Complete Guide to the 'Three Red Rock' Scenic Area (Part 1): Embracing the Most Precious Urban Spirit
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A straight-line walk from Chongqing People's Auditorium to the Chongqing Soong Ching Ling Memorial takes only about half an hour, but walking through it feels like stepping into another century.
This is not just a movement in space; it's more like a shift in time. The Great Hall, the Three Gorges Museum, Yi Garden, the Exhibition Hall of the History of China's Democratic Parties, Zhongshan Fourth Road, the Parachute Tower, the Soong Ching Ling Memorial... These names, strung together by spatial movement, record the temperature of time.
For any Chongqing native, these are their proudest glories belonging to the city they live in; for outsiders, they are like legends stepping out of history books and placed before them. This is the foundation of Chongqing's urban character, its most precious texture, and a chapter as magnificent as an epic. The 'Three Red Rock' scenic area connects these locations.
The 'Three Red Rock' scenic area mainly consists of revolutionary sites such as Hongyan Village, Zengjiayan, and Hutou Rock. It covers about 5.23 square kilometers across three major districts: Hongyanzui-Hutouyan-Hualong Lake, Liziba-Eling-Fotuguan-International Village, and Zhongshan 4th Road-Great Hall-Datianwan-Cultural Palace. This is the birthplace of the Red Rock Spirit, with important historical significance and great contemporary value. Today, we set out in two groups to walk these 'Three Red Rock' routes, providing a travel itinerary, on-the-ground tips, and everything you want to know for those who truly love this city. Based on the regions, the guide for the entire 'Three Red Rock' scenic area is divided into two parts. Part one covers the Zhongshan 4th Road-Great Hall-Datianwan-Cultural Palace area; part two involves the Hongyanzui-Hutouyan-Hualong Lake and Liziba-Eling-Fotuguan-International Village areas. If you are a visitor from outside Chongqing, these two articles are a must-read—after all, they encompass the many highlights of dining, accommodation, travel, sightseeing, shopping, and entertainment along this route.
Traveling Through Chongqing's Urban Foundation
Time: 9:00 AM Route: Chongqing People's Auditorium → Three Gorges Museum → Yi Garden → Special Garden·Exhibition Hall of the History of China's Democratic Parties
Chongqing mornings have a strong aesthetic appeal. The thin mist usually clears around 9:30. When the morning sun begins to shine over the city, it's the perfect time for those walking this route to step inside. Our journey starts at Chongqing People's Auditorium, an iconic building that provides a strong sense of starting point for this trip.
Chongqing People's Auditorium is one of Chongqing's most iconic buildings. Construction began in 1951 in the early days of the People's Republic and was completed in 1954. It consists of the central auditorium and four wings (east, south, north), covering a total area of 66,000 square meters.
For those seeing it for the first time, Chongqing People's Auditorium is undeniably impressive: architectural features from the Ming and Qing dynasties, a traditional symmetrical layout along a central axis, complemented by colonnaded wings, and finished with towers. The facade proportions are balanced. The three-tiered dome of the central auditorium is supported by large red columns and green glazed tiles. The golden 'top' in the center of the auditorium was designed in reference to the 'Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests' at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. The entire auditorium gives a sense of spiritual cohesion and intimidation, representing the highest level of architectural hierarchy.
The architectural and cultural circles have given particularly apt evaluations of the Chongqing Auditorium. It has been rated as one of the 'Top Ten Classic Buildings of Asia in the 20th Century'. Mr. Liang Sicheng praised it as 'the most typical work of Chinese classical architecture in the 1950s that marked an epoch.' In 1987, the Royal Institute of British Architects and the University of London included 43 projects built after the founding of the People's Republic of China in their 'World Architecture History'. Chongqing People's Auditorium was among them, ranking second.
In May 2013, Chongqing People's Auditorium was listed by the State Council as one of the 'Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units'. In September 2016, it was also selected for the 'First Batch of China's 20th Century Architectural Heritage' list.
When you step into the main hall, with a clear height of 55 meters, it's easy to feel small, due to the sense of space and historical weight. Over the past nearly 70 years, it has hosted all important Chongqing party congresses, people's congresses, political consultative conferences, the unveiling ceremony for the municipality's direct administration, and international conferences. In this sense, the Auditorium has always witnessed Chongqing's development and glory.
Travel Tips:
Admission: 8 yuan/person
Opening hours: 08:00-18:00 daily
Public transport: Take buses 112, 421, 145, 132, 161, 881, 262 and get off at Dali Tang (Great Hall) stop.
