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Chongqing 重庆
—  Municipality  —
Municipality of Chongqing · 重庆市
Chongqing's Skyline
The Great Hall of the People at night.
Location of the Municipality of Chongqing within China
Coordinates: 29°33′00″N 106°30′25″E / 29.55°N 106.50694°E / 29.55; 106.50694
Country	People's Republic of China
County-level divisions	40
Township divisions	1259
Settled	ca. 316 BC
Government
- CPC Chongqing	Bo Xilai Committee Secretary
- Mayor	Huang Qifan
Area (ranked 26th)
- Municipality	82,300 km2 (31,776.2 sq mi)
Elevation	435 m (1,427 ft)
Population (2006)
- Municipality	31,442,300
- Density	382/km2 (989.5/sq mi)
- Urban	5,087,197
- Ranks in China	Populations: 20th; Density: 12th
- Major nationalities	Han - 91% Tujia - 5% Miao - 2%
Time zone	China Standard Time (UTC+8)
Postal code	4000 00 - 4099 00
Area code(s)	23
License plate prefixes	渝 A, B, C, F, G, H
ISO 3166-2	CN-50
GDP (2009)	CNY 652.7 billion
- per capita	CNY 22,909
HDI (2006)	0.764 (18th) — medium
Website	(Chinese) www.cq.gov.cn (English) english.cq.gov.cn/
City trees Ficus lacor City flowers Camellia (Camellia japonica)

Chongqing (simplified Chinese: 重庆; traditional Chinese: 重慶; pinyin: Chóngqìng; Postal map spelling: Chungking; Wade-Giles: Ch'ung-ch'ing) is a major city in central-western China. Administratively, it is one of the People's Republic of China's four provincial-level municipalities, and the only such municipality in western China. The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the sub-provincial city administration that was part of Sichuan Province. The municipality of Chongqing has a registered population of 31,442,300 as of 2005.^[1] The boundaries of Chongqing municipality reach much farther into the city's hinterland than the boundaries of the other three provincial level municipalities (Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin), and much of its administrative area, which spans over 80 000 km², is rural. It has jurisdiction over 19 districts, 17 counties, and four autonomous counties. The population of the urban area of Chongqing proper was 5.09 million (2000).^[2]

The municipal abbreviation, Yú (渝), was approved by the State Council on 18 April 1997. Chongqing was also a municipality of the Republic of China administration, serving as its wartime capital during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Its abbreviated name is derived from the old name of a part of the Jialing River that runs through Chongqing and feeds the Yangtze River.

History

Chongqing is said to be the semi-mythical State of Ba that the Ba people supposedly established during the eleventh century BCE. By 316 BCE, however, it had been overrun by the State of Qin. The Qin emperor ordered a new city to be constructed, which was called Jiang (江州) and Chu Prefecture (楚州).

Chongqing was subsequently renamed in 581 CE (Sui Dynasty) and l;;1102, to Yu Prefecture (渝州) and then Gong Prefecture (恭州). It received its current name in 1189, after Prince Zhao Dun of the Southern Song Dynasty described his crowning as king and then Emperor Guangzong as a "double/repeated happy celebration" (simplified Chinese: 双重喜庆; traditional Chinese: 雙重喜慶; pinyin: shuāngchóng xǐqìng). Hence, Yu Prefecture became Chongqing subprefecture to mark the occasion.^{[citation needed]}

In 1362, (Yuan Dynasty), Ming Yuzhen, a peasant rebelling leader, established the Daxia Kingdom (大夏) at Chongqing for a short time.

In 1621 (Ming Dynasty), another short-lived kingdom of Daliang (大梁) was established by She Chongming (奢崇明) in Chongqing as its capital.

Between 1627-1645, with the fall of the Ming Dynasty, Chongqing, together with Sichuan, were captured by the Revolts who overthrew the Ming Dynasty across the nation. Later during the Qing Dynasty, immigration to Chongqing and Sichuan took place with the support of Qing emperor.

In 1891, Chongqing became the first inland commerce port open to foreigners.

From 1929, Chongqing became a municipality of the Republic of China. During the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945), it was Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek's provisional capital and was heavily bombed by the Japanese Air Force. Luckily, due to its mountainous environment, many people were saved from the bombing. Many factories and universities were moved from eastern China to Chongqing during WWII, transforming this city from inland port to a heavily industrialized city. In late November 1949 the Nationalist KMT government fled the city.

In 1954, the municipality was demoted to a provincial city within the Sichuan Province of the People's Republic of China. On 14 March 1997, the Eighth National People's Congress decided to merge the city with the neighbouring Fuling, Wanxian, and Qianjiang prefecture-level districts that it had governed on behalf of the province since September 1996. The resulting single division was the Chongqing Municipality, containing 30,020,000 people in forty-three former counties (without intermediate political levels). The municipality became the spearhead of China's effort to develop its western regions and coordinate the resettlement of residents from the reservoir areas of the Three Gorges Dam project. Its first official ceremony took place on 18 June 1997.

In 2009, Chongqing hosted the Second "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition For Foreign Secondary School Students, organised by Hanban, from the October 16 to October 31.

Chinese simple Chongqing（简体中文：重庆）

Chinese traditional Chongqing（繁体中文：重慶）

Geography

Chongqing commercial skyscrapers

Geographic coordinates  

105°17'-110°11' East, 28°10'－32°13' North

Annual average temperature 

18.2 °C (64.8 °F)

Temperature range  

0 °C (32 °F) to 43 °C (109 °F)

Total annual hours of sunshine 

1000 to 1200

Annual precipitation 

1,000 to 1,400 mm (39 to 55 in)

Neighbouring provinces  

Hubei (east), Hunan (southeast), Guizhou (south), Sichuan (west), Shaanxi (north)

Located on the edge of the Yungui Plateau, Chongqing is intersected by the Jialing River and the upper reaches of the Yangtze. It contains Daba Shan in the north, Wu Shan in the east, Wuling Shan in the southeast, and Dalou Mountain to the south.

The city is very hilly and as such it is the only major metropolitan area in China without significant numbers of bicycles.

Administrative divisions

Administrative map of the Chongqing municipality

Chongqing Municipality is divided into forty county-level subdivisions (three abolished in 1997), consisting of nineteen districts, seventeen counties, and four autonomous counties.

