Holding Hands, A Dreamy Journey at Quanye Kitchen

This is a family carnival—parents, children, and a full day and night of joy and laughter.

This is a Chongqing version of "Where Are We Going, Dad?"

Hot springs, kayaking, outdoor cooking, and the most precious companionship.

This is a warm and adventurous journey—canyons, rivers, caves, and sizzling BBQ.

On April 23, 2021,

Tongjing Hot Spring · Quanye Kitchen

Eight families began their wonderful journey.

Quanye Kitchen is a family parent-child tourism product being developed by Tongjing Hot Spring in Chongqing.

Scheduled on weekends, it includes hot spring courtyard accommodation, private hot spring baths, kayaking, vegetable picking, BBQ, boardwalk walks, cave exploration, family cooking competitions, and more.

The entire activity is designed to last a day and night, and is an important future product for Tongjing Hot Spring's family tourism.

Day 1, 6:30 PM

At 6:30 PM on April 23, the eight families participating in Quanye Kitchen for the first time arrived at Tongjing Hot Spring.

Actually, the original planned time was around 2:00 PM, but since it was a regular school day, the children had to wait until after school to go with their parents.

Undoubtedly, as the parents walked into Tongjing Hot Spring, the children almost all started cheering—not only because of the rare companionship of their parents, but more because they knew that in the time ahead, there would be the BBQ they love, hot springs, kayaking, and the rare sight of a hundred monkeys crossing the river, as well as peers their age.

And the parents' cooking competition was, of course, the most important part.

Day 1, 7:00 PM

At the end of spring and beginning of summer, the evening sky was light blue with golden edges. There was a band of fire clouds not covering the entire sky, and the lingering sunlight cast a lazy warmth on people.

On the open ground of Tongjing Hot Spring Peninsula Park, a pointed wooden cabin and dense woods enclosed a clearing. Warm yellow star-like lights twinkled in the treetops, and dreamy cotton-cloud decorations floated around… Eight families, eight BBQ grills, with various juicy meat skewers and fresh vegetables neatly arranged beside the grills.

The "Jungle BBQ" of Quanye Kitchen began in this fairy-tale atmosphere. It is Tongjing Hot Spring's carefully crafted Chongqing version of "Where Are We Going, Dad?", a rare return to rural life in the fast-paced city.

With delicious food before them, families worked together: fathers grilled the skewers with effort, mothers carefully prepared ingredients, and the children clumsily set the tableware, occasionally casting longing glances at the not-yet-cooked meat. This was a warm family serenade of nature, a beautiful late-spring picture at Quanye Kitchen.

Against the background sound of charcoal fire and sizzling oil, all negative energy dissipated, leaving only rising joy.

Day 1, 8:30 PM

Children raised in the bustling city rarely have the chance to romp freely in nature, and busy urban adults seldom find time to spend quality time with their kids.

Here and now, screens cannot seal their eyes, keyboards and mice cannot tie their hands. After eating their fill of good food, the children gathered in small groups and ran into the surrounding woods, starting the most primitive and joyful chase games.

The parents gathered in twos and threes, holding wine glasses and chatting, occasionally calling toward the direction of laughter in the woods, "Slow down!"

Work busyness and family chores became light topics to accompany drinks. Worries became lighter here, time slowed down, and memories quietly stretched longer.

As night deepened, lights of varying brightness flickered in the treetops, dotting the dark blue quiet sky. The children, like birds returning to their nests, came back to their parents. Some sat, some lay, their tender little faces looking up at the sky, trying to trace the shapes of the twelve constellations.

All gains are nothing compared to a starry night.

The Cold and Warm Nourishment of Tongjing Private Baths

Day 1, 9:00 PM

The night was still young, the stars still shone. After good food and drink, the private hot spring baths of Tongjing Hot Spring awaited. What was most anticipated was that Tongjing Hot Spring had also introduced its signature cold and hot springs into the bathing courtyard—the most delightful private gift of the evening.

When the children dipped their little hands into the pool, feeling the temperature difference between cold and hot springs, these little humans who had been wild all afternoon suddenly became lively again. They shouted excitedly, put on swimsuits, and slid into the pool like fish, instantly filling it with noise.