Nearby food: Yi Zhi Shao Ji Gong (a pot of rooster), Fuzhuang Du Zi Ti Hua Ji (stuffed pig trotter and chicken flower), Yi Pin Xiang Sichuan Cuisine, Chongqing Old Brand Luo's Luo Fei Yu (tilapia), Shi Ye Qiao Jiao Niu Rou (beef), Lao Hu Zao Qing Wa Huo Guo (frog hotpot)...
Nearby hotels: Chongqing Dali Tang Hotel, Plaza Hotel, Ruida Hotel, Jinyang Holiday Hotel...
The Three Gorges Museum, also known as Chongqing Museum, is one of the first batch of national first-class museums and a national-level museum jointly built by the central and local governments. It is separated from the People's Auditorium by only a square; it takes about 3 minutes to walk from the Auditorium to the Three Gorges Museum.
Its history is similar to the People's Auditorium, both established in the early days of the People's Republic. It was originally the Southwest Museum, established in March 1951, renamed Chongqing Museum in June 1955. In 2000, to undertake the rescue, display, and research of a large number of precious cultural relics from the Three Gorges cultural relic protection project, the State Council approved the establishment of the Chongqing China Three Gorges Museum, also using the name 'Chongqing Museum'. Its new building officially opened to the public on June 18, 2005.
The museum now holds 114,000 pieces/sets (279,000 items) in its collection. Among them are treasures of important historical and artistic value: over 500 Sichuan Paleolithic artifacts, over 1,000 Ba-Shu cultural relics, over 100 Han Dynasty stone reliefs and bricks, over 4,000 ceramics from famous kilns throughout Chinese history, and over 5,000 famous calligraphy and paintings since the Song and Yuan dynasties. It also houses relics and manuscripts of historical figures such as Ming Yuzhen, Zhang Xianzhong, Qin Liangyu, and Zou Rong, as well as works by painters like Qi Baishi, Zhang Daqian, Xu Beihong, Zhu Xuanxian, and Su Baozhen. There are about 30,000 modern and contemporary relics. The museum's exhibitions are organized around themes such as 'Magnificent Three Gorges', 'Ancient Ba-Yu', 'War of Resistance Years', and 'Chongqing: The City's Path', tracing and presenting the culture of the Three Gorges and Chongqing's history.
One exhibit is a celadon piece from the Goryeo Dynasty, skillfully designed, finely crafted, and with a novel shape and elegant style, imitating Chinese Yue ware celadon. Donated by Li Chuli in 1983, it is now in the collection of the Chongqing China Three Gorges Museum.
The Three Gorges Museum is best known for its top ten treasures, which hold significant positions in Chinese history and even human history. These are all first-class national cultural relics, well-known to the public. They were selected by cultural relic experts from 170,000 exhibits, and then voted by all Chongqing citizens as the top ten artifacts. They include the Wuyang Han Que (Han dynasty gate tower), the 2-million-year-old 'Wushan Man' mandible fossil, the Bird-shaped Zun (bronze vessel), the Seal of the Pian Jiangjun (partial general), Tang Yin's copy of 'Han Xizai's Night Banquet', the Sanyang Zun (three-ram vessel), the He Chaozong Guanyin statue, Jiang Zhujun martyr's suicide note, the Hu Niu Chun Yu (tiger-shaped bronze drum), and the Dongjing Cloud Stele of the Eastern Han Dynasty.
Travel Tips:
Admission: Free
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 09:00-17:00
Public transport: Take buses 112, 421, 145, 132, 161, 881, 262 and get off at Dali Tang stop.
Nearby shopping: The Three Gorges Cultural and Creative shop has many Chongqing-specific cultural and creative products, with varying prices; it's a good place to choose souvenirs.
Relaxation: Having a coffee at the Three Gorges Museum café is also a nice option.
It takes about ten minutes to walk from the Three Gorges Museum to the Yi Garden Exhibition Hall. Yi Garden sits quietly beside a small alley at the head of the Niujiaotuo Yuao Bridge, now known as Jiaxi Village. With its stone porch, Western-style windows and doors, pointed roof, and flowing stone steps in front, this Gothic-style villa built of brick and stone in the 1930s was named after Song Ziwen's wife, Zhang Leyi, and is also known as 'Song Ziwen's Mansion'.