^a Indicates with which district the division was associated below prior to the merging of Chongqing, Fuling, Wanxian (now Wanzhou) and Qianjiang in 1997.

The urban area of Chongqing Municipality (重庆主城区市区) includes the following districts:

A dusk view of Chongqing Downtown

A night view of Yuzhong peninsula

• Yuzhong(渝中区, or "Central Chongqing District"), the central and most densely populated district, where government and international business offices are located.
• Nan'an (南岸区, or "Southern Bank District")
• Jiangbei (江北区, or "North of the River District")
• Shapingba (沙坪坝区)
• Jiulongpo (九龙坡区)
• BaNan (巴南区)
• Dadukou (大渡口区)
• Yubei (渝北区，the northern district of Chongqing)
• Beibu (北部新区, the new district at Northern Chongqing)

Climate

Chongqing has a humid subtropical climate, with the two-season monsoonal variations typical of South Asia.

As one of the "Three Furnaces" (三大火炉), Chongqing's summers are among the hottest in China. The temperature can be as high as 47 °C (117 °F), with an average high of 37 °C (99 °F) in August. Yet even in the hottest weather the wind is often cold, making such high temperatures more bearable. Winters are fairly mild, but damp and overcast; average January highs are 9 °C (48 °F). At only 1024 hours, Chongqing has one of the lowest sunshine totals annually in China.

Due to its focus on heavy industrial operations, Chongqing is perennially ranked on the most polluted cities in the world including the World Bank's list of most polluted cities.

Chongqing is known for its fog and suffers from very heavy air pollution. Foggy weather is most prevalent during spring and winter days, which gives this city a nickname of "the Fog Capital" (Chinese: 雾都). This special weather once protected Chongqing from being overrun by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. However, the city government has been aggressively trying to improve its air quality in recent years^{[citation needed]}. The so called "blue sky days" (days with air quality within or better than slight pollution) number have been on the rise.^{[citation needed]}

Politics

The politics of Chongqing is structured in a dual party-government system like all other governing institutions in the People's Republic of China.

The Mayor of Chongqing is the highest ranking official in the People's Government of Chongqing. Since Chongqing is a centrally administered municipality, the mayor occupies the same level in the order of precedence as provincial governors. However, in the city's dual party-government governing system, the mayor has less power than the Chongqing Communist Party of China Municipal Committee Secretary, colloquially termed the "Chongqing CPC Party Chief".

Chongqing also has the distinction of being the wartime capital of China during the Second Sino-Japanese war, and for a brief period being the seat of administration for the Republic of China government before its departure to Taiwan.

Economy

Commercial skyscrapers and high-rise buildings around the People's Liberation Monument in downtown Jeifangbei.

The WalMart super market at Nan'an,Chongqing.

People's Liberation Monument (World War II victory monument).

The pedestrian mall in Chongqing downtown

Chongqing was separated from Sichuan province and made into a municipality in its own right in March 1997^[3] in order to accelerate its development and subsequently China's relatively poorer western areas (see China Western Development strategy).^[4] An important industrial area in western China,^[5] Chongqing is also rapidly urbanizing. For instance, statistics^[6] suggest that new construction added approximately 137,000 square meters (1.5 million square feet) daily of usable floor space to satisfy demands for residential, commercial and factory space. In addition, more than 1,300 people moved into the city daily, adding almost 100 million yuan (US$15 million) to the local economy.

Traditionally, due to its geographical remoteness, Chongqing and neighboring Sichuan are important military bases in weapons research and development.^[7] Chongqing's industries have now diversified but unlike eastern China, its export sector is small due to its inland location. Instead, factories producing local-oriented consumer goods such as processed food, autos, chemicals, textiles, machinery and electronics are common.

Chongqing is China's third largest center of motor vehicle production and the largest for motorcycles. In 2007, it had an annual output capacity of 1 million automobiles and 8.6 million motorcycles.^[8] Leading makers of cars and motor bikes include Changan Automotive Corp - China's fourth biggest automaker and Lifan Hongda Enterprise. The municipality is also one of the 9 largest iron and steel centres in China and one of the three major aluminium producers. Important manufacturers include Chongqing Iron and Steel Company and South West Aluminium - Asia's largest aluminum plant.^[9] Agriculture remains significant. Rice and fruits (especially oranges) are the area's main produce. Natural resources are also abundant with large deposits of coal, natural gas, and more than 40 kinds of minerals such as strontium and manganese,^[10] although the mining sector has been criticised for being wasteful, heavily-polluting, and unsafe.^[11] Chongqing is also planned to be the site of a 10-million-ton-capacity refinery operated by CNPC (parent company of PetroChina) to process imported crude oil from the Sino-Burma pipelines. The pipeline itself, though not yet finished, will eventually run from Sittwe (in Myanmar's western coast) through Kunming in Yunnan province before reaching Chongqing^[12] and it will provide China with fuels sourced from Myanmar, the Middle East, and Africa. Recently, there has been a drive to move up the value chain by shifting towards hi-tech and knowledge-intensive industries resulting in new development zones such as the Chongqing New North Zone (CNNZ).^[13] Chongqing's local government is hoping through the promotion of favorable economic policies for the electronics and information technology sectors, that it can create a 400 billion RMB high tech manufacturing hub which will surpass its auto industry and account for 25% of its exports.^[14]

The city has also invested heavily in infrastructure to attract investment.^[8][15] The network of roads and railways connecting Chongqing to the rest of China have been expanded and upgraded reducing logistical costs. Furthermore, the nearby Three Gorges Dam - the world's largest - will not only supply Chongqing with power once completed but also allows ocean-going ships to reach Chongqing's Yangtze River port.^[16] These infrastructure improvements have led to the arrivals of several foreign investors in industries ranging from auto to finance and retailing such as Ford, Mazda, HSBC, Standard Chartered Bank, Wal-Mart, and Carrefour.^[17]

