Between heaven and earth, there is always love and righteousness. Standing on those towering buildings in the clouds, overlooking this unique Yuzhong Peninsula, seeing all of this, one can experience the richness and magnificence of the world.

In the clouds, the combination of Chongqing's mountains, waters, and architecture creates countless intriguing details. There are both cutting-edge and avant-garde, and old and quiet beauty. Increasing by one percent is too much, and decreasing by one percent is too little. The winding mountains and rivers and the strength of Yuzhong are just right.

All of this is predetermined. Walking in Yuzhong, it's hard to be disappointed - there are many exciting check-in spots scattered throughout the Yuzhong Peninsula.

What's even more beautiful is that they are all connected to the cloud like high-rise buildings described in our previous article, like a necklace of gemstones. In addition to the brightest ones, there are also various gemstones set in between, shining brightly.

And what connects these gems is the dense streets and alleys of Yuzhong. Just walking among them is enough to make you feel the inclusiveness here - calm and positive, noisy and quiet, heavy but not cold.

Photography by Hu Haiyang

This is the inherent temperament of Yuzhong, which is better highlighted by the gem like check-in spots or attractions.

In the name of walking in the clouds, stepping into the rich history and wonders of this city for three thousand years is the correct way to embark on this journey.

This is also the most beautiful urban intention in Yuzhong.

Cloud Eye Surrounding Area

The beauty of three-dimensional terrain

01. Eighteen Stairs

The ladder of life and the road of time that mountain city people must pass through

Divided by nine open and eight closed city gates and walls, the mother city of Chongqing was dotted at the head of the Yuzhong Peninsula during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Its area was not large, but due to the presence of the Huaying Mountains, the city was divided into upper and lower halves with a drop of several tens of meters. The lower part of the city is around Nanjimen and Jinzimen, and the upper part is the area of Jiaochangkou and Monument to the people's Liberation.

The upper end of the eighteen staircases is connected to the entrance of the upper half of the city, and the lower end is naturally connected to the Chu Qi Gate of the lower half of the city.

Before the repair of Zhongxing Road and Kaixuan Road, the Eighteen Ladders were the core road connecting the upper and lower parts of the city at that time.

The mountainous urban form and spatial characteristics of "Born Chongqing" displayed by the 18 staircases, the road structure of "horizontal streets and vertical alleys", and the street and alley space of "uphill and downhill, winding and twisting" jointly constitute the traditional mountain city living space.

The previous 18 ladder pictures were sourced from the internet

It is said that during the Ming and Qing dynasties, there was an old well here, which was exactly eighteen steps away from the residents' residences, so it gradually became known as the "Eighteen Stairs". Many years ago, the media interviewed a centenarian living in the old block of Houci Street. According to her recollection, she once heard from her elders that there was indeed an old well located near No. 160 of the original Eighteen Stairs. People gathered here to fetch water for drinking, carry water for laundry, and it was extremely lively.

Another theory suggests that during the Ming and Qing dynasties, people built stone stairs and small paths here to facilitate traffic in the upper and lower parts of Yuzhong District. Due to the steep slopes at both ends, the stairs were divided into eighteen sections, each with a platform for pedestrians to rest, hence the name "Eighteen Stairs".

One name comes from water, and the other name comes from mountains. This is the Eighteen Stairs of Chongqing, the city of mountains and waters.

Photography by Zhang Kunkun

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Chongqing was the gateway to Sichuan, with convenient land and waterway transportation. Many merchants and traders also stopped here for transit, so the area from the lower half of the city to Chaotianmen was the busiest place in Chongqing at that time.

After the start of the War of Resistance Against Japan, Chongqing became the wartime capital of China, and the Japanese artillery also aimed at Chongqing. Japanese planes frequently bombed Chongqing from February 1938 to August 1943, which is known as the Chongqing Blitz in history.

Photography by Fan Xiaodong

The 18 step air raid shelter at Jiaochangkou was the largest air raid shelter in Chongqing at that time. The air raid shelter is 10 meters deep and 2 kilometers long, with 3 exits and a height of 2 meters. Inside, there are wooden benches and an oil lamp at regular intervals for illumination. But the conditions here are rudimentary, with no water intake, ventilation, fire prevention, or gas defense facilities in the eighteen step air raid shelter.