The original owner of Yi Garden was Mr. Hu Guangbiao, a famous industrialist and entrepreneur of the Republican era. In 1939, when the national government moved its capital to Chongqing, he gave up the courtyard for Song Ziwen's family to live in. As one of the venues for the Chongqing Negotiations, Yi Garden witnessed this major historical event.
On December 22, 1945, US General George C. Marshall, as President Truman's special envoy, came to China to mediate the conflict between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party on behalf of the US government. He stayed at Song Ziwen's official residence—Yi Garden. In January 1946, Zhou Enlai and Zhang Qun signed the first 'Agreement on Ceasing Military Conflict' between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party at Yi Garden.
The building materials and facilities of Yi Garden are quite refined. Blue stone strips and brick-wood structures are tightly combined. All floors are inlaid with nanmu borders, the bathrooms are tiled with mosaic, and each room is equipped with metal radiators.
In the basement of the villa, there is a large cylindrical boiler about one person high, connected by pipes to the radiators in every room. This typical design for cold regions is more common in Northern Europe or Northeast China. Among Chongqing's old buildings, Yi Garden was the only one to adopt such a design.
After 1949, Yi Garden served as a guesthouse for government agencies. From the 1970s to 2011, it was used as the office building of the Shangqingsi Police Station. Yi Garden is a national key cultural relic protection unit and is open to the public for free.
Travel Tips:
Admission: Free
Opening hours: 09:00-17:00 (closed on Mondays)
Public transport: Take buses 108, 112, 114, 118, 124, 138, 145, 152 (circular), 181, 322, 401, 411, 421, 461, 465, 601, 602, 605, 612, 615, 818, 829, 872, 881 and get off at Shangqingsi stop. Or take Metro Line 2/3 and get off at Niujiaotuo station.
From Yi Garden Exhibition Hall, it's only about a ten-minute walk to the Exhibition Hall of the History of China's Democratic Parties. This exhibition hall was built on the site of the former 'Special Garden'. The Special Garden was the former residence of Xian Ying, a famous patriotic democratic figure during the War of Resistance. Because Xian Ying's courtesy name was 'Tesheng', it was also called the Special Garden (Te Yuan).
In 1941, the China Democratic League was founded at the Special Garden and later renamed the China Democratic League. When Chairman Mao went to Chongqing for negotiations, he visited the Special Garden three times, holding long talks with the then leaders of the Democratic League, the famous patriotic democratic figures Zhang Lan and Xian Ying, to discuss national affairs.
In October 1945, the Three People's Principles Comrades Association was also founded at the Special Garden, which became one of the predecessors of the later Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang. To commemorate the Special Garden's contributions to the revolutionary cause, Dong Biwu proposed giving it the title 'Home of Democracy'. Later, Feng Yuxiang personally inscribed a plaque with the words 'Home of Democracy' for it.
When Chairman Mao attended Xian Ying's 60th birthday banquet, he saw the four characters 'Home of Democracy' at the gate of the Special Garden and praised: 'Mr. Dong coined the name, General Feng wrote the calligraphy, and Elder Biao contributed the couplet—truly three unique elements!'.
In March 2004, the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee decided to establish the first 'Traditional Education Base of the Chinese United Front' in Chongqing, building a united front propaganda and education network with the 'Special Garden·Exhibition Hall of the History of China's Democratic Parties' as the flagship. This is the only comprehensive exhibition hall in China that fully reflects the system of multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China. In May 2013, the Special Garden was announced as a national key cultural relic protection unit.
Travel Tips:
Admission: Free
Opening hours: 09:00-17:00, closed on Mondays
Public transport: Same as Yi Garden.
Relaxation: Fantaise Coffee Diary, Auburn Coffee
Nearby food: Mian Mian, Qiu Er Guan, Longshen Bao Zai Fan, Lao Yao Mian, La Li Fang Chuan Chuan
Nearby hotels: Yilai Hotel
Long-Lasting Noon Flavors
Time: 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Leaving the Exhibition Hall of the History of Democratic Parties, it's already noon. After a morning of walking and sightseeing, you must be tired and hungry? Fortunately, right beside you is a paradise of food.
Walking out of the Exhibition Hall, in less than three minutes, you'll enter Zhongshan Fourth Road and see Jiuyuan Baozi.
Jiuyuan Baozi originated in 1931 and enjoys honors such as China Famous Snack, Chongqing Old Brand, Chongqing Intangible Cultural Heritage, one of China's Top Ten Baozi Famous Shops, and China's Characteristic Baozi. It is a well-known eatery among old Chongqing locals.
