Chongqing — A popular Chengdu teahouse has opened its first Chongqing location at Chaotianmen·Chengli, bringing Sichuan Opera, traditional tea culture and local elements to one of the city’s busiest tourist areas.

Daqi Teahouse opened on May 1 in the commercial area at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers. The 2,000-square-meter venue has 200 tea tables and about 800 seats. Since opening, it has attracted more than 2,000 visits a day on average, with its highest daily revenue exceeding 60,000 yuan, according to the teahouse.

The venue combines tea, traditional performances and cultural experiences, offering visitors a place to stay rather than simply take photos and move on.

Visitors flock to Daqi Teahouse, a popular spot for photos and sightseeing. (Photo/Wang Huan)

Daqi Teahouse opened its first location in Qingyang district of Chengdu on Oct. 1, 2025. The brand's move to Chongqing followed an invitation from the Chaotianmen·Chengli project, according to Xue Xiao, an official with the Chongqing Yuzhong District Commission of Commerce.

"The teahouse format fits the project's positioning of presenting old Chongqing in a new way," Xue said.

The Chongqing location retains features associated with Chengdu teahouses, including gaiwan (lidded-bowl) tea, bamboo reclining chairs and long-spout teapots. Its design also incorporates Chongqing elements, including the Dazu Rock Carvings, Liangping Bamboo Curtains and imagery of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers.

"We hope to continue and further develop Sichuan-style teahouse culture in Chongqing," said Ren Xia, manager of the teahouse. "We are not here simply to open another store. We want to create a gathering place for the city."

A Sichuan Opera face-changing performance begins at 3:30 p.m., with four performances staged each day. Other programs include Long-Spout Teapot Tea Art and water sleeve dance in traditional Chinese opera.

The performances are included in the cost of admission. Before 10 a.m., customers can pay 5 yuan per person for a half-day stay, while prices start at 28 yuan after 10 a.m., according to the teahouse.

"Chaotianmen has no shortage of visitors. What it lacks is a place where they can sit down and watch a performance," Ren said.

The venue also serves Chongqing noodles, locally known as xiaomiahn, as well as braised dishes and snacks. Tea accounts for about 70 percent of consumption, with noodles and braised dishes making up another 20 percent, according to Ren.

The space has also hosted corporate and promotional events, including a banquet for a Moutai distributor and a brand launch.

“We hope to work with more brands so that this can become not only a teahouse, but also a venue for performances and exhibitions,” Ren said.

Chaotianmen is a major tourist landmark in Chongqing, but the area's heavy visitor traffic has also created a challenge: many tourists take photos and leave without spending much time there.

The Chaotianmen·Chengli project is seeking to change that by combining local culture with new retail concepts, cultural experiences and entertainment.

Daqi Teahouse is one example of how a new brand can be adapted to a historic urban setting. Its combination of tea, performances and local cultural elements gives visitors another reason to spend time in Chaotianmen.

In June, Yuzhong district issued policies supporting the development of the core area of Chongqing as an international consumption center, including measures encouraging first stores, product launches, debut performances and first exhibitions.

Yuzhong has attracted 682 first stores and first brands, accounting for about one-third of Chongqing’s total, according to the district. It has also attracted nearly 100 first-store coffee brands and more than 700 coffee and tea beverage outlets.

By combining established cultural traditions with new commercial formats, projects such as Chaotianmen·Chengli are seeking to turn high visitor traffic into longer stays and broader consumption.