On June 5, 1941, during more than five hours of "fatigue" bombing by Japanese planes, a tragic incident occurred in which evacuees suffocated and trampled on the Eighteen Stairs, Yanwu Hall, and Limestone Air Defense Tunnel, resulting in approximately 2500 fatalities. The whole country and even the world were shocked by it.

We all know that since 1998, Chongqing has been sounding air raid sirens every June 5th to commemorate the victims of these air raid shelters and the people who left under the Chongqing bombing. Chasing the departed, warning the world.

Photography by Chen Yunyuan

02. White Elephant Street

Eastern Wall Street during the period of port opening

Until you reach Baixiang Street, you won't know Chongqing City. "Baixiang Street, located on Kaixuan Road in the lower half of Yuzhong District, the mother city of Chongqing, is one of the most important streets in Yuzhong District.

This has witnessed the opening of Chongqing as a port, the process of modernization and modernization in Chongqing, and the rise of Chongqing's national capitalists.

Baixiang Street is one of the traditional style areas designated by the municipal government in Chongqing. It is planned to be protected by Sifang Street to the east, Changbin Road to the south, Chuqimen to the west, and Jiefang East Road to the north.

It is said that during the Ming and Qing dynasties, there was a White Marble sculpture stone statue at the Taiping Gate, which happened to be opposite to a pair of blue stone lions at the Xuantan Temple on the south bank. This is the origin of the street name of White Elephant Street, which is known as the "Blue Lion and White Elephant Lock the River" in folklore. Another way of saying it is that there was originally a white elephant pond in the area for washing and bathing white elephants, so it was named White Elephant Street.

Photography/Yulike

After the signing of a series of unequal treaties such as the Sino British Treaty of Yantai in September 1876, especially the Supplementary Articles of the Yantai Treaty in March 1890, Chongqing was forced to open a port. According to the memorial of Liu Bingzhang, the governor of Sichuan, on January 21st, the 17th year of the Guangxu reign, Chongqing opened a customs office, and the General Administration of Customs was located in Baixiang Street, Yuzhong District (now located at 16 Kaixuan Road).

To open a commercial port, customs duties must be established. However, on the land of Chongqing at that time, the person in charge of the General Taxation Department of Customs was a British man named Herd. Originally, his superior agency, Customs Supervision, had no job and the taxes collected were used to pay compensation for unequal treaties.

Afterwards, foreign investment entered, foreign companies poured in, foreign troops were stationed, consulates were established, and concessions were divided. Chongqing gradually began to engage and communicate with the outside world. And the center of everything is on White Elephant Street.

Due to the establishment of the General Administration of Customs and Customs Declaration Agency on Baixiang Street, which involves a lot of commodity inspection and taxation business, most major banks, financial institutions, post offices, mansions, etc. are located here. This kind of occupation brought a certain density and rapid prosperity. It can be said that during the opening period, White Elephant Street was the "Wall Street" of the East at that time.

Later, the Qing government sent Song Yuren to Chongqing to revitalize industry, attempting to use domestic products to "resist foreign goods and regain profits". After arriving in Chongqing, he founded the "Chongqing Daily" in 1897 and actively spread the ideas of the Reform Movement. As the first patriotic newspaper in Sichuan, Chongqing Daily is also a completely private newspaper located on Baixiang Street.

Li Yaoting, the richest man in Southwest China, also lived in Bufeng Curie on Baixiang Street. On November 25, 1906, which was his 70th birthday, Liu Peigao, a wealthy businessman from Chongqing, celebrated by starting the 100 kW generator he installed in a house at Taipingmen in Chongqing. The 50 electric lights in the courtyard of Bufeng Residence in Li Fu suddenly emitted light, illuminating the entire courtyard and room like daylight, which became a sensational news in Chongqing for a while. Li Yaoting became the first person in Chongqing to use electric lights.

Photography by Zhang Kunkun

The starting point for countless mountain city night scenes that internet celebrities check in today is here.

The old buildings on Baixiang Street, whether towering giants, silent brick walls, or presenting a richer state in the present... These silent statements of buildings span the complex emotions and long time of Chongqing.

Now, as the core cultural tourism area of Chongqing's mother city, Baixiang Street has ushered in a new era, attracting a large number of tourists and multiple film crews to come here for filming.