In the 1930s, the owner of Jiuyuan was Su Zejiu. Su was originally a chief of staff under Yu Biwei of Sun Yat-sen's revolutionary army. After retiring, he opened a restaurant with financial support of 2,000 silver dollars from Gongsun Changzhi, who ran a calligraphy and painting shop. Gongsun Changzhi, using the third character of Su Zejiu's name, 'Jiu' (meaning nine), named the restaurant 'Jiuyuan' (Nine Garden), hoping for 'long-lasting' (a homophone of 'jiu' meaning wine/nine). His baozi were made with top-quality ingredients; he only made 500 portions a day, opening at 10 in the morning and selling until sold out. At that time, it was like 'Luoyang paper expensive'—people rushed to try them.
In 2016, Jiuyuan Baozi reopened on Zhongshan Fourth Road in Chongqing, and on the first day, there were huge queues. The baozi have a soft and fluffy skin, the filling uses fresh front pork of the day, with a savory and slightly sweet sauce. Once you bite into it, a sense of richness emerges. The shop also offers many Chongqing snacks such as youcha (fried dough tea), spicy long beans, stone-ground soy milk, etc., all of excellent taste.
Travel Tips:
Average cost per person: 20-50 yuan
If you think lunch should have more ceremony, then continue along Zhongshan Fourth Road for another five minutes, and you'll see a very authentic Chinese restaurant—Xiyangyang Restaurant. Although the name is unremarkable, for those familiar with it, this place is quite tempting.
This is an old restaurant that has been welcoming guests for nearly 20 years. Its decoration is very ordinary, and the dishes are in the style of home-style cooking. The menu doesn't even have pictures, so ordering relies entirely on imagination. But it must be said that there are almost no pitfalls.
The steamed spare ribs with millet is their signature dish. Soft, sticky millet wraps large pieces of spare ribs, laid on sweet old pumpkin. All ingredients retain their original flavor but merge perfectly. The secret soy sauce chicken has the most traditional taste, using black chicken and a specially-made soy sauce. The scallion white, drizzled with hot oil, blends with the chicken and soy sauce, giving off a tempting aroma. For vegetables, many regulars choose sesame paste lettuce; fresh lettuce is mixed with sesame paste and then stirred evenly. When eaten, you can fully appreciate the crispness of the lettuce and the sweetness of the sesame paste.
Travel Tips:
Average cost per person: 30-60 yuan
After lunch, feeling a bit tired, we want to find a place to rest briefly. You can go to the Zhongshan Industrial Park, which is a two-minute walk from Xiyangyang Restaurant. Auburn Coffee there naturally becomes the first choice.
Auburn is an Australian chain brand. Its name is a combination of the founders' names, 'Oliver' and 'Brown'. The overall color scheme of the shop is mainly olive green and deep brown. The café has books, flower arrangements, and cultural and creative products. Located at the core of the 'most beautiful street', it's usually full.
Walking in, a dazzling array of European-style vintage furniture immediately catches the eye: finely carved bookshelves, thick, textured leather sofas, vintage wall lamps, and solid wood coffee tables placed around the shop in a well-arranged manner. Most of these furnishings come from the heart of Europe, having crossed the ocean. The café, by chance, cooperated with the furniture store 'European Old Goods', always committed to promoting European vintage culture in Yuzhong District and finding customers interested in this niche culture.
After a lazy lunch, a cup of coffee and a half-hour break will surely relieve your walking fatigue. There is also a pastry shop nearby; the pastries are quite good. Take some 'dry rations' with you and let's continue our journey.
Travel Tips:
Average cost per person: around 40 yuan
Strolling Through the Historical and Cultural Corridor of Yuzhong
Time: 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Route: Zhongshan Fourth Road — Zhou Gong’s Mansion — Zengjiayan Academy — Gui Garden — Parachute Tower — Soong Ching Ling Former Residence Exhibition Hall — Hilton Hotel
Actually, since noon, we have been wandering along Zhongshan Fourth Road. This is a pleasant and comfortable road, known as 'Chongqing's most beautiful street.' It is 800 meters long, scattered with Zhou Gong’s Mansion, Dai Gong’s Mansion, Gui Garden, etc.
Zhongshan Fourth Road is also a street of War of Resistance culture, representing Chongqing's past and present, and holds a non-negligible position in the city. Along the street are a series of Republican-style buildings: blue brick walls with white lime pointing, one- or two-story storefronts standing beside the sidewalk, making one feel as if returning to a slower time.
