Chongqing Urban Renewal | Repair, Expectation, Aspiration: Lianglukou Starts a "New" Journey
Since 2021, the major renovations of Datianwan Stadium and the Cultural Palace at Lianglukou have been two key projects in Chongqing.
Even setting aside the long-time residents living there, as mere inhabitants of Chongqing, our interest is immensely piqued. Every Chongqing native wants to see these old places rejuvenated, to see them reconnect with us anew.
On December 30, 2022, Datianwan Stadium reopened to the public. It holds many past orders and aesthetics, as well as many memories and sentiments. This time, it will embrace its new glory. On this matter, you can always trust Lianglukou—this future most beautiful area of Chongqing is gradually unveiling itself.
The spruced-up Datianwan Stadium Photo by You Like
On the必经 route from Guanyinqiao to Jiefangbei, the large roundabout linking everything at Lianglukou was enclosed by various barriers for over a year. The well-known Datianwan Stadium and Chongqing Working People's Cultural Palace, after serving Chongqing for about 70 years, underwent their biggest comprehensive upgrade.
Old photo of Datianwan Stadium
Image from "A Century of Shangqingsi"
Chongqing Working People's Cultural Palace before renovation
Photo by You Like
For Lianglukou, this year's renovation was of great significance. How significant? It's almost comparable to the new construction 70 years ago.
The two major public venues supported 70% of the collective memory of Lianglukou after the founding of New China. Because they are intimately connected to so many people, every construction has drawn widespread attention.
In 1950, Old Yang, a resident of Lianglukou, could already remember things. That winter, his parents and several uncles often spent weekends, days off, or even weekdays bringing their own baskets and carrying poles to a large construction site for voluntary labor.
Hand-drawn map of Datianwan Stadium
Image from "A Century of Shangqingsi"
The construction site back then had no barriers or excavators. People lined up, working slowly but orderly. Later data confirmed people's memory: According to statistics, from November 1950 to April 1951, 132,000 people participated in voluntary labor for the construction of Datianwan Stadium. With their hands, they pushed the hill beside the parachute tower flat and filled the deep gully of Datianwan. By mid-April 1951, when the voluntary labor ended, the deep gully of Datianwan was leveled.
Model of Datianwan Stadium
Image from "A Century of Shangqingsi"
Almost simultaneously with the construction of Datianwan Stadium, the foundation of the Chongqing Working People's Cultural Palace across the street was laid. On July 1, 1951, the Cultural Palace held a groundbreaking ceremony. Then-mayor of Chongqing, Cao Diqiu, attended and allocated a special fund of 1.3 million yuan—that's 1.3 million yuan 70 years ago!
On July 1, 1951, at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Cultural Palace,
Mayor Cao Diqiu (second from right) attends
Image from the official website of Chongqing Working People's Cultural Palace
Deng Xiaoping was very concerned about the construction of the Cultural Palace. He meticulously inquired about every aspect, from site selection and design to construction, and visited the construction site several times. On May Day in 1952, when Deng Xiaoping inspected the site, accompanied by Mayor Cao Diqiu, the mayor asked him to write the name of the Cultural Palace. Deng Xiaoping took time to repeatedly write the name, producing a total of 36 characters, from which he selected his most satisfactory 10: "Chongqing Working People's Cultural Palace." The construction committee had them engraved on the top of the gate.
In May 1952, Deng Xiaoping wrote the inscription for Chongqing Working People's Cultural Palace
Image from the official website of Chongqing Working People's Cultural Palace
At the entrance of Datianwan Stadium stands a group sculpture of "He Long and Athletes," affectionately referred to by Chongqing people as the He Long statue.
Datianwan Sports Facilities Complex - He Long Statue
Photo by You Like
After major repairs comes great brilliance—on August 5, 1952, the Cultural Palace opened. Mayor Cao Diqiu and representatives from all walks of life, surrounded by Young Pioneers, stepped through the Roman-style arched gate. Hundreds of colorful flags fluttered in the wind. Old He, a long-time resident of Lianglukou, had just joined the Young Pioneers on Children's Day that year and witnessed this grand event. He recalled: "After the ceremony ended that day, my classmates and I played in the Cultural Palace until dark and almost got beaten by our parents when we got home."
On August 5, 1952, the Cultural Palace opened,
Mayor Cao Diqiu (fifth from left)
and Young Pioneers entering the completed Cultural Palace
Image from the official website of Chongqing Working People's Cultural Palace
On February 9, 1956, Datianwan Stadium was completed. Then named Chongqing Datianwan Stadium, it covered an area of 97,500 square meters. The inner field was grass, with a 300-meter white track on the outside and a 400-meter track made of red coal cinders on the inside. It could accommodate 45,000 spectators.