03. Yangtze River Cableway

Immersive transportation in the mountains and waters

Cities like Chongqing, with high mountains and deep waters, require resilience and strength to survive.

So, when Chongqing people encountered mountains and mountains, water and bridges, and the Yangtze River, they even built cable cars.

The Yangtze River Cableway, one of the most famous business cards of the mountainous city of Chongqing, starts from Xinhua Road in the lower half of Yuzhong. It is the first large-scale cross river passenger cableway independently designed in China, with a total length of 1116 meters, a speed of 6 meters per second, a total operating time of more than 4 minutes, and a daily passenger volume of 10500. It is known as the first air corridor of the Yangtze River and the "mountain city air bus".

Photography/Lei Qingsong

The cableway is designed as a reciprocating system with dual load-bearing and dual traction. With four load-bearing cables and a simple and lightweight dual traction support device, the Yangtze River cableway will not affect the lives of surrounding residents due to normal traffic, while ensuring its safety.

The Yangtze River Cableway was built in October 1987. At that time, the transportation in several major urban areas of Chongqing mainly relied on ferries. People had to climb hills and hills to take boats, and if they encountered flood season and heavy fog, they had to cut off the voyage. The construction of this cableway has made it safe and fast for Chongqing residents to travel between Yuzhong District and Nan'an District on Shangxin Street. Prior to this, it took nearly an hour for buses to travel between the two places.

Even though it has become a popular check-in spot for internet celebrities, the Yangtze River Cableway is still one of the main modes of transportation for Chongqing residents traveling between Xinjie and Yuzhong District.

The beauty of Chongqing lies in its form. Build a city on the mountain, stand by the water, surrounded by two rivers, with the city in the mountains and the mountains in the water.

Photography by Zhang Kunkun

By taking the Yangtze River cableway and shuttling between high-rise buildings, you can truly immerse yourself in these mountains and waters, watching the towering skyscrapers grow layer by layer along the mountains along the Yangtze River, soaring into the sky; The bridges on the river and the overpasses on land crisscross and spiral upwards, creating a dazzling yet unique scenery.

When the cableway reaches the river surface, one can even look west at the rolling water of the Yangtze River, especially at night. The brightly lit Yuzhong Peninsula, the dazzling Binjiang Road, and the shimmering Yangtze River complement each other, connecting the starry sky above and the river below. The stars in the sky, the moon in the water, and the lights on earth blend together, as if one is in a fairyland on earth.

In the filming of various film and television crews, the Yangtze River Cableway is also a must visit location for any crew that goes to Chongqing for filming. Many movies featuring celebrities such as "Zhou Yu's Train," "Crazy Stone," "Hot Pot Hero," and "Curiosity Kills the Cat," as well as reality TV shows such as "Extreme Challenge" and "Amazing Challenge," all use footage filmed on the Yangtze River Cableway.

Photography by Chen Yunyuan

Sitting in the giant "box" that can accommodate 50 people, with the surging river beneath my feet, a grand bridge beside me, and towering skyscrapers in front of me. With a distance of over a thousand meters and nearly 5 minutes, one can glimpse the infinite charm of the mountain city.

This may be the most representative of the lifestyle of Chongqing, the most reflective of its terrain, and the most showcasing of the uncompromising spirit of the Chongqing people.

04. People's Park

The enchanting charm of the old park

Chongqing People's Park, also known as the former site of Central Park, is located in Yuzhong District, Chongqing, about 200 meters away from Monument to the people's Liberation, and covers an area of 1.2 hectares. It is the first park in Chongqing history.

During the Qing Dynasty, the predecessor of Central Park was one of the three peaks in Chongqing city - the peak of Bashan, and the location of Jinbi Mountain, the first of the twelve scenic spots in old Bashan and Chongqing, known as "Jinbi Flowing Fragrance". At the foot of the mountain is the Chongqing Government Office, on the left is the Chuandong Road Office, and on the right is the Baxian County Office, which concentrated the three levels of political power at that time.

In 1922, Yang Sen was appointed as the supervisor (mayor) of Chongqing Commercial Port and opened up the rear slope between the upper and lower cities as a park, but it was later halted due to the war.