The trees on both sides of the street are towering, their canopies covering half the road, providing dense shade and coolness even in summer. The final scene of the movie 'Better Days' was shot here. The grown-up Xiao Bei still watches over Chen Nian from behind, adding a touch of warmth to the somewhat oppressive film.
By the wall of the municipal party committee entrance, many young people come to take photos. Several decades-old banyan trees (huangjueshu) have grown roots that strongly extend from the wall, gripping tenaciously. Some aerial roots extend from the main roots, gradually spreading outward, displaying their tenacious vitality and vigor.
Opposite the roots is the Wangji Art Museum, which holds various exhibitions from time to time, free of charge. Often, parents with children file in, while some artistic youths who have finished viewing the exhibitions walk out, giving the whole street a lively atmosphere.
At the eastern end of Zhongshan Fourth Road is the former site of the Eighth Route Army Office in Chongqing and one of the offices of the Southern Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. It was also where Premier Zhou Enlai once lived.
In early 1939, the housing for the Southern Bureau of the CPC Central Committee was very tight. To facilitate meetings with friends and contacts from all walks of life, Deng Yingchao, wife of Zhou Enlai (then Secretary of the Southern Bureau), rented the entire first and third floors and three rooms on the east side of the second floor of No. 50 Zengjiayan in the official capacity of Zhou Enlai as the Deputy Minister of the Political Department of the National Government's Military Commission, and it was called 'Zhou Gong’s Mansion' (Zhou Enlai's Mansion).
As a main office of the Southern Bureau within the city, the Southern Bureau operated here for eight years, leading the people in the Kuomintang-controlled areas in an arduous and heroic struggle for resistance against Japan and national salvation. The military group, cultural group, women's group, foreign affairs group, and party groups of the Southern Bureau were all set up here.
This is a small building with brick-wood mixed structure, facing south. It combines Chinese and Western architectural styles with eclectic features. The building is in a bluish-grey tone, built against the rock, rising by the river, in a 'hui' (return) shape. The internal structure of the small building is as complex as a maze. There is a courtyard in the center, ancient and mysterious. In the courtyard of Zhou Gong’s Mansion, there is a secret passage leading to an air-raid shelter that goes straight to the Jialing River.
One can imagine that in the last century, there were high-ranking Kuomintang officials inside the gate and agents of the Military Statistics Bureau outside the gate. In such a dangerous and complex environment, leaders of the Southern Bureau such as Zhou Enlai, Dong Biwu, and Ye Jianying navigated with calm composure, maneuvering right under the enemy's noses, effectively leading the struggle in the Kuomintang-controlled areas and the anti-Japanese national united front, showing the great revolutionary spirit and high art of struggle of the Communist Party.
Travel Tips:
Admission: Free
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday 9:00-19:00 (last entry at 18:30)
Public transport: Take buses 145, 152, 181, 262, 322, 338, 421, 829, 862, 881 and get off at Dali Tang stop; or take buses 108, 120, 125, 319, 606, 618, 809 and get off at Niujiaotuo Metro stop; or take buses 114, 124, 152, 401, 411, 421, 461, 465, 0491, 601, 818, 829 and get off at Shangqingsi stop; or take Metro Line 2 and get off at Zengjiayan station.
Relaxation: Zengjiayan Academy coffee and tea, Huida Lemon Life Museum
Nearby food: Guliguo Yu Zhou, Xiyangyang, Wudu Old Hotpot
Nearby hotels: Wudu Hotel
The Academy is the former site of the National Government Police Station, a 'Yuzhong District Cultural Relics Protection Unit', next to Zhou Gong's Mansion, with a total area of about 1,300 square meters.
'The style and demeanor of the Republic of China' is a trend of urban nostalgia in recent years, one of the most important resources and themes for contemporary cultural and creative industries.
Zengjiayan Academy follows this style, integrating books, information inquiry, cultural exhibitions, thematic activities, cultural salons, leisure and entertainment, coffee and light meals, etc., into a comprehensive urban 'cultural living room'. It has now become a new 'cultural business card' of Yuzhong and Chongqing.
Many people coming along Zhongshan Fourth Road stop here for coffee or fruit tea, watching the traffic on the Zengjiayan Bridge and the riverside scenery. When the spring breeze blows, it feels especially comforting.
