Chongqing, a Chinese city, is widely acclaimed for its rich historical and cultural heritage. It is positioned as one of the four municipalities in China and is undoubtedly the most economically powerful city in Western China. The city also excels as a dynamic hub for science, technology, and innovation. Situated on the edge of the Yungui Plateau and encircled by a natural boundary comprising of forest-covered, mountainous surroundings, Chongqing’s landscape is dominated by two prominent waterways - the Jialing River and the upper reaches of the Yangtze, offering a picturesque allure. The city maintains a distinctive connection with the Ba’s culture, the Three Gorges culture, the Three Kingdoms culture, and modern urban civilization, which makes it command ample historical and cultural tourism resources.
Hongya Cave (Hongyadong)
Hongya Cave has a history of over 2,300 years. It was a military fortress from the ancient Ba State (1046 BC - 256 BC) to the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368 - 1911), and was also the site of the earliest and most developed pier of ancient China. The site now houses a large-scale stilt house complex built alongside a steep cliff on the bank of Jialing River. It has become a popular destination for visitors to experience Bayu culture - a Chinese ethnic culture, and taste delicious food. The stunning night view is a highlight and should not be missed.
Hongyadong is an 11-storey, 75 meters (245 feet) stilt house abutting a steep cliff. It is popular with tourists for its similar appearance to a building in Spirited Away, a masterpiece of a famous Japanese cartoonist, Hayao Miyazaki. It is incredible that the 1st floor and the 11th floor are accessible by two different roads. Visitors can take an elevator to each level where various bars, café and restaurants are arranged. People can also see the symbolic Hongya Dripping on the 2nd floor, which is a small waterfall cascading down the cliff-face. It is regarded as one of the 12 Bayu Sites.
Ciqikou (Chongqing Ancient Town)
Ciqikou means "Porcelain Port" in Chinese by its name. In the early Qing Dynasty, due to the abundance and transfer of porcelain, the place was named Ciqikou as an important pier along the Jialing River. There is a poem goes that "Hundreds of ships are rowing ashore in the daytime, thousands of lights are shinning brightly in the evening", showing the prosperity of the town at the time. Also, epitomizing the ancient Chongqing, Ciqikou is reputed as "Little Chongqing".
In Ciqikou, you can not only enjoy the charm of ancient architecture, but also experience the authentic Chongqing food. At the same time, there are a variety of handicraft shops, specialty food stalls and tea houses in the town, which make people linger.
Chongqing Jiefangbei Pedestrian Street
Jiefangbei stands in the most prosperous downtown center of Chongqing. Jiefangbei, or the People's Liberation Monument, formerly known as the Monument of Victory in the War of Resistance (usually called the "Anti-Japanese war"), is a 27.51-meter high building. It is the center of the city, marked as Chongqing's commercial heart. It is surrounded by broad, paved pedestrian square and numerous glassy office skyscrapers and highrise hotels, reminiscent of New York's Times Square or Tokyo's Shibuya District. Jeifangbei Shopping Square, itself completed at the end of 1997, is 400 meters from east to west, and 350 meters from north to south, covering an area of 24,400 m². Around the square are more than 3,000 stores various kinds of shops, with more than two dozen shopping centers, star-graded hotels, offices such as banks, stock markets, trade and finance companies, postal and telecommunication services, and places of entertainment.
Dazu Rock Carvings
Dazu Rock Carvings in Chongqing are famous for their large scale, exquisite carvings, diverse themes, rich connotations and complete preservation. These carvings can date from the 9th to the 13th century. It integrates the essence of Chinese Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism, and has become a bright pearl in Chinese grotto art with its distinctive characteristics of nationality and life. With a large number of physical images and written historical materials, it shows the style of Chinese stone carving art and the development and change of folk religious beliefs from different aspects from the end of the ninth century to the middle of the 13th century, and has made important contributions to the innovation and development of Chinese stone carving art, and has irreplaceable historical, artistic and scientific value of the previous grottoes. Many Europeans, especially the French, dote on Dazu stone carvings.