Photography by Zhang Kunkun

In 1929, Pan Wenhua, who was then the supervisor of Chongqing Commercial Port, decided to break ground and rebuild the park. He planted flowers, plants, and trees in the park, built landscapes such as Jinbishan Hall, Jiangtian Yanyu Pavilion, Zhangqiu Mountain Pavilion, fountain pool, and Youran Pavilion, and also built leisure and entertainment venues such as newspaper reading rooms, tennis courts, children's playgrounds, and tea houses. He also sculpted a statue of Sun Yat sen at the entrance of the gate and named it Central Park.

The park has four gates, with the east gate located in present-day Gongyuan Lane, the west gate on the west side of Xisanhou Street, the north gate at the starting point of the southern section of Zourong Road, and the south gate facing Xisanzhong Street, which was the gate of the park and located in the bustling city of Chongqing at that time. There was originally a stone slope road on the rear slope, winding up and crossing the park, which is the main road that connects the upper half of the city.

In the 1940s, two new landscapes were added to the park. One is the "Sichuan Revolutionary Martyrs Memorial" built in 1946 to commemorate three Sichuan born individuals who sacrificed their lives for righteousness during the Huanghuagang Uprising; One is the "Chongqing Firefighters Martyrdom Monument" built in 1947, which commemorates the 81 firefighters who sacrificed their lives and property to protect the lives and property of citizens during the Japanese bombing of Chongqing.

After liberation, Central Park was taken over by the People's Government and renamed Chongqing People's Park in July 1950.

In the 1950s and 1960s, the government funded the construction and renovation of parks, making them a favorite leisure and entertainment destination for Chongqing residents.

Surrounding area of Raffles City

The Beauty of Historical Accumulation

01. Chaotianmen Pier

The first stop of Chongqing Port

For everyone who comes to Chongqing, Chaotianmen is a must visit place.

This is the confluence of the Jialing River and the Yangtze River, and it is also the earliest ancient wharf in Chongqing's history.

Chaotianmen was built during the Warring States period by Zhang Yi, a renowned diplomat of Qin, and Li Yan, a general of Zhuge Liang during the Three Kingdoms period. It was named after Dai Ding, a general of Zhu Yuanzhang during the Ming Dynasty, who expanded the city in the fourth year of the Hongwu reign (1371). Because during the Ming Dynasty, when the city was built and opened, there were a total of 17 gates with nine openings and eight closures. Only eight gates were developed into commercial docks, making this area the most prosperous.

Photography/Che Xu

According to records in the Qing Dynasty, the Chaotian Gate was built on a high cliff on the river, with a long slope leading down to the dock outside. From a distance, it looks very magnificent. The city gate is a double layered structure, and there is also a Weng City outside the main gate. The Weng City gate faces north, and turning right when entering the Weng City is the main gate of Chaotian Gate. The main gate faces east and is at a right angle to the outer city gate. Outside the Chaotian Gate, there are three large characters "Chaotian Gate" engraved on the front of the Wengcheng Gate, and four large characters "Gu Yu Xiong Guan" engraved on the front of the main gate.

The "zero kilometer" point sign for Chongqing highways is also located at Chaotianmen Square. Zero kilometer "is the starting point of a country or city's main highway, and also a symbol of a city center.

Photography by Cao Huaizhi

From a distance, Chaotianmen Square looks like a giant ship sailing far away, majestic and majestic, hence it is also known as the Titanic of Chongqing.

On the left side of Chaotianmen, the Jialing River merges with a small stream and flows into the Yangtze River. In early summer and mid autumn, the green Jialing River water collides with the brown and yellow Yangtze River water. The whirlpool rolls, clear and turbid, forming the "Jiama Water" scenery, becoming the "golden water section" of the Yangtze River, and one of the most famous pictures on the Internet about Chongqing, "Double-flavor hot pot".

Photography by Jiang Jihang

The prosperity and flourishing of Chongqing, to a certain extent, are also concentrated in Chaotianmen.

Whether it's the rising sun, the setting sun, or even the lights on, this place reflects the brilliance of the entire Chongqing, beautiful beyond measure.

02. Huguang Guild Hall

The cultural context and charm in ancient architecture

The Chongqing Huguang Guild Hall is a historical witness of Chongqing's prosperity as a commercial hub during the Qing Dynasty, and also an important symbol of Chongqing's immigrant culture, commercial culture, and architectural culture from the early Qing Dynasty to the early Republic of China.

