me; and observing local young ladies posing for the cam. Make sure you spend time scrutinising the stone carvings that make the enclosure of one of the halls: interesting depictions of filial piety (chinese characters/proverbs carved at the side explained each banner. I googled one of them and learned about the story behind it. The place is small but it's a great place for photography. It wasnt crowded when I was there in December. #baoluntemple #宝轮寺 #ciqikou #磁器口