Chongqing's nominal GDP in 2008 reached 509.7 billion yuan (US$73.4 billion) while registering an annual growth of 14.3%. However, its overall economic performance is still lagging behind eastern coastal cities such as Shanghai. For instance, its per capita GDP was 18,025 yuan (US$2,595) - below the national average. Nevertheless, there is a massive government support to transform Chongqing into the region's economic, trade, and financial centre and use the municipality as a platform to open up the country's western interior to further development.^[18]

Organised crime

In the first decade of the 21st century, the city became notorious for organised crime and corruption. Gangsters oversaw businesses involving billions of yuan and the corruption reached into the law-enforcement and justice systems. In 2009, city authorities under the auspices of municipal Communist Party secretary Bo Xilai undertook a massive crackdown, arresting 4,893 suspected gangsters, 'outlaws' and corrupt cadres, leading to optimism that the period of gangsterism was over.^[19]

Economic and technological development zones

The city includes a number of economic and technological development zones:

• Chongqing Chemical Industrial Park
• Chongqing Economic & Technological Development Zone
• Chongqing Hi-Tech Industry Development Zone
• Chongqing New North Zone (CNNZ)
• Chongqing Export Processing Zone
• Jianqiao Industrial Park (located in Dadukou District)

Media

Chongqing is served by the Chongqing People's Broadcast Station as the largest radio station. The only municipal-level TV network is Chongqing TV station, claimed to be the 4th largest television station.^{[citation needed]} Chongqing Daily is the largest newspaper group, controlling more than 10 newspapers and one website.

Transportation

River port

Hydrofoil on the Yangtze, within the Chongqing municipality.

The confluence of the Jialing River and Yangtze River, as seen from Chongqing.

Chongqing is the biggest inland river port in western China. Historically, most of its transportation, especially to eastern China, is via the Yangtze River.

Railways

Chongqing is a major rail hub in south central China.

• Chongqing-Chengdu (Sichuan province) railway
• Chongqing-Guiyang (Guizhou province) railway
• Chongqing-Xiangfan (Hubei province) railway
• Chongqing-Huaihua (Hunan province) railway
• Chongqing-Suining (Sichuan province) express railway
• Chongqing Wanzhou-Yichang (Hubei province) railway (under construction)
• Chongqing-Lanzhou (Gansu province) railway (under construction)

Highways

• Chongqing-Chengdu highway
• Chongqing-Wanzhou-Yichang highway (Wanzhou-Yichang section under construction)
• Chongqing-Guiyang highway
• Chongqing-Dazhou-Xi'a highway (Dazhou-Xi'an section under construction)
• Chongqing-Suining highway
• Chongqing-Nanchong Expressway
• China National Highway 210
• China National Highway 212

Airport

Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport, located in Yubei district, north of Chongqing, provides links to most parts of China and to other countries. In year 2007, a total of 10,355,730 person-time transporting volume was reported, which ranks this airport as the 10th largest one in China and the third largest one in southwest China.

Public transportation

The light rail in Chongqing city

The three main forms of public transport in Chongqing are metro and light rail rapid transit, and intercity railway, alongside the ubiquitous bus system.

According to the Chongqing Municipal Government's ambitious plan in May 2007, Chongqing is going to invest 150 billion RMB over 13 years to finish a system that combines underground metro lines with light rail. By 2020 this network will consist of 6 straight lines and 1 circular line; Line 1 will be an underground metro while Lines 2 and 3 will be light rail. These improvements will add 363.5 kilometers of road and railway to the existing transportation infrastructure and 93 new train stations will be added to the 111 stations that are already in place. As of 2005 only one rail line, the 19 km long Chongqing light rail line 2 (project 1), had been finished.

By 2050 Chongqing is planned to have ten railway lines, totaling 513 kilometres, with 270 stations.^[20]

Culture & Tourism

From top:Jeifangbei downtown Skyline of Chongqing during the night, Ciqikou an ancient town, one of the Dazu Rock Carvings, and The Great Hall of the People.

The Hongyadong stilted house in Chongqqing city

Chongqing has a number of tourist attractions.

As the provisional Capital of China for almost ten years (1937 to 1945), it was also known as one of the three headquarters of the Allies. Chongqing has many historical World War II buildings or sites(unfortunately some of them were destroyed):

• The People's Liberation Monument, located in the center of Chongqing city, attracts many visitors. It was the highest building in the area but currently is surrounded and dwarfed by numerous shopping centres. Actually this monument tower was originally named as "Monument for the victory over Axis armies" and it is the only building in whole China area for that purpose. Even today, the monument serves as the symbol for the city.
• Chongqing Museum
• Stilwell Museum for General "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell.
• Great Hall of the People (Chongqing) -based on the one in Beijing
• Renmin Hotel
• Luohan Si -Ming-era temple
• The cemetery for World War II air forces (空军坟）in Nanshan area (南山）in memory of those air force heroes who sacrificed their lives to help China during the Japanese invasion;
• The former sites for embassies of major countries during 1940s since Chungking was Capital at that time and many residence buildings/sites for the celebrities at that time (Chiang Kai-shek, H.H. Kong, 老舍Lao She, 梁实秋Liang Shiqiu et al.);
• Red Rock Village Museum is a diplomatic site for the Communist Party in Chongqing led by Zhou Enlai during World War II. It's where Mao Zedong signed the "Double 10 (October 10th) peace agreement" with the Kuomingtang.

Besides those historical places, Chongqing also has many other attractions:

• The Dazu Rock Carvings (Chinese: 大足石刻; pinyin: Dàzú Shíkè), in Dazu county, are a series of Chinese religious sculptures and carvings, dating back as far as the 7th century A.D., depicting and influenced by Buddhist, Confucian and Taoist beliefs. Listed as a UNESCO World cultural Heritage Site, the Dazu Rock Carvings are made up of 75 protected sites containing some 50,000 statues, with over 100,000 Chinese characters forming inscriptions and epigraphs.
• The natural bridges (天生三桥）and Furong Cave in Wulong were listed as a World natural Heritage site (part of South China Karst).
• Ciqikou is an ancient 1000-year-old town in the Shapingba District of Chongqing. It is otherwise known as Small Chongqing. The town, located at the lower reaches of the Jialing River, was at one time an important source of chinawares and used to be a busy commercial dock during the Ming and Qing Dynasty.
  