During the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, Sichuan experienced a rapid decline in population due to wars and conflicts. According to the population statistics of the 24th year of Kangxi's reign, Sichuan Province, which had experienced large-scale warfare, had only a remaining population of over 90000 people, and the indigenous people of Chongqing were almost wiped out during the war. According to various historical records, there were tigers and other wild animals lurking in Chongqing city at that time, and the population was very small.

In order to restore the vitality of the entire Sichuan, the Qing government launched the "Huguang Fill Sichuan" immigration policy that lasted for more than a hundred years, and immigrants from Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Guangdong and other places entered Sichuan one after another.

Photography by Zhang Kunkun

The Chongqing Huguang Guild Hall complex is a historical product of the "Huguang Filling Sichuan" immigration wave. It was first built in the 24th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1759) and expanded in the 26th year of the Daoguang reign (1846). It was built by immigrants from Huguang back then.

Chongqing Huguang Guild Hall covers an area of 18400 square meters. It is the general name of ancient buildings and archaized buildings in the Qing Dynasty, such as Yuwang Palace, Qi'an Mansion, and Guangdong Mansion. Most of the Guild Hall buildings follow the layout of quadrangles in the Ming and Qing dynasties, and adopt different roof structures, such as hanging mountains, ound ridge roof, and Xieshan Mountains. It not only inherits the typical architectural styles of Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Hubei, and Jiangnan, but also integrates the traditional architectural features of Chongqing.

According to feng shui theory, the area around Dongshimen where the Huguang Guild Hall is located is a "auspicious place" on the inner side of the curved river and a "inauspicious place" on the outer side. The Dongshimen area happens to be the place where the Vermilion Bird dances, with good feng shui, and the clubhouse is located here.

The Palace of King Yu was built with donations from the rich merchants and gentry in Hunan and Hubei who were among the early immigrants. The arch of wooden architecture of the Palace of King Yu faces the Yangtze River, implying that the dragon locks the river.

The three sided extended theater left by the Yuwang Palace Guard, with wing towers on both sides, is exclusively for VIPs, and the venue below is only available for general audiences to enjoy. The Yu Palace originally had 13 stages, making it the hall with the most stages. There was a saying that "there are nine stages, but they do not meet". Unfortunately, there is only one floor left now.

The Qi'an Public Hall is a hall built by immigrants from Huangzhou Prefecture, Hubei Province. Its gate is located on the side of the building, different from the traditional hall gate built on the central axis. The gate slopes eastward, facing the direction of the immigrants' hometown of Huangzhou Prefecture, Hubei Province, expressing the immigrants' homesickness for their ancestral homeland. The Guangdong Public Office, also known as Nanhua Palace, was built with donations from Guangdong immigrants.

Photo provided by Yuzhong District Cultural and Tourism Commission/Tang Anbing

The most impressive feature of the Qi'an and Guangdong offices is their theater buildings. The carved content of the Qi'an Gong's theater changes from ghost stories to twenty-four filial piety pictures, "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", "Investiture of the Gods", "Fish and Woodcutter Pictures", etc. Each story is accompanied by bats, flowers, and auspicious beasts symbolizing good fortune. The theater building of Guangdong Public Office is the best preserved and most magnificent among the four theaters.

The Chongqing Huguang Guild Hall has the structural characteristics of Huizhou style architecture. The techniques of Jiangnan Southern style gardens are often used in landscape design. In addition, the fire sealing wall design of Qi'an Public Office is the most distinctive feature of the entire Huguang Guild Hall: the curved arched wall, with a circular arc shape and continuous wall structure, visually resembles the spine of a soaring dragon, which descends along the mountain terrain and has an extraordinary natural momentum.

03. Dongshui Post

A relay station through time

Dongshui Post is located in Dongshuimen, Chongqing.

Dongshuimen is also one of the old city gates in Chongqing, dating back to the Ming Dynasty. It is the main entrance to the east of the old city, but facing north, it is one of the only two remaining ancient city gates in Chongqing.

