How much does Heming Teahouse cost and do I need to reserve a seat?

No reservation needed and no entry fee for the park. You simply find an open bamboo chair, and a server brings a covered cup of jasmine tea that is bottomless for the afternoon, typically around 20 to 30 RMB. Bring cash, since this older teahouse is effectively cash-only and does not take foreign cards.

Is the ear-cleaning at People's Park safe to try as a tourist?

It is a genuine Chengdu tradition, not a tourist trap, and the cleaners walk between tables tapping their tools. A session usually runs about 30 RMB. It is harmless if you relax and stay still; if you feel uneasy about the metal tools, a polite wave-off is completely normal and nobody will pressure you.

What is the best time to visit People's Park to get the real teahouse atmosphere?

Come on a weekday between roughly 1 and 3 PM, after the lunch rush. That is when retirees fill the bamboo chairs, mahjong tiles clatter, and the slow-life scene peaks. Weekends are far busier and seats at Heming are hard to find, so a quiet weekday afternoon shows the park at its most authentic.

People's Park, Chengdu: Map & Visitor's Guide (2026)

Free 110-year-old public park with Chengdu's most famous outdoor teahouse — Heming Teahouse on the lake.

At a glance

What it is: Outdoors
Also known as: 人民公园 (Rénmín Gōngyuán)
Opening hours: 6 AM – 10 PM
Time needed: 1.5-2 hours
Best time to visit: Weekday 1-3 PM at Heming Teahouse
Getting there: Metro to the door
English: Little to no English
Cards accepted: Cash only
Entry: Walk-in — no booking
Wi-Fi: No public Wi-Fi
Address: 12 Shaocheng Rd, Qingyang District · 青羊区少城路 12 号

Founded 1911 as Shaocheng Park, this is Chengdu's oldest public park. The real attraction is Heming Teahouse (鹤鸣茶社) — the canonical outdoor teahouse experience. Bamboo chairs, a kettle of jasmine tea (¥20-30 bottomless), the click of mahjong tiles, ear cleaners working the tables, retired locals reading newspapers. This is the postcard image of slow-life Chengdu. Free park entry; tea is per-cup. Best 1-2 PM after the lunch rush. The park also has the Monument to the Martyrs of the Railway Protection Movement (1911 — Sichuan's protest against Qing's nationalization of railways, which sparked the Wuchang Uprising and ended imperial China). Lake paddleboats ¥30/hour. Combine with Kuanzhai Alley (10 min walk west).

Highlights

Heming Teahouse (鹤鸣茶社)The Chengdu teahouse experience — ¥20 bottomless
Ear Cleaning¥30; working ear cleaners walk between tables
Railway Martyrs MonumentThe 1911 protest that ended imperial China

What Chinese travelers actually do here

Distilled from Chinese-language travel notes — the practical tips most English guides miss.

▸Heming Teahouse is open-air; on a drizzly Chengdu day the covered side pavilions fill first, so arrive before 1 PM.
▸Flag a server by lifting your cup lid and setting it on the table edge; that is the local signal for a hot-water refill.
▸The matchmaking corner with laminated profiles pinned to umbrellas is parents seeking spouses for their kids, not a market.
▸Skip the lake paddleboats; the real reason to come is the teahouse, and an hour in a bamboo chair beats the water.
▸Bring small cash notes; the tea and ear-cleaners do not take cards, and there is no reliable foreigner card support here.
▸Walk ten minutes west to Kuanzhai Alley afterward for food, but eat there since the park itself has little proper dining.
▸Early mornings around 7 AM bring tai chi groups and singing clubs near the monument; quieter and good for candid photos.

Photos

What travelers say (3 reviews)

TeaHouseFan·TripAdvisor·5/5

Heming Teahouse at People's Park = quintessential Chengdu. ¥20 tea + free refills + ear-cleaner (¥80).

2026-04-15

人民公园·Xiaohongshu·5/5

人民公园鹤鸣茶社最成都！¥20 一壶茶坐一天，掏耳朵 ¥80 体验地道。

2026-03-20

Anne R.·Google Maps·5/5

Watch locals play mahjong + sip tea by the lake. Best slow-living experience in China.

2026-02-22

Frequently asked questions about People's Park

How much does Heming Teahouse cost and do I need to reserve a seat?: No reservation needed and no entry fee for the park. You simply find an open bamboo chair, and a server brings a covered cup of jasmine tea that is bottomless for the afternoon, typically around 20 to 30 RMB. Bring cash, since this older teahouse is effectively cash-only and does not take foreign cards.
Is the ear-cleaning at People's Park safe to try as a tourist?: It is a genuine Chengdu tradition, not a tourist trap, and the cleaners walk between tables tapping their tools. A session usually runs about 30 RMB. It is harmless if you relax and stay still; if you feel uneasy about the metal tools, a polite wave-off is completely normal and nobody will pressure you.
What is the best time to visit People's Park to get the real teahouse atmosphere?: Come on a weekday between roughly 1 and 3 PM, after the lunch rush. That is when retirees fill the bamboo chairs, mahjong tiles clatter, and the slow-life scene peaks. Weekends are far busier and seats at Heming are hard to find, so a quiet weekday afternoon shows the park at its most authentic.