Travel Tips:
Average cost per person: 40-100 yuan
Also on Zhongshan Fourth Road, just a two-minute walk from Zhou Gong's Mansion, is the famous Gui Garden in Chinese revolutionary history.
Gui Garden is an independent small courtyard with its gate facing the street. In 1939, General Zhang Zhizhong of the Kuomintang rented it. Because Zhang Zhizhong's father was named 'Gui Zheng', and when he moved in, Zhang Zhizhong personally planted osmanthus trees (gui) and named the courtyard 'Gui Garden'.
In August 1945, after China's victory in the War of Resistance, there was a crisis of civil war. At Chiang Kai-shek's invitation, Mao Zedong led the CPC delegation from Yan'an to Chongqing. Zhang Zhizhong provided Gui Garden as a place for Mao to receive guests and work. During the 43-day negotiations, Mao and Zhou Enlai met with people from all walks of life here many times.
On the afternoon of October 10, 1945, at 6:00 PM, the Kuomintang and the Communist Party signed the famous 'Double Ten Agreement' at Gui Garden. Gui Garden became an important witness to the KMT-CPC negotiations.
Gui Garden covers an area of 700 square meters. The main building is of brick-wood structure. On the first floor, the left side is a reception room and the right side is a dining room. Here, Comrades Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai once hosted dinners for heads of foreign missions in China and friends from various circles at home and abroad.
The second floor was where Comrades Mao and Zhou worked and rested. It displays photos of their activities during the Chongqing negotiations, as well as relevant reports from that time in the 'Xinhua Daily' and 'Liberation Daily'.
Travel Tips:
Admission: Free
Opening hours: 9:00-19:00
Public transport: Take buses 108, 112, 114, 118, 124, 138, 145, 152 (circular), 181, 322, 401, 411, 421, 461, 465, 601, 602, 605, 612, 615, 818, 829, 872, 881 and get off at Shangqingsi; or take buses 145, 152, 181, 262, 322, 338, 829, 862, 881 and get off at Xue Tian Wan; or take Metro Line 3 and get off at Niujiaotuo.
Relaxation: Zengjiayan Academy coffee and tea, Huida Lemon Life Museum, Miku Time
Nearby food: Guliguo Yu Zhou, Xiyangyang, Wudu Old Hotpot, Yin Erjie Traditional Sichuan Cuisine
Nearby hotels: Wudu Hotel
Leaving Zhongshan Fourth Road, take a taxi for about five minutes to reach the Lianglukou Parachute Tower. The Parachute Tower was built in 1942, when the national government moved its capital to Chongqing, to train the air force, promote aviation construction, and develop national sports.
It was the first parachute tower in China and even in Asia at that time. The investment was as high as 500,000 yuan. It was designed by the Shanghai Kinnear Engineering Company, under the guidance of Mr. Yang Tingbao, a famous Chinese architect and then member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and built by the Tao Fuji Construction Company.
The Parachute Tower is a reinforced concrete structure, conical in shape. The tower has a total height of 38 meters, an actual jump height of 28 meters, a height of 35 meters from the ground to the steel arm, a top diameter of 1.52 meters, a bottom diameter of 3.35 meters, and a lower circumference of 13 meters. When the three jump steel frames spread outward, it looks like a steel giant embracing the blue sky, very spectacular.
At that time, the height and fine building materials of the parachute tower in the provisional capital could rival the few parachute towers in the world. After the liberation, with the cordial concern of Comrade He Long, Chongqing's parachute sport flourished. In 1954, the Chongqing Parachute School was established at Datianwan Stadium, conducting aviation parachuting activities, cultivating and producing a group of excellent parachute athletes. In September 2000, the Parachute Tower was declared a municipal-level cultural relic protection unit by the Chongqing Municipal People's Government.
Travel Tips:
Admission: Not open to the interior; can be viewed and photographed from a distance.
Public transport: Take buses 114, 118, 124, 138, 152, 268, 403, 411, 413, 416, 421, 436, 461, 462, 465, 466, 476, 601, 615, 818, 819, 829, 871, 873 and get off at Lianglukou; or take buses 210, 215, 219, 261, 262, 318, 501, 503, 808 and get off at Niujiaotuo Overpass; or take Metro Line 1/3 and get off at Lianglukou.
Relaxation: Nowhere Café & Hostel, Baihuo Café
Nearby food: Gui Baozi, Chen Youliang Spicy Chicken, Bao Zang Full
Nearby hotels: Chongqing Hilton Hotel, Wudu Hotel, Yujian River View Hotel, Tianyou Grand Hotel, etc.
