A Great Summer Escape from Chongqing: Discover the Unique Charm of Qijiang in a Three-Day, Two-Night Trip

The days when life without air conditioning is impossible have finally come... Starting from late July, most areas of Chongqing will gradually enter phased high-temperature periods. In some places, extreme maximum temperatures may even reach 40–42°C, and the number of days with temperatures exceeding 35°C could range from 17 to 33 days in most areas!

Every time such scorching weather arrives, finding a place to escape the heat becomes a matter of life and death! So, which place is close to the main city and also cool?

Qijiang is definitely a great choice. Qijiang is a city surrounded by mountains and where three rivers converge. It is an ideal place to cool off and escape the summer heat, a cultural land that inherits the "red" gene, and a charming city praised by many.

What does Qijiang have to offer? Follow Sister Hu to find out.

Qijiang Cuisine You Can't Miss

China on the taste buds, due to the north-south regional differences, has distinct characteristics. Chongqing on the tip of the tongue embodies the fiery personality of Chongqing people. This time in Qijiang, I tasted the famous Quanyu Yan (whole fish feast). Different varieties of fish were prepared with distinct flavors. The most impressive dish was the signature crispy-wrist fish (cuiwan yu), which was springy, tender, and carried the spicy Chongqing flavor between the lips and teeth. People use the phrase 'mixed flavors' to describe life, because they understand that taste is the nostalgia locked in everyone's heart. I think the nostalgia of every Qijiang native must be connected to the local crispy-wrist fish.

A specialty food you must try in Qijiang is Anwen mutton. Anwen Town in Qijiang District is located in a mountainous area very suitable for goat raising. The mutton produced here is tender and naturally fragrant. Over a long history of raising and eating goats, the people of Anwen have developed a unique cooking technique for mutton, making Anwen mutton famous far and wide and a well-known local dish in the Qijiang region. Besides clear broth, red broth, and pickled pepper hot pots, foodies can also enjoy the mutton grilled, fried, or steamed. A full mutton meal couldn't be more comfortable!

Beidu fish is a traditional famous dish in Chongqing, said to have been created by fishermen by the river. After the rain, when they catch fish, they quickly scale and gut the live fish, then drop them into boiling water. They generously add chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, garlic, and some special seasonings. After eating the fish, they add vegetables to the broth. It is nutritious, refreshing, cheap, and affordable. One fish can be made into four dishes: spicy fish, tomato fish, pickled cabbage fish, and fish head soup with wontons.

Seeing this, aren't you salivating? Come to Qijiang. The unique delicacies that can only be tasted in Qijiang are waiting for you!

Qijiang's Red Gene

Qijiang is a historically and culturally rich city with a history of 1,400 years as a prefecture and county. It is the only place in Chongqing where the Red Army passed through during the Long March, and General Wang Liang was born here.

General Wang Liang's former residence is laid out as a quadrangle courtyard, with one floor and one story, facing west from the east, backed by Fengguan Mountain and facing Laoying Mountain. It is a typical Sichuan-Dong-style column-and-tie building.

After learning about General Wang Liang's deeds, a feeling of admiration arises naturally. No matter how far our cause develops or how great our achievements become, we must vigorously promote the great Long March spirit and continue to forge ahead bravely on the new Long March.

Soldier Li Shuqing, to avoid a search by the warlord troops, moved the wounded to the Yougangzui cave hidden at the foot of the mountain behind the house. To commemorate the fallen Red Army soldiers, the local people renamed this place the 'Red Army Cave.'

The path to the Red Army Cave is not smooth; it is a bumpy dirt road winding toward it. It is hard to imagine how they managed to hide in such a place back then. Thinking about our happy life today, we must thank the Red Army.

The Red Army Bridge, originally named Lianghekou Bridge, was built in the 12th year of Tongzhi during the Qing Dynasty (1873). It is 10 meters high, 3 meters wide, with a span of 19 meters, and connected by stone steps at both ends.

It is a solid wood structure with a hip-and-gable green-tile roof and column-and-tie beam frames. Because it witnessed the history of the Red Army's Long March passing through Qijiang, it was named 'Red Army Bridge.'

The Red Army's Long March covered over 25,000 li, spanning more than ten provinces and cities. Passing through Qijiang in Chongqing was a significant and pivotal point in the Long March. Qijiang was the only transit point in Chongqing on the Central Red Army's Long March. It protected the successful convening of the Zunyi Conference and created crucial opportunities for the Four Crossings of the Chishui River. Although a long time has passed since the Red Army marched through Qijiang, the spirit of the Red Army is deeply rooted in people's hearts.