This is the only natural cold and hot spring in Chongqing, and its cold spring is especially precious.

Tongjing's cold spring bubbles up from deep in the gorge, a heavy calcium carbonate spring with a water temperature consistently below 20°C, clear and transparent, drinkable and suitable for bathing. The adjacent hot spring is a calcium sulfate magnesium spring with a source temperature of 52°C; by adjusting the inflow, the pool temperature is maintained between 39°C and 45°C. Alternating between the two springs stimulates blood circulation, beautifies the skin, activates cell function, boosts immunity, promotes metabolism, and has other remarkable effects.

Experienced hot spring enthusiasts usually immerse their entire bodies in the water, letting buoyancy lift them and enjoying the carefree feeling of floating. The cold and hot stimulation from head to toe rapidly activates metabolism, leaving skin firmer and smoother, the mind clear, the body and mind relaxed, and fatigue completely swept away.

But the children paid no attention to these benefits. Where were the angelic faces that had been looking at the sky half an hour ago? These little angels seemed to grow a pair of "devil wings" all of a sudden.

They swam in the 39°C hot spring, happily splashing the water and creating waves; with the courage of a newborn calf, they jumped into the 21°C cold spring, squealing from the shock; they laughed and splashed each other, sending water flying; they ran back and forth between the warmth of the hot spring and the coolness of the cold spring, enjoying this rare novel experience.

Crisp, childish laughter pierced the spring night, lingering over Tongjing Hot Spring. The lively, happy faces of the children filled the originally quiet hot spring courtyard with vibrant vitality.

As usual, when these "little devils" finally ran out of energy and fell sweetly asleep in the comfortable warm beds, the real leisure time for the parents truly began.

But unlike usual, tonight's moonlight seemed a bit more poetic.

Day 2, 9:00 AM

Nothing eventful during the night. In the morning, the children and parents got up early, and after a nice breakfast, they started the family excursion to find monkeys and enjoy food. Tongjing Hot Spring arranged the most anticipated itinerary for Quanye Kitchen: going to Tongjing Gorge to watch the "Hundred Monkeys Crossing the River."

Tongjing macaques hide deep in the gorge. To visit the monkey king, one must first take a boat. With a light drizzle, the sightseeing boat glided onto the calm surface of the Wentang River.

The rain mixed with silky spring breezes fell gently, adding a touch of elegant ink painting to the canyon. A layer of white mist hung over the water, showing tenderness alongside grandeur. The boat traveled through the mist as if in a fairyland—fine rain and faint mist, clouds and fog intertwined, full of charm.

The boat moved along the winding river. The path led to secluded places. As the scenery changed, the green mountains on the bank suddenly became as steep as if cut by knives and axes. The diagonal fault cliff was barren, resembling a giant beast half-lying in the water. On the stone wall was carved "Tongjing Gorge Macaques," and the place where a hundred monkeys cross the river was right before our eyes.

At a call, over a hundred macaques swam across the river, passing through the gorge. The children could no longer contain their excitement; they rushed to the viewing platform for a close encounter with the monkeys.

Watching the macaques dart among the cliffs and treetops, and then looking at the adorable kids running around on the shore, it was hard to tell who was more mischievous—the monkeys or the children.

Picking Fun at the Entrance of Ganying Cave

Day 2, 10:00 AM

The end of the canyon was the Ganying Cave scenic area. Everyone disembarked and walked toward Ganying Cave.

At the edge of the forest, surrounded by bamboo groves, Ganying Cave lay to the left of the bamboo grove. Water flowed out of the cave entrance, from an underground river that had been flowing for tens of thousands of years, carrying mist. Standing at the entrance, a cool breeze blew out, completely dispelling the fatigue of the hike.

The group took a small boat gently into the cave. Inside, the cave was full of strangely shaped rocks—stone waterfalls like frozen springs, and curious formations resembling snow lotuses, elephants, and camels. The lights and the dark river surface reflected each other, creating a magnificent scene inside the cave, like the starry Milky Way or a wonderful underwater world. This was a wonder shaped by time.