The Gate City Tower no longer exists. The gate is about 230 meters long, with a width of 3.1 meters, a height of 4.5 meters, and a thickness of 6.6 meters. It belongs to the gate of Shijuanding City, and there is a section of stone city wall nearby. Perhaps due to its strategic location, which is easy to defend but difficult to attack, the gate is not equipped with a moat.

This used to be a key route for people to cross the Yangtze River to the south bank, as well as a gathering place for foreign merchants, with prosperous business and dense population.

Photography by Zhang Kunkun

Dongshuiyi Traditional Commercial Street is a winding stone street, flanked by one to three stories of small buildings with black tiles and gray walls. The window frames and floor slabs of the small building are made of wood, and eye-catching red lanterns are hung on the lintel, presenting a Ming and Qing style. Dongshuiyi Traditional Commercial Street is about 100 meters long and has been transformed into a Ba Yu Cultural Corridor. Within the cultural corridor, various folk arts and crafts from Chongqing are gathered, with dozens of different styles.

Tourists can see Sichuan embroidery, live stone carving performances, purchase Liangping bamboo curtain paintings, Rongchang ceramics and other folk crafts here.

04. Nineteen turns

Playful, lively, and gluttonous snake

Take Line 1/6 of the rail transit to Xiaoshizi Station, exit from Exit 8, and then walk several tens of meters to reach the Dongshimen Bridge Landscape Trail. The trail started construction in early 2020 and took over a year to complete. This trail is built along the bridge and winds down the steep slope, about 300 meters long, connecting Shaanxi Road and Changbin Road.

This is the 19th turn.

The trail is embedded in the garden, and the planted green plants are already lush with leaves. This is a hillside and cliff landscape with the characteristics of a mountain city. From the north of the bridgehead, walking down the trail, there are a total of nineteen bends, which is the origin of the name Nineteen Bends.

Picture provided by the Cultural and Tourism Commission of Yuzhong District

The trail adopts barrier free ramps, which can alleviate the fatigue of climbing uphill. The nineteen turn trail at night is even more dazzling, with lights constantly changing colors, gorgeous and romantic, beautifying the riverbank.

It is worth mentioning that shortly after the trail was opened, the official Weibo account of People's Daily Online posted a message with the hashtag # Chongqing 300 meter steep slope trail 19 bends #, describing the Dongshimen Bridge landscape trail as a winding and coiling snake.

WFC surroundings

The Beauty of Urban Renewal

01. Hongya Cave

From the ancient city gate to Qianxun

Hongya Cave, formerly known as Hongya Gate, is one of the ancient city gates of Chongqing. It is located in Cangbai Road, Monument to the people's Liberation, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, and is located in the riverside area where the Yangtze River and Jialing River meet. It is a tourist area with sightseeing, leisure and vacation functions.

Hongyadong is a key landscape project in Chongqing, with a construction area of 46000 square meters. The main attractions consist of suspended buildings, antique commercial streets, and other landscapes. The lights in Hongyadong turn on at night from 6pm and turn off at 10pm. You can admire the verdant cliffs of the hanging buildings, stroll through the old streets of the mountain city to appreciate the Ba Yu culture, enjoy the hot pot of the mountain city to see the convergence of the two rivers, and taste the delicacies of the world. The business model of "one state, three wonders, four streets, and eight scenic spots" has been formed, reflecting the Ba Yu cultural and leisure industry.

Photography by Sun Yiwen

New construction began in 2004, with over ten floors of scaffolding erected on a cliff with a height difference of 79 meters. The construction was completed in 2006.

Diaojiaolou leans up against the mountain, with unique architectural techniques such as layered platform building, staggered stacking, and facing the cliff. It represents the historical deposits of the most distinctive mountain dwellings in ancient Chongqing, such as Diaojiaolou, ancient memorial archway, wooden pendulous flowers, overhanging beams, carved corridors, half mountain markets, and bluestone slab roads, forming a unique "three-dimensional air pedestrian street". At night, the lights are shining brightly, just like the soup house where Spirited Away is located in Hayao Miyazaki's anime.

Photography by Zhang Qin

Coming out of Hongya Cave, you can take a two river cruise at the dock to enjoy the night view of Chongqing. The night scenery of Chongqing was already somewhat famous a hundred years ago. Many scenic spots passed by boats on the two rivers were once listed as the "Twelve Scenic Spots of Cuba and Chongqing". Taking a night boat tour of the two rivers is like strolling in the Milky Way, with lights flowing on both sides reflecting in the water. The river flows leisurely, evoking deep thoughts.