  

  The steep road up to the front gate of Fishing Town
• Fishing Town or Fishing City (Simplified Chinese: 钓鱼城; Traditional Chinese: 釣魚城; Pinyin: diàoyúchéng), also called the “Oriental Mecca” and “the Place That Broke God's Whip”, is one of the three great ancient battlefields of China. It is famous for its resistance to the Mongol armies in the latter half of the Song Dynasty. One of the most notable events was the death of Mongol leader Mongke Khan by cannon shot, which forced the immediate withdrawal of Mongol troops from Europe and Asia and prevented the Mongolian Empire from expanding towards Africa and Western Europe.
• Hot pot is Chongqing's local culinary specialty. Tables in hotpot restaurants usually have a central vat (or pot) where food ordered by the customers is boiled in a very spicy broth. As well as beef, pork, lotus and other vegetables, items such as pig's kidney, brain, duck's bowels, and cow's stomach are often consumed.
• The city is home to one of the largest public assembly buildings in China, the Great Hall of the People which, though built in modern times, emulates traditional architectural styles. It is adjacent to the densely populated and hilly central district, with narrow streets and pedestrian only walkways.
• A modern and well stocked zoo exhibits many national and regional animals, including the Giant Panda and the extremely rare South China Tiger.

Education

Colleges and universities

International Schools

• Yew Chung International School of Chongqing (重庆耀中国际学校)

Sports

Professional sports teams in Chongqing include:

• Chinese Football Association Super League
  • Chongqing Lifan
• Chinese Basketball Association
  • None

International relations

Twin towns — Sister cities

Chongqing is twinned with:

Chongqing Municipality has a Memorandum of Understanding (a form of twinning arrangement) with Wales, UK and became a 'sister region' of Wales in March 2008.^[22]

In June 2007, a twinning agreement between Chongqing and Sør-Trøndelag was signed.^[23]

Language

Chongqing area's dialect is somewhat different from Standard Mandarin, as it is a Southwest Mandarin dialect. Most differences are phonological, though some lexical differences are observed as well. A significant difference is the velar nasal initial, ŋ- in the words 澳, 咬, 硬, 我, 爱, 安, which are [ŋao], [ŋao], [ŋən], [ŋo], [ŋai], [ŋan], respectively. Chongqing dialect itself has influences from dialects all over Southern China, such as Min Nan or Wu.

Other dialects are also spoken in Chongqing as well: The second most spoken dialect is Wu, at 11%. The third and fourth most spoken dialects in Chongqing are Xiang at 6%, and Hakka at 5.5%.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• List of cities in the People's Republic of China by population

Notes

References

• Danielson, Eric N. (2005). "Chongqing," pp.325-362 in The Three Gorges and the Upper Yangzi. Singapore: Marshall Cavendish/Times Editions. ISBN 981-232-599-9. 
• Danielson, Eric N. (2005). "Revisiting Chongqing: China's Second World War Temporary National Capital," in Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, Hong Kong Branch, Vol.45. Hong Kong: Royal Asiatic Society, Hong Kong Branch. 
• Huang, Jiren (1999). Lao Chongqing (Old Chongqing): Ba Shan Ye Yu (part of the "Lao Cheng Shi" series. Nanjing: Jiangsu Meishu Chubanshe (Jiangsu Fine Arts Publishing House). 
• Kapp, Robert A. (1974). “Chungking as a Center of Warlord Power, 1926-1937,” pp.143-170 in The Chinese City Between Two Worlds, ed. by Mark Elvin and G. William Skinner. Stanford: Stanford University Press. 
• Kapp, Robert A. (1973). Szechwan and the Chinese Republic: Provincial Militarism and Central Power, 1911-1938. New Haven: Yale University Press. 
• Liao, Qingyu (2005). Chongqing Ge Le Shan Pei Du Yizhi (The Construction of War-time Capital on the Gele Mountain, Chongqing). Chengdu: Sichuan Da Xue Chubanshe (Sichuan University Press). 
• Long, Juncai (2005). Sui Yue Ya Feng de Jiyi: Chongqing Kang Zhan Yizhi (Covered Memory of Flowing Years: Site[s] of [the] Anti-Japanese War in Chongqing). Chongqing: Xi Nan Shi Fang Da Xue Chubanshe (Southwest University Press). 
• McIsaac, Lee (2000). “The City as Nation: Creating a Wartime Capital in Chongqing,” in Remaking the Chinese City, 1900-1950, ed. by Joseph W. Esherick. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. 
• Xu, Dongsheng and Liu, Yuchuan, et al. (1998). Chongqing Jiu Ying (Old Photos of Chongqing). Beijing: Renmin Meishu Chubanshe People’s Fine Arts Publishing House). 

External links

• Chongqing Municipal Government website
• Video: A Bird's Eye View of the New Chongqing (2008)
• CCTV9 Apr. 2009 program - Chongqing: Visions of Change
• Chongqing travel guide from Wikitravel
• Economic profile for Chongqing at HKTDC

Municipality of Chongqing History • Politics • Economy District Yuzhong • Dadukou • Jiangbei • Shapingba • Jiulongpo • Nan'an • Beibei • Wansheng • Shuangqiao • Yubei • Banan • Fuling • Wanzhou • Qianjiang • Changshou • Hechuan • Jiangjin • Nanchuan • Yongchuan Counties Bishan • Chengkou • Dazu • Dianjiang • Fengdu • Fengjie • Kai • Liangping • Qijiang • Rongchang • Tongliang • Tongnan • Wulong • Wushan • Wuxi • Yunyang • Zhong Autonomous counties Pengshui • Shizhu • Xiushan • Youyang Attractions Dazu Rock Carvings • Ciqikou • Great Hall of the People • Red Rock Village Museum • Renmin Hotel • Diaoyucheng (Fishing Town) Sports Venues Yanghe Stadium • Datianwan Stadium Higher Education Chongqing University • Southwest University • Chongqing Institute of Technology • Chongqing Jiaotong University • Chongqing Normal University • Chongqing Technology and Business University • Chongqing Three Gorges University • Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications • Yangtze Normal University • Sichuan Fine Arts Institute • Sichuan International Studies University • Southwest University of Political Science and Law • Third Military Medical University • Chongqing Medical University • Chongqing University of Science and Technology Culture & Demographics Ba • Sichuan Mandarin • Szechuan cuisine Transport Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport • Chongqing Metro • China National Highway 210 • China National Highway 212 See also: List of Township-level divisions of Chongqing