From the Parachute Tower, walk down along the statue of He Long and turn right. About five minutes on foot brings you to the Chongqing Soong Ching Ling Memorial.
This memorial is the former residence of Soong Ching Ling during the War of Resistance (1942-1945) and the former site of the headquarters of the China Defense League. It covers an area of 1,200 square meters, with a building area of 760 square meters, consisting of a main building, a rear building, and air-raid shelters.
On December 8, 1941, after the Pacific War broke out, the Japanese occupied Hong Kong. On December 10, with the help of Liao Chengzhi and other Communist Party members, Soong Ching Ling came from Hong Kong to Chongqing. Her main purpose in coming to Chongqing was to rebuild the 'China Defense League'. Having no housing in Chongqing, she had to temporarily stay at the home of her eldest sister, Soong Ai-ling, whose husband was the Kuomintang Finance Minister H.H. Kung (Kong Xiangxi).
At the Kong family, every move Soong Ching Ling made was monitored by the Kong family servants. The situation was dangerous, and she could not carry out the work of the Defense League at all. She asked someone to find new housing. With the help of her younger brother T.V. Soong (Song Ziwen), she moved into No. 3 Lianglukou New Village (now No. 5 Lianglukou New Village). This is the origin of the current Chongqing Soong Ching Ling Memorial.
Here, Soong Ching Ling used her high international prestige to break through the Kuomintang's various blockades, constantly writing to foreign contacts, reporting the true situation of the Chinese people's resistance against Japan, and seeking international aid.
She actively organized fundraising, relieved refugees, wounded soldiers, and children, organized supplies, continuously channeled large amounts of funds, medicines, medical equipment, food supplies, and other relief materials through various channels to the people in the anti-Japanese base areas led by the Communist Party, actively introduced and sent foreign doctors to work in the anti-Japanese base areas, and made outstanding contributions to supporting the Chinese people's War of Resistance against Japan.
Now, it is a national key cultural relic protection unit, a national-level Anti-Japanese War memorial facility/site, a history education base of the China Welfare Institute, a demonstration base of the 'Young Ambassador Program' of the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation, a Chongqing patriotism education base, a cross-strait exchange base, a Chongqing study tour demonstration base, and a national AA-level tourist attraction. It features exhibitions of Soong Ching Ling and the China Defense League artifacts and documents, restored furnishings, air-raid shelters, screening rooms, and social education interactive rooms.
In recent years, the Chongqing Soong Ching Ling Memorial has carried out a series of public welfare activities around the 'Young Ambassador Program' project, continuously passing on the lofty sentiments of the great Soong Ching Ling's care for women, children, and youth through various social forces.
Travel Tips:
Admission: 2 yuan
Opening hours: 9:00-17:00 (ticket sales stop at 16:00, closed on Mondays)
Public transport: Take buses 114, 118, 124, 138, 152, 268, 403, 411, 413, 416, 421, 436, 461, 462, 465, 466, 476, 601, 615, 818, 819, 829, 871, 873 and get off at Lianglukou; or take Metro Line 1/3 and get off at Lianglukou.
Relaxation: Nowhere Café, Baihuo Café
Nearby food: Gui Baozi, Chen Youliang Spicy Chicken, Bao Zang Full
Nearby hotels: Chongqing Hilton Hotel, Wudu Hotel, Yujian River View Hotel
Chongqing Nights Belong to Hotpot
Time: 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Chongqing's night belongs to hotpot—this sentence feels especially sincere after a full day of walking. And this area alone has many renowned and recommended hotpot restaurants, each with different characteristics.
After finishing the visit to the Soong Ching Ling Former Residence Exhibition Hall, go back to the sidewalk and walk down about 200 meters to see Dongting Hotpot.
Dongting Hotpot is located in a bomb shelter on Lianglukou. The entrance is not big, but inside it's a different world—the space inside is much larger than the entrance. Tables of hotpot are neatly placed in the cave; it's like a meeting of hotpots, though that's not quite the right metaphor.
More out-of-towners come here to eat hotpot, so their yuanyang (mandarin duck) pot has an advantage. The tripe is freshly supplied every day. After being blanched in the richly beef-fat fragrant broth 'seven up and eight down,' it becomes crispy, tender, and melts in your mouth. The crispy pork is made from fresh pork belly, not big but especially fragrant and crispy. The lesser-known fish (haomaoyu) that outsiders rarely use for hotpot, once cooked in the red soup, yields tender fish meat that is surprisingly amazing.
