Tea, Light, and Lacquer — A Visit to Daqi Teahouse, Chengdu

There’s a new place in Chengdu that perfectly captures what I love most about this city — the quiet coexistence of history and modern life.
Tucked away on Shuhua Street, just beside Kuanzhai Alley, the Daqi Teahouse was once part of the Chengdu Lacquerware Factory, a workshop with over seventy years of history. The old brick walls and metal beams remain, but the space has been reborn into something completely new — part museum, part teahouse, and entirely Chengdu.

As you step inside, the atmosphere immediately changes. Sunlight filters through tall industrial windows, reflecting softly on polished lacquerware. Every table, every corner, seems to hold a story. It feels like drinking tea in a living museum — surrounded by colors, textures, and centuries of craftsmanship.

The experience is as much visual as it is sensory. Visitors can admire intangible cultural heritage works of Chengdu lacquer art, see “Life”, the centerpiece of the collection, and enjoy local snacks and gaiwan tea. The three floors of the building offer different moods — warm light downstairs, calm reflections on the upper levels — perfect for photography.

What makes this place special is the contrast: the raw structure of an old factory meets the refinement of traditional lacquer craftsmanship. It’s a dialogue between time periods — the past quietly shaping the present.

If you visit in the afternoon, the light through the old windows is magical — golden, gentle, and ideal for photos.
A few minutes’ walk from Kuanzhai Alley, but a world apart in spirit.

📍Address: No. 72 Shuhua Street, Qingyang District, Chengdu
🚇 Access: 5-minutes walk from Kuanzhai Alley
☀️ Tip: Go in the afternoon for the best light.

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Location : Chengdu, Sichuan province, China

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Camera :

• Nikon Z5

Lens :

• Nikon 14-24mm F/2.8

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You can order prints on my Prints page or by clicking the photos and the purchase link for my Getty Images exclusive photos and then choose “Buy the print”.

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