Province-level divisions of the People's Republic of China Provinces Anhui • Fujian • Gansu • Guangdong • Guizhou • Hainan • Hebei • Heilongjiang • Henan • Hubei • Hunan • Jiangsu • Jiangxi • Jilin • Liaoning • Qinghai • Shaanxi • Shandong • Shanxi • Sichuan • Yunnan • Zhejiang Autonomous regions Guangxi • Inner Mongolia • Ningxia • Tibet • Xinjiang Municipalities Beijing • Chongqing • Shanghai • Tianjin Special Administrative Regions  Hong Kong •  Macau Territorial disputes Paracel Islands • Pratas Islands • Senkaku Islands • Spratly Islands • South Tibet • Taiwan, Kinmen & Matsu Islands (see Legal status of Taiwan)

From Wikitravel

Chongqing (重庆; Chóngqìng), (formerly spelled Chungking), is set to become the most economically important city in West China and is certainly already the biggest inland city of the country with plans for even more massive growth.

Chongqing is also the launching point for scenic boat trips down the Yangtze River through the Three Gorges Dam. The spectacular Buddhist Dazu Rock Carvings are located three hours west of Chongqing City in the outlying Chongqing Municipality and is listed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Chongqing is one of four municipalities in China, large cities that are not part of a province but report directly to the national government; it is the only municipality not located on the east coast, (the other three are Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin). Chongqing municipality is technically the largest city in China in surface area and therefore could be defined better as a "provincial" municipality due to its massive size. While independent since 1997, it was historically and culturally part of south east Sichuan and still shares the same love for hot and spicy food dishes.

Neighbouring provinces: Hubei (east), Hunan (east), Guizhou (south), Sichuan (west), Shaanxi (north)

Located on the edge of the Yungui Plateau, and surrounded by small green capped mountains, Chongqing City is intersected by the Jialing River and the upper reaches of the Yangtze. It contains the Daba Shan in the north, Wu Shan in the east, Wuling Shan in the southeast, and Dalou Mountain to the south. Chongqing is notorious for its hot and humid weather. The air quality in the warmer months as well as the winter can be challenging to people with respiratory problems do massive amounts of smog.

Get in

By plane

Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport (CKG; [1]) is served by International flights from Bangkok, Hong Kong, Munich, Nagoya, Seoul, Singapore, Tokyo and Chinese cities and destinations, as below: Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Tianjin, Shenzhen, Sanya, Xiamen, Wenzhou, Lhasa, Zhuhai, Haikou, Urumqi, Shenyang, Wuhan, Zhengzhou, Xi'an, Jinan, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Taiyuan, Nanning, Kunming, Ningbo, Panzhihua, Guiyang, Changchun, Jinjiang, Hefei, Chengdu, Yichang, and Jiuzhaigou.(Airport GPS 29.720030-106.634060)(Airport bus stop in City GPS 29.562860-106.544200)

By train

Trains arrive daily at the Chongqing station, including the daily T9/T10 express train from/to Beijing, a 25-hour ride.

If arriving from Chengdu, the T88xx express trains provide a 2 hours 30 minutes link between the two cities. This is the ideal choice of transportation for the two cities.

T88xx, Chongqing Bei(重庆北) - Chengdu (成都), 2.5 hrs, ~87 Yuan

There are three train stations in Chongqing:

• Caiyuanba (in Yuzhong District),
• Shapingba (in Shapingba District),
• Chongqing Beizhan (in Jiangbei District)(Old Railway Stn Yuzhong GPS 29.552740-106.545920, new railway stn Jiangbei GPS 29.610270-106.546260)

Most train tickets can be purchased through the help of the hotel your are staying. The tickets are then delivered to the hotel for you to pick up.

By bus

Long distance buses travel to Chongqing from almost anywhere. There are numerous busses into ChongQing, most notably is the hourly service to and from Chengdu, Nanchong, and Xian. From the west Chengdu is 2.5 hours and to the east WanZhou is three hours, both on good highways and good buses. Avoid the "sleeper" buses as they must be the most uncomfortable way to travel ever invented.

The main bus / rail station is Cai Yuan Ba (pronounced Tsai Yuan Ba, the old station) and is complete mayhem most of the time. Many hotels will sell rail tickets thus avoiding the madness of the station. People in Chongqing do not queue.

• Chaotianmen Station, Buses to points eastward (Fuling, Pengshui, Yunyang, etc.)
• Chen Jiaping Station, Buses to the west and in particular towards Sichuan Province

Get around

The bike is the worst choice for people who understand the layout and structure of "the mountain city". Added the fact that it is incredibly dangerous to bike on city streets it is just not a good idea. First timers to Chongqing should be warned it is very easy to get lost due to the many hills and valleys added the two major rivers. The bus system and monorail are advised as the best forms of transportation and are very cheap and efficient.

By subway/monorail

The first part of Chongqing's new rapid transit system [2] opened as a monorail in June 2005. The current system (see map [3]) is only somewhat useful for getting around in the city center, but major expansions are under construction, including a subway link to the major railway stations and airport. Announcements are made both in Mandarin and English.

By bus

Buses are frequent and cheap, but unless you can read Chinese you have to know where they are going and choose the right number bus going in the right direction. If you are going to one of the city centres in Chongqing city, simply ask each bus if they go there. There are four city centres, so be sure you know the name of the place you want to go to.

The four city centers in Chongqing are called Shapingba (Sandplains)(GPS 29.559900-106.457440) NW part of town and is an academic and university centre, Jiangbei (Northplace)(GPS 29.577000-106.528000), Nanping (Southernplains) (GPS 29.530531-106.561379) and Jiefangbei (GPS 29.560454-106.573400), which is one of the oldest centres and a shopping centre and near Chaotianmen harbour where there are lots of small markets and shops (often called the "fleamarkets" locally)(GPS 29.566742-106.583977).

The bus station in Shapingba is at GPS 29.559300-106.455450. There are two bus stations in Jiefangbei, south and west of the monument. There are two bus stations in Jiangbei near the pedestrian street.