Travel Tips:
Average cost per person: 80-120 yuan
Comparatively, Xiaoyu Hotpot is a bit farther. At Lianglukou, you need to take a taxi, but it's only about a 5-minute drive to Xiaoyu Hotpot on the middle section of Pipashan.
This is an old restaurant that has been open for over 20 years. Back then, Zhang Ping and his wife Xiong Xiaoyu opened a malatang (spicy skewer) shop on Pipashan Main Street in Chongqing, then changed it into a small shop with four tables—Xiaoyu Hotpot, the name taken from the homophone of his wife's name, Xiong Xiaoyu.
After being featured on 'A Bite of China 2', Xiaoyu Hotpot became famous. Out-of-towners who come to Chongqing to check in at hotpot restaurants make this their top choice.
Those who have eaten at Xiaoyu Hotpot say that not only is the broth delicious, but the ingredients are also fresh and tasty: the goose intestines are 'crispy' in one word, 'refreshing' in two, 'elastic' in three, and 'bashi de ban' (very satisfying) in four. The pig's yellow throat (aorta) is the freshest; it can be eaten after cooking for no more than 15 seconds, also fresh, crispy, and refreshing. Even tastier is the pig kidney slice; it has no fishy smell at all, is sliced as thin as paper, taken out of the pot immediately, and dipped in dried chili powder—one bite, and it's heaven.
Travel Tips:
Average cost per person: 120-200 yuan
Xiaoyu Hotpot is on Pipashan Main Street, while Pipashan Panda Hotpot is on Pipashan Back Street. They seem to be on different streets, but walking distance between them is no more than 5 minutes.
Compared to the previous two hotpot restaurants, the dining environment at Pipashan Panda Hotpot is much better. This is a building rebuilt on the foundation of an original residential building.
It adopts the architectural style of eastern Sichuan residences, with relatively tasteful decoration. It stands out conspicuously among the mottled streets of Pipashan Back Street.
As for the taste and dishes of the hotpot, they are all above average—'above average' here is measured by the standards of Chongqing locals. Panda Hotpot's specialty dishes include Panda Meat Slices, Fish Roe Shrimp Balls, Tender Beef, Wulong Sweet Potato Noodles, and they also give free ice tangyuan. For out-of-town tourists who find the spicy and numbing flavors too intense, the ice tangyuan might be the superhero that saves their mouths.
Travel Tips:
Average cost per person: 120-200 yuan
After a hearty meal, no matter which of the above three hotpot restaurants you finish dinner at, the Chongqing Hilton Hotel is the best place to stay.
The hotel is right by the roadside at Lianglukou, between the Soong Ching Ling Former Residence Exhibition Hall and Dongting Hotpot. As a brand of a world-renowned hotel management company, the price of Chongqing Hilton is not particularly expensive. Basically, rooms for three or four hundred yuan score well on service, transportation, and meals.
Other Recommendations:
Pang Mei Noodle Shop: In the morning, have a bowl of noodles from Pang Mei. You decide whether it's heavy red (more chili) or heavy green (more vegetables).
Ghost Baozi: These baozi, made famous on Douyin and appearing only late at night, are sold at a stall next to the He Long statue. If you're patient, queue up and try them; it's also a great experience for a night tour of Chongqing.
Jiankang Road - Around the Blood Bank: Randomly pick Dumenchong Grilled Fish or He Wangshi Chuan Chuan—these are old shops that locals have been eating at for decades. The taste is worry-free; you can just close your eyes and pick up your chopsticks.
Crown Escalator: Nearby is the second longest escalator in Asia, the first mountain-climbing escalator in China, and the heartbeat accelerator of the mountain city. It gives a deep appreciation of Chongqing's 8D magical beauty, said to have a slimming effect. Four yuan for a round trip, worth trying.
Erchang Creative Park: If you want to take a walk after dinner, you can go to the shooting location of the movie 'I Belonged to You' (From Your Whole World) and take photos. There's no shortage of food, drink, entertainment, and sightseeing.
Hotel Information: Tianyou Grand Hotel, No. 88 Eling Park Hotel, Smile Travel Hostel, Yilian Yilian Designer Hotel, Bird Collection Youth Hostel, etc., with prices starting from about 200 yuan, all very cost-effective.