In November 2007, the Hongyadong Folk Customs Area in Chongqing was rated as a national AAAA level tourist attraction. On November 18, 2020, Hongyadong was listed as one of the "Top Ten New Cultural and Tourism Landmarks in Chengdu and Chongqing". In December 2021, Hongyadong was included in the "Second Batch of Historical Place Names Protection List in Chongqing".

02. Arhat Temple

Buddhist music in the city

In Chongqing, the corners may encounter cliffs, rivers, or temples. Monument to the people's Liberation has not only a fashion show for beautiful men and women, but also a meditation hall where the candles are burning. It is a wonderful blend of avant-garde and classical, noisy and solemn, without being abrupt.

Arhat Temple in Chongqing, located in Minzu Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, is one of the key Buddhist temples in the Han nationality area of China. The Chongqing Buddhist Association is located here. Arhat Temple was built in the Zhiping period of the Northern Song Dynasty (1064-1067), formerly known as Zhiping Temple. The temple was built because of Luohan Cave. According to Records of Scenic Spots in Sichuan, "Zhiping Temple... has Arhat and Xiantian two caves, all ancient caves."

Photography by Zhu Luxiang

The Arhat Temple in Chongqing has an ancient Buddhist rock of more than 20 meters in length. There are more than 400 Buddhist statues carved on rocks of the Song Dynasty, including the Reclining Buddha Buddha (commonly known as the "Sleeping Buddha"), the Avalokitesvara and the figure of the donor, which are quite similar in style to the Dazu Baoding Mountain stone carvings.

There are many Buddhist art treasures in the the Shakya ManiHall, and there are 16 statues of Buddha, that is, the 16 students of Sakyamuni with the best academic performance; There are bronze statues of the "Three Saints of the West" from the Ming Dynasty, the "Shakyamuni Buddha Becomes a Taoist Jade Buddha" from Myanmar, and a copy of the Indian mural "Shakyamuni Leaving the Palace and Becoming a Monk".

The Buddhist scriptures, Sanskrit and Tibetan classics, as well as ancient calligraphy and paintings, stored in the scripture building of the temple are mostly treasures of the Tang and Ming dynasties. There are 524 statues in Arhat Hall, all of which are clay statues. Its shape is delicate and exquisite, and its expression is lifelike. Many good men and women come here to count Arhat for good or bad luck.

Photography/Zhang Le

During the Anti Japanese War, in July 1940, the Arhat Temple was bombed by Japanese planes, and the temple was turned into a piece of scorched earth. Only the Dashanmen and ancient Buddha rock carvings remained. Immediately, more than 20 monks braved the fire of the Japanese army and began to rebuild Arhat Temple and Luohan Hall in the ruins. By 1947, under the leadership of Master Zong, the main hall, Sutra Pavilion, Luohan Hall and the memorial archway of the mountain gate had been restored.

In 1984, the government allocated special funds for reshaping. When it was first built, the historical site of Yuanchi has now disappeared into obscurity, with only the "West Lake Historical Site" stone embedded in the "Mingbei Pavilion" remaining. In the third year of the Tianqi reign (1623), Chongqing Governor Yu Xinmin inscribed it, and Nanjing Ministry of Revenue Assistant Minister Ni Sihui wrote it, with faint traces of the characters still discernible.

Since the filming of the movie Crazy Stone, Arhat Temple has gained great reputation and become a must for tourists.

Photography by Tang Bintong

03. Daijia Lane

A new park has grown on the old city wall

Most of the ancient city walls in Chongqing are built on cliffs, and the most dangerous one is undoubtedly this section. The mountain shape of Daijiaxiang, with a section of city wall built, is easy to defend but difficult to attack, which was also the theme of the city at that time.

More than a hundred years ago, Daijia Lane was adjacent to Dongjiazui Wharf and Salt Wharf on the Jialing River, surrounded by a wide range of goods such as mountain goods, Guangzhou goods, Jiangsu goods, and miscellaneous goods, making it a golden port for small merchants and one of the most prosperous areas in Chongqing in the past.