By taxi

Taxis are relatively cheap (start by ¥5 and ¥1.8/km, ¥5.9 and ¥2.25/km after midnight) and can be easily found 24 hours a day. Few drivers speak anything but Chinese, so you must know where you are going. Either have your destination written for you in Chinese, learn how to say it, or be able to direct the driver. A good way to use taxis is to gather cards from hotels, then simply show the driver the one you want to go to or is nearest to your destination.

Caution: Empty Taxis are hard to find on extremely hot days. It is advisable to seek alternative transportation or stay indoors. The reason is due to the fact that most Taxis have A/C running thus making more frequent stops to the gas station. Added to the fact that there aren't many gas stations around and the pump pressure is frequently inadequate, most taxis will be stranded lining up for gas.

See

On the surface the city appears rough around the edges and bit grungy and thus there may appear to be not much to do, but further investigation will uncover a city with truly its own character and a number of interesting sites actually worth looking into.

Chongqing served as the capital of China for seven years during the late 1930's and early 1940's during the Anti-Japanese War (WWII). With this political history comes a number of historic sights which are worth visiting. Chongqing has the largest population in West China and is the focus of China's "Go West" strategy to help further develop the western part of China. As a result, it is a very lively and rapidly modernizing city, although it does get a bit hectic at times.

• Zhou Enlai's old residence. Located by the Jialing river north west of Jiefangbei, and now a museum and open to the public for a small fee. It has been preserved as it was the day it was used. (29.568520,106.547700) edit

• HongYaDong. Near Jiefangbei, a recreation of the old Chongqing, clinging to the side of the mountain with many small shops. A tourist place but you can find recreations of old local crafts here and genuine local food. (29.564730,106.575160) edit

• Foreign Street. An entertainment and amusement park area northwest of Jiefangbei on the other side of the river and a bit north, where foreigners have been encouraged to set up shops. You can find a church, an upside-down house, an Australian bar, a small train, the world's largest public restroom and many other attractions. (29.612220,106.594560) edit

• Jiang Jieshi (Chiang Kai-Shek) old military headquarters. When Chongqing was the capital of China during the WWII, Jiang Jieshi (Chiang Kai-Shek) established his military headquarters up in the mountains above Chongqing. As a result the Japanese bombers never found it, and it is now a museum, preserved as it was during the war. There are many buildings in the beautiful compound and you can visit his work room with the motto over his desk "all officials must serve the people" (in free translation), his bedroom, and his meeting room, and sit in his chair where he negotiated with the American advisers, with his American educated wife usually to his left. The location is a bit out of town and a taxi is the easiest transport. (29.568940,106.614350)  edit

• Chongqing Jiefangbei Pedestrian Street (Jiefangbei Shangye Buxingjie). 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 (locally usually called the "Anti Japanese war"), is a 27.5 meter highs structure. It is the center of the city marked as Chongqing’s commercial heart. It is isolated by broad, paved pedestrian square and numerous glassy office skyscrapers and highrise hotels, reminicent of New York's or Tokyo's Times Square 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 square meters. (Pedestrian St and food street GPS 29.559030-106.574380)(Liberation monument GPS 29.560454-106.573400). Around the square are more than 3,000 stores various kinds of shops, with more than two dozen large malls and shopping centers, dozens of star-graded hotels, and offices such as banks, stock markets, trade and finance companies, postal and telecommunication services, and places of entertainment.   edit

• Great Hall of the People. Chongqing's Great Hall of the People (and the People's Square in front of the Hall) is an architectural symbol of Chongqing City. Its construction began in 1951, but its design is traditional and mirrors those of China's ancient classical dynasties. It somewhat resembles an enlarged version of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. The People's Square was only completed in 1997 and is decorated with trees and flowers. The ground of the square is paved with smooth marble tiles; there is magic music fountain; at the southern end of the square stands a stage for performances in the open air. You may see thousands of people dancing on the square in the numerous beautiful lights in the evening. (29.5646,106.549) edit

• Three Gorges Museum. Across the People's Square is Three Gorges Museum, well worth a visit for its exhibits on the Ba culture and the area of the three gorges downriver from Chongqing. Also noteworthy are a series of exhibits on life in Chongqing during the Qing dynasty, the early republic, and the Word War II era.  edit

• Zha Zi Dong. This is one of two Guomingdang prisons located in Shapingba, the other being Bai Gong Guan. Both are located at the base of Ge Le Mountain in Lie Shi Mu. Za Zi Dong offers a unique look at a 1940's era prison and the horrors that took place there when nearly 300 communist political prisoners were massacred at the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949. The entire area was also once the location of the Sino-American Cooperative Organization (SACO), a camp where Jiang Jie Shi's (Chang Kai Shek) elite troops were trained. Unfortunately the attrocities that took place and the American presence are often connected, while it's not universally agreed that they were.  edit

• Red Rock Village (Hong Yan Cun). Red Rock Village (Hong Yan Cun, located near Shapingba centre on the road following the river) is a very important tourism site in Chongqing City. This is the location where the Chongqing Negotiations between Mao Zedong and Jiang Jieshi (Chiang Kai-Shek) took place, and the historic aspect of the place is nice. To get to the history, you will have to go through an exhibition center which is worth going to.  edit

• Joseph Stilwell Residence. Not far from Red Crag Village is the former residence and office of General Joseph W. Stilwell ("Vinegar Joe" Stilwell), who headed American operations in China during the Anti-Japanese War. Stilwell is an impressive person, not only for his leadership ability but also for his understanding of China and Chinese culture (he could write in Chinese with a brush). His former residence is a 1930's modernist house with great views overlooking the Yangtze river. The main level is set up as it was during Stilwell's tenure. The lower level is filled with photos and bilingual descriptions of the Chinese Front during the Second World War. Location: No. 63 Jialingxin Road, Liziba, Yuzhong District, Chongqing. The Museum is also in easy walking distance of a monorail station.  edit