Not far from Ganying Cave, there was a vegetable patch cultivated by Tongjing Hot Spring staff. The ingredients for everyone's lunch would come from here.

Children born in cities rarely have contact with soil and crops. Even the common cabbage and green peppers on the dinner table now seemed like something out of a fairy tale. The children rushed into the vegetable patch, pulling out red carrots and digging up round potatoes, busily enjoying themselves.

Fathers, also childlike at heart, walked into the patch, rolled up their sleeves to help their kids carry cabbages. The delicate mothers murmured slightly reproachfully, "Just like a kid..." but with smiles on their faces.

Between the vegetables, joy and family affection flowed.

Day 2, 11:00 AM

Because it had rained a little that day, the normally calm stream had risen slightly. For safety, instead of kayaking out as originally planned, the participants chose to take a painted boat back to the departure dock.

Back at the dock, the children started their game—kayaking in the hot spring pool.

Kayaking in the hot spring pool was an original game created by Tongjing Hot Spring: a wide hot spring pool filled with warm water, colorful kayaks floating on the surface. Under the guidance of professional coaches, the children learned about different types of kayaks and the water currents each suits. With hands-on instruction, they picked up the paddles and tried again and again.

Some bold children even climbed onto paddleboards, imitating professional racers' postures while wobbling. Of course, there was no worry about falling into the water—at worst, they would just take another hot spring bath.

Day 2, 11:00 AM

While the children were having a blast, the parents were busy—back at the dock, with their picked vegetables and the main ingredients provided by Tongjing Hot Spring, they started the "Chef Competition."

Taste memories of childhood are hidden in the meals cooked by parents. Each parent looked like a master chef, skillfully handling their ingredients—pan-frying, stir-frying, steaming, deep-frying, boiling, braising, sautéing...

The fresh vegetables picked by parents and children, with dewdrops still on them, had breathed the air of nature, carrying the true aroma of vegetables and the taste of love. The "never-say-die" parents showed off their skills, and one by one, delicious dishes were born—each plate tempting.

When the parents fished the children out of the hot spring pool, the kids' faces were flushed with a healthy glow from the spring water. The table at Quanye Kitchen was filled with delicious dishes: braised carp, garlic chicken, twice-cooked pork, stir-fried lotus root slices, three-ingredient soup, special salad...

Everyone sat around the table. The initial restraint was soon broken when someone said, "Try my dish!" People started wandering among tables with their bowls. Deliciousness and joy were passed through the food; laughter blended with the steam from the hot springs, rising slowly.

Day 2, 1:30 PM

Tongjing Hot Spring also provided surprise prizes for this "Chef Competition." Besides hot spring tickets and kayaking tickets, the champion family received a valuable prize: a one-night stay in the Tongjing Hot Spring hot spring cottage, worth 3,000 RMB.

Looking at the smug smiles on the little ones' faces, it seemed that at that moment, their parents were the greatest heroes in their eyes.

After noisily watching the wild macaques, exploring the mysterious cave, kayaking in the hot spring pool to their hearts' content, enjoying a "hundred-family feast," privately savoring the nourishment of cold and hot springs, and feeling the April night breeze of Tongjing, the gathering ended in joy and satisfaction.

If life is a book, and each day is a small section, then the trip to Tongjing Hot Spring Quanye Kitchen should be one of the most beautiful chapters. In this chapter, there were no arguments, no annoying work, no life pressure, no gazes blocked by phones. Quanye Kitchen is the fairy tale kingdom created by Tongjing, and the companionship it brings is the most precious expression of family affection.

I believe that one day, when the children grow up, they will return to their parents, sit together, and laugh about childhood stories. They will talk about that short trip to Tongjing Hot Spring.

That joyful day and night, the parent-child gathering of eight families, short but colorful—that warm adventure carried out hand in hand, the young faces of parents and the crisp laughter of children will eventually condense into beautiful moments in memory, gathering into a warm current that warms this life.

That is the greatest prize Quanye Kitchen offers.