Photography/Forrest Gump

Nowadays, Daijia Lane retains its historical charm. Looking directly at Jiangbeizui from the roadside of the old street, Huanghuayuan Bridge and Qiansimen Bridge ride on both sides. Right now is the road, with cars coming and going. Further ahead on the road is the river reflecting the city, and the daily life of city residents is around us.

The entire Daijia Lane is now divided into four major areas: the urban nostalgic cultural old street, the rest area along the city wall, the cliff trail sightseeing area, and the Chongqing style life experience area.

Located on the north side of the old city wall and adjacent to the ancient salt wharf, it covers an area of 10000 square meters and consists of a cliff plank road about 750 meters long and a suspended observation deck in the middle section. The height difference between the upper and lower parts is 60 meters. It is situated on the banks of the Jialing River, adjacent to Hongyadong, facing the financial center of the north mouth of the river, and connecting Linjiang Road and Jiabin Road up and down.

The arrow stack of the city wall at the top of the cliff on the boardwalk gradually winds downwards in a "Z" shape horizontally to the east, and is connected to the west boardwalk parallel to the city wall by a suspended boardwalk to the west. Along the way, you can enjoy the scenery, with a unique and beautiful style.

Photography by Zhang Kunkun

This is a paradise on earth, invisible to those outside, with the whole world in front of those inside. Everything outside the trees passes through your entire world.

The prosperity and obscurity do not affect the scenery that Dai Jiaxiang sees.

The gray brick old house, the beacon smoke city wall, the salt Ding old road, and the Daijia Lane have faded away, revealing a unique sense of time. This atmosphere attracts an independent attitude and a unique aesthetic.

04. Guotai Center

Witnessing 85 Years of Art

The Chongqing Guotai Grand Theater was first built in January 1937. The theater can display both movies and plays. There are 1780 seats, including 1280 downstairs and 500 upstairs, all of which are iron backed chairs with gold velvet spring cushions. There are six frosted chandeliers on the ceiling, with lights shining from the cracks in the surrounding walls. The entrance of the theater is adorned with neon lights, and the five characters "Guotai Grand Theater" shine brightly.

Nowadays, it still occupies the C position in the geographical area of Yuzhong, and its unique architectural appearance is very artistic. Now known as Chongqing Guotai Art Center, facing towards Hongyadong, it is the entrance to Chongqing Guotai Grand Theater.

Image provided by the Cultural and Tourism Commission of Yuzhong District

Recent performances at Guotai Art Center:

2022.02.20 Chongqing · 99 Sunsets and Love Mountain City - Music Story Conference

2022.02.25 Reenactment Drama Production · Shocking "YYDS Sitcom&Improvisational Drama"

February 26, 2022: Happy Fried Dough Twists's hilarious stage play "More than the bright moonlight in front of the window"

2022.02.26 Golden Wind - Zhou Xin and Dongfeng Children's Choir New Year Concert

05. Dagui Lane

French Secret Garden

On June 19, 2021, Dagui Lane, a romantic French secret garden designed and built by post-80s artist Gao Yu, officially opened in Monument to the people's Liberation.

In recent years, Yuzhong District has integrated the development of Monument to the people's Liberation Chaotianmen Pedestrian Avenue, vigorously developing the back street economy and building a back street economic group. As an important node connecting Wuyi Road and Xinhua Road, Dagui Lane undertakes the overflow effect of the business district, complements the surrounding cultural and artistic services, and improves the penetration of Monument to the people's Liberation Chaotianmen.

After the project renovation, Dagui Lane has also formed a linkage with surrounding commercial projects such as Yalan, Westin, and Xiexin, driving the hot tourism and consumption of the entire economic route of the back street, forming a development pattern of complementary and mutually reinforcing between the main street and the back street.

Since May, Dagui Lane has received a lot of attention, with its garden design featuring a French style. The glass sunrooms are fresh and romantic, the giant rabbit fountain is charming, and the business formats are exquisite and diverse. The project brings together O! what、O!cafe、 Drunken Mr., Yan Chu, FANCYFANCY, Glass Flower House, Da Gui Mian and other entertainment and leisure fashion brands.

- END -

Text | Lian'er Ye

Text | Flowers

Part of the images are sourced from the internet, infringing and deleted