• Song Qing Ling's Residence. Another interesting site to visit (especially if you're staying at the Hilton Hotel) is Song Qing Ling's former residence, from the period of the Second World War when Japan occupied much of China and Chongqing was the temporary capital. There were three Song (also spelled Soong) sisters. The eldest married a businessman. Middle sister Qing Ling married Sun Yat Sen, the founder of modern China. She was herself an important political figure, especially after his death. The youngest married Chiang Kai Shek. A saying about them is "One loved money, one loved power, and one loved China". Qing Ling is the one who loved China. There is an interesting movie [4] with an English soundtrack and a book, "The Soong Dynasty" about the family. This house wedged in between tall, ugly buildings is a nice German design (the original owner was an engineer who studied in Germany) that is not unlike many of the pre-liberation colonial architecture that can be found here and there in and around Chongqing. The house is located about 100 meters south of the main entrance to the Hilton Hotel.  edit

• Chongqing Ancient Town. Called Ci Qi Kou Zheng Jie, or sometimes the porcelain village as porcelain has long been made there, is still sold there, located in ShaPingBa, near the banks of the river this is a few streets of Chongqing as it was, (and still is in some places). It is mostly comprised of small shops selling tourist stuff, but does lead down to the river where it is possible to board a restaurant boat and where the present Hostel is located. The temple at the top of the hill is worth a visit. Several buses go there including 808 and 843. Worth a visit for a couple of hours. (29.581350,106.448260) edit

• Dazu Rock Carvings. Driving three hours west of Chongqing city, you can find the Dazu Rock Carvings. The spectacular Buddhist carvings date from the 9th to the 13th century and are listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites. There is also a fascinating temple complex on the grounds. The caves can be reached by bus from the main long distance bus station in Chongqing (Chen Jiaping). For more information see the main Dazu Rock Carvings article.  edit

• Dafo Temple. Located about two hours north of Chongqing City is the city of Tongnan. Just north of downtown on the Fuijiang River is the Dafo Temple. It is located 30 min. outside the downtown area along the winding river banks. The highlight is a large several meter high Buddha carved into the rock. Tourists are a rare occurance at the temple and in this town you will be greeted with wonderful interest and excitement on the part of the locals as is common in rural China. Tongnan can be reached by the long distance bus station in Chongqing (Chen Jiaping) for about ¥38.  edit

• Fengdu Ghost Town. Located about three hours north-east of Chongqing City is Fengdu. Fengdu is a river towne on the banks of the Yangtse (Chang Jiang) River. Across the river from the city is the Ghost Towne which can be reached by ferry. Highlights include the authentic Buddhist Temple on Mt. Ming. The admission price is expensive. Bus service is provided via the Chaotianmen bus station.  edit

• Chongqing Hua Yan Tourist Spot. A temple complex including a Buddhist monastery and a large golden Buddha overlooking the whole place. Tucked in a green valley on a small lake, surprisingly in the middle of an urban built up area of Chongqing City. ¥10.  edit

• Yangtze River Cruise. Yangtze River Cruise will take you through the cradle of China, while giving you the opportunity to see some spectacular scenery.  edit

• Tour Boat. A 1 hour trip on Jialing and Yangtse (Chang Jiang) rivers for ¥58-88 or more depending on class) give you a night view of Chongqing's modern skyline. All the boats depart from the Chaotianmen dock, which is located at the north east extremity of the Yuzhong district.  edit

• Cable car ride. There are two cable car rides: one over the Yangtze and the other over the Jialing River. ¥5 one way for a 5 minutes cable car trip above the Yangtse or the Jialing river - great view of the city.  edit

• Preserved Dried Beef (Niu Rou Gan)
• Spicy Fine Beef Threads (Deng Ying Niu Rou ) (highly recommended)
• Curiously Flavoured Horsebean (Guai Wei Hu Dou)

• Carpenter Tan (Tan Mu Jiang), [5]. This local carpentry shop is worth a visit for its fine wood artwares.  edit

Eat

Local food

Chongqing is a harbor city and with this comes what is called dockside culture (matou wenhua). This culture is blamed for a lot of things from cursing to...Hot Pot.

Hot pot

Hot Pot (huoguo, lit.: firepot) is one of Chongqing's claims to fame. In cities across China, one can find hot pot restaurants, but only Chongqing people can really stand a real hot pot, so if you want authenticity, get it while you can in Chongqing.

When ordering hot pot you have a a choice between three kinds. First, the spicy version called red soup (hong tang). Then there is one without any spices. This is basically a bone soup, and it is tasty. To get this, simply ask for "yuan wei" or tell them "wo bu yao la" which means "I don't want the spicy stuff!" Finally there is a compromise with Yuan Yang Hot Pot (Yuan Yang Huo Guo), which is basically a pot split down the middle with the spicy stuff on one side and the mild on the other.

For those who like spicy but do not like it too spicy, it is possible to order red soup without the jolt (wei la hong tang). It is a nice mild experience.

For those who can not speak Chinese, it would be best to grab a Chinese friend to take you, though be warned, you will have to put up with a lot of drinking, you will be forced to smoke more than you normally would, and some of the things they go slipping into the pot might not be your cup of tea. You will also have to be aware that you will be fed with a lot of dishes from your Chinese friends because they like to see your bowl is full of food so you might feel a little uncomfortable by being fed like a child but that is the way Chinese show their concern and enthusiastic to their friends especially when eating hot pot.

Suggested dishes at nicher restuarants

• Twiced cooked spicy pork slices (huiguorou) (highly recommended)
• Fish slices in sour and spicy pickled vegetable soup (suancaiyu)(recommended)
• Fried pork fillet slices in sweet and sour sauce (tangculiji)
• Steamed fatty pork with preserved vegetables (shaobai)
• Fish flavoured aubergine (yuxiangqiezi) (highly recommended)
• Onions and parsleys in spicy mustard (laohucai)
• Fish with tofu (doufuyu)
• Fish flavoured pork shreads (yuxiangrousi) (recommended)
• Chinese bouilli (hongshaorou)
• Gongpao Chicken (gongpaojiding)(recommended)
• Black agaric and pork slice stir-fries (muerroupian)
• Pork/beef slices in hot and spicy soup (shuizhuroupian) ( very spicy but recommended)
• Numbing and spicy tofu (mapodoufu) (spicy but highly recommended)

Suggested dishes at noodle shops

All dishes served in the noodle shops can be either spicy flavoured or plain flavoured, though spicy flavour is preferably recommended for a trial.