Qijiang's Cultural Heritage

Museums hold the past and present of a city. The Qijiang Museum is located in the Farm Community of Gunan Street, Qijiang District. It is the only museum in China that specializes in displaying Liao culture.

What kind of footprints would the giant dinosaurs that lived in the Qijiang area of Chongqing in ancient times leave? The Chongqing Qijiang Museum on Gunan Street in Qijiang District preserves various types of dinosaur footprints.

Besides ancient biological fossils such as dinosaur fossils, fish fossils, and petrified wood from hundreds of millions of years ago, the museum also displays a large number of stone carvings, peasant prints, and ancient Ba pottery and other folk art exhibits that showcase the local history and culture.

The key point is that this museum is free to visit. The Qijiang Museum evolved from the Qijiang Stone Carving Art Museum, which moved from the Shimensi Temple in Sanjiao Town, Qijiang, in 1997. In 2008, it was expanded into a comprehensive museum. Friends who enjoy studying history should not miss it when visiting Qijiang.

Qijiang boasts beautiful landscapes and numerous scenic spots. Its historical and cultural heritage is very profound. With more than 20 ethnic groups living in the area, the folk customs have strong ethnic and regional characteristics.

Blue calico, tie-dye, batik, wood carving, New Year woodblock prints, stone carving, paper-cutting, cross-stitch, embroidery, etc., are representative of traditional folk art.

It is this magical land that gave birth to the unique art of Qijiang peasant prints. Qijiang is named the 'Hometown of Peasant Prints.' The prints draw from the production and life events of the broad masses of farmers, rich in ethnic folk flavor and vitality.

Qijiang's Natural Scenery

Enter the natural oxygen bar of Qijiang, Chongqing: Hengshan Huaxian Valley. As beautiful as its name suggests, it features 5 major internet-famous flower sea landscapes, over 10 internet-famous photo spots, over 800 mu of romantic flower seas, a cute pet paradise, and over 20 interactive experiences. The road to Huaxian Valley has many twists and turns. I heard that Andy Lau once filmed the movie 'Lost and Love' here. Did you, as a Chongqing native, know that?

Hengshan Huaxian Valley is located in Hengshan, Qijiang. The average annual temperature is about 25°C, and it is only a 70-minute drive from the main city. It is hailed as the nearest 'Air Conditioning Wellness Town' to Chongqing!

Lavender? No, it's blue sage (Salvia farinacea). The blue-purple flower spikes are fragrant and elegant, forming a sea of purple. The flower language of Verbena bonariensis is 'expectation.' Expectation is beautiful and worth looking forward to, just like the scattered specks that connect into a whole.

There are tons of places to take photos and check in within the scenic area. Be sure to pay attention. This green airplane is also a perfect photo spot, allowing you to capture cool shots.

You can also take photos with various creative signs. Do you know what this sentence means?

A car shaped like a lying dog contains a dining table. This is also a photo spot. Note that it looks better if you keep a bit of distance from the car.

Bring your children to enjoy the charm of nature together.

Gujian Mountain is located in Qijiang District, Chongqing. It is a national 4A-level scenic area, a well-known Buddhist sacred site in the southwest region, a Chinese forest wellness city, and a national geological relic park.

There is a saying: 'The Bodhisattva at Rooster Beak Mountain - answers distant prayers but not near ones.' It is known as the 'Little Mount Emei of Eastern Sichuan' and is one of the 'Twelve Scenes of Bayu.' Together with Simian Mountain in Jiangjin, Shilin in Wansheng, Jinfo Mountain in Nanchuan, and Furong Cave in Wulong, it forms the 'Southern Chongqing Ecological Tourism Corridor.'

Within the scenic area, there are rare Danxia landforms, high mountains and canyons, various nationally protected animals and ancient trees, and numerous natural and cultural landscapes such as the ancient Jinyin Temple, the Artists' Village, and Leigu Rock.

Gujian Mountain stands tall and steep, thrusting into the sky! Its steepness and majesty embody the resilience of Qijiang people. Its dense forests and rivers nurture an enchanting natural oxygen bar.

Jinyin Temple is a famous Buddhist cultural site in southern Chongqing and northern Guizhou. Incense offerings are abundant year-round, and pilgrims come in an endless stream. You might come here to make a wish and return three years later to 'fulfill the vow.'

Gujian Mountain also has a mountainous campsite covering 180 mu, equipped with complete camping facilities, including RVs, tents, log cabins, star rooms, and bubble houses.

What is Qijiang?

A scroll of mountains and waters, with cultural stories of the past.

A beautiful place worth meeting.

Qijiang, a place that nurtures people and calms the mind, is a livable city that can win everyone's heart.