• Noodle with no tops (xiaomian) ¥3.0
• Beef noodle (niuroumian) ¥5.0
• Cold noodle (liangmian) ¥2.5
• Rice/soybean pudding slices (liangfen'r (fer)) ¥2.5
• Szechuan dumplings (hundun (T'sao sou)) ¥4

Dog meat

Overall it is also a good experience to try some dog meat (gourou) in winter.

Western food

There are many "Western Restaurants", but it is very difficult to find any real western food in them. Many smallish restaurants will have a reasonable stab at spaghetti bolognaise, and some will have menus in "Chinglish" and even pictures of dishes. However as an exception, you can find quite nice fusion dishes (ranging from Japanese Sushi and Tempura to American Sirloin Steak

• Friendship Restaurant, (Next to the Maison Mode Plaza). Highly recommended. You can also find loads of street restaurants around that area.  edit

• Ali&Ade, (On the second floor of the Pacific Department Store, inside the Metropolitan Plaza (Daduhui) right next to the Harbour View Hotel in the downtown area of Jiefangbei).  edit

• Casablanca, (In Dekang Department Store, in the downtown area). Recommneded Western restaurant. Less than ¥50 for a decent meal served with a nice drink, salad and dessert.  edit

• Why Not, (Shapingba). A Belgian style restaurant owned by a Belgian couple. Authentic fries and an ecclectic menu at below the high Jiefagbei prices.  edit

Drink

There are many bars in Chongqing, but most are underpopulated. Generally the local bottled beer is ¥10, and the variety includes several local beers and even Guinness (expensive) on occasions. If you go to one of the small restaurants to eat, you can buy bottles of local beer at ¥3 upwards.

As a warning, many bars have recently (2008) adopted a less pleasant method to send pretty girls to accompany and entertain you, and then ask for huge additional sums when you leave. Take care.

• Newcastle Arms. Several branches offer the closest thing to proper beer, but be sure they get your beer from the pump and not the slop tray. A pint of McEwan's will cost you ¥25, but during happy hour you can get two for one..  edit

• Dee Dee's Bar, (In Nanping south of Yangtze River). The best (debatable) Bar in Chongqing. Usually empty except Tuesdays and Fridays. You will usually find some non-Chinese there most nights. (29.537980,106.563850) edit

• Semi underground entertainment centre, (Just west of Jiefangbei War Memorial, at the same place as the last monorail station). (29.557200,106.572120) edit

• Underground arcade, (In Jiangbei (north), the entrance is across from the big hotel near McDonalds). Many bars and restaurants. (29.580360,106.529700) edit

• Outside beer gardens, (Above the underground arcade). Serve reasonably priced drinks and is always crowded with good atmosphere and live premiership matches on big screens, do not eat here though!  edit

• Shapingba (west). A young people and university place and have many places for entertainment.  edit

Sleep

There are hundreds of hotels all over the city ranging from dormitary style for ¥50 per night, through adequate three star hotels for ¥150, up to the top hotels for ¥600-800 per night and many more are being added under construction. Most hotels are rarely fully booked. You can always check the room before you commit.

• Yangtze River Youth Hostel, 80 Changbin Road, Yuzhong District, ☎ +86 23 63104208 (English speaking). Possibly the best option for budget accommodation in Chongqing. Centrally located, exceptionally clean and has great and helpful staff. Offers a range of rooms. Also offers a range of budget tours. ¥30-150, most expensive ones are chinese style doubles with ensuite and air conditioning.  edit

• Chung King Hotel. Prices are not over-expensive, rooms are slightly on the small side but on the whole well decorated and furnished. Rooms come with pay-per-view and regular satellite TV. A couple of the channels are in English. Even better, room service will happily provide you with the best club sandwich east of Britain. Somewhere in the hotel is a Western restaurant which will provide you with the biggest spaghetti bolognaise you have ever seen. The friendly staff in the lobby can provide you with currency exchange, luggage holding and travel tickets.  edit

• Railway Guesthouse, (At the Chongqing Train Station (there are two train stations in Chongqing, the old station and the new northern station in Jiangbei)). 4-bed ¥100, 2-bed ensuite with a/c ¥160.  edit

• The Grand, (Shapingba). From ¥150.  edit

• HomeHome Inn, 6 Fenghuangia, Nanjimen. Friendly English speaking staff. ¥280 for a double with Chinese/Western breakfast.  edit

• DLT Hotel, 173 Renmin Road (Just behind the Great Hall of the People). Completely renovated in 2007. From about ¥320.  edit

• Chongqing Jinjiang Oriental Hotel, No. 6 Xihu Road, Yubei District, ☎ 86-23-67306666, [6]. 313 air-conditioned guest rooms. ¥457.81+.  edit

• Holiday Inn, (Jiangbei).  edit

• Carlton Hotel, (Southwest of Jiefangbei).  edit

• Hilton, (A bit west of Jiefangbei, and bit off the beaten track today near the old Chongqing train station). A classic stopover for visitors and business travelers.  edit

• InterContinental, (In downtown Jiefangbei). Recent hotel.  edit

• Harbour Plaza, (Jiefangbei).  edit

• JW Marriott, (Downtown Jiefangbei). Expensive and luxurious.  edit

• Harbour View Hotel, (Downtown Jiefangbei). Excellent facilities, good location.  edit

• Golden Resources Hotel, (Jiangbei District). Overlooks a wonderful local park with dancing musical fountains and directly connects to the Sleepless Underground Town, a vast shopping/entertainment complex built beneath the city square. ¥500.  edit

• Howard Johnson Hotel, (In downtown Jiefangbei). New hotel.  edit

• Qijiang

Other

Immigration

The immigration, or Public Security Bureau (PBS) was earlier in Jiefangbei, but has moved to Jiangbei and new premises (GPS 29.599932-106.530928)

Marriage and adoption

Chongqing has a special office for foreigners concerning marriage and adoption. It is in Jiangbei and has recently moved (2007). (GPS 29.577998-106.527338)

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

English

Wikipedia has an article on:

Chongqing

Wikipedia

Noun

Chongqing

1. A municipality in central China.

Translations