Old photo of Datianwan Stadium
Image from "A Century of Shangqingsi"
After the stadium's completion, the First Chongqing Workers' Sports Games were held. Old He, now a primary school student, remembered the joyful steps of athletes in blue vests on the streets and the heated discussions among adults, leaving a vivid memory of the sports enthusiasm of those days.
In 1956, after the completion of Datianwan Stadium, the First Chongqing Workers' Sports Games were held. He Long kicked off the first football match.
He Long kicks off the first football match
Image from "A Century of Shangqingsi"
Nearly 70 years on, what is the first thing that comes to mind when mentioning Lianglukou? Literary youth know the Roosevelt Library; romantic couples know the Shancheng Cinema; trendy people know Fu'an Department Store; parents know the Children's Hospital. But what everyone knows is Datianwan Stadium and the Cultural Palace. For Lianglukou, for the residents of Chongqing's main urban area, and even for all Chongqing people, the status and significance of these two buildings, and the memories and emotions they bring, have long been inseparable from Chongqing's bone and blood.
Waiting for the rebirth of these two important buildings is worthwhile.
About 70 years later, we begin another round of waiting.
Starting last year, the Cultural Palace and the stadium were quietly separated from our view by barriers. Walking onto the overpass in front of the Hilton Hotel, you could see construction sites bustling on both sides, with large machinery and equipment working orderly—no longer the sea of people from 70 years ago.
But whether it was carrying on shoulders or using new technologies, the most important principle of this renovation is "restoring the old as the old." Or rather, this is the guiding principle for the protection and utilization of all important old buildings in Chongqing.
Datianwan Stadium nearing completion Photo by You Like
Every time these four characters are mentioned, someone argues: "If you restore the old as the old, why not keep it as it was?" Any building material has a lifespan and undergoes wear and tear; damage and aging are perfectly normal. Materials age, expand and contract with summer and winter, seeds brought by birds take root in cracks, dust accumulates faster than it is cleaned... In fact, the only things that can remain perpetually old and beautiful are exhibits in museums—specimens of time, in constant temperature and humidity, untouchable, storing past stories and displaying old memories.
Who would want such public spaces that bring joy to people to become untouchable exhibits? At least I wouldn't.
"As old" means the building materials and construction techniques of the venue must be fully restored according to the original appearance, while also upgrading functions based on current needs.
Datianwan Stadium nearing completion Photo by You Like
When Datianwan Stadium reopens, the field remains a field. The atmosphere of the main venue stays the same—still holding memories of the cheers for Qianwei Huandao's championship and the glow of Faye Wong's concert. But unlike before, the entire Datianwan area will be transformed into an outdoor ecological sports park. Basketball courts, tennis courts, volleyball courts, table tennis courts, gateball courts, and various standard sports venues will allow almost everyone to find a suitable place for exercise, making sports for all rather than just for competition.
FA Cup victory Photo from the internet
As for the renovation of the Cultural Palace, aside from the most anticipated 720 parking spaces, all public materials and interviews emphasize the "1950s." The facade will restore the architectural style of the 1950s in Southwest China, and the functions will return to the positioning of "school + paradise" for the working masses.
What was the "school + paradise" of the 1950s like? Let's take a brief look.
▲ This is the roller skating rink built in the Cultural Palace in 1952.
Roller skating was a very trendy sport at the time. During holidays and summer evening parties, it became a ballroom dancing venue—quickstep, slow waltz—mass culture was very romantic.
(Image from the internet)
▲ This is the swimming pool opened in the Cultural Palace in 1954.
And this was 1954! In rural areas, agricultural production cooperatives were just beginning to develop, but the girls in Lianglukou had already put on swimsuits—showing the pioneering culture and liberated thinking.
(Image from the internet)
▲ This is the gathering of Young Pioneers celebrating Children's Day at the Red Star Pavilion in 1953.
In 1953, the first Five-Year Plan of the national economy had just started, but the cultural activities for children in Lianglukou were already flourishing.
(Image from the internet)
▲ This is the Second Chongqing Chrysanthemum Exhibition held in 1959.
People would take one or two hours by bus from Shapingba or Nanping, which were relatively far at the time, and pay 4 cents for admission to visit.
(Image from the internet)
▲ This is the cinema built in 1954.
A young worker taking his girlfriend to a movie would polish his shoes to look impressive.
(Image from the internet)
▲ When the cinema was completed, advanced representatives from all walks of life were invited to watch a movie.
(Image from the internet)
Don't doubt it—the Working People's Cultural Palace was a truly upscale venue representing the happy lifestyle of the masses.
Many memories fade as people age, but buildings do not.
Hu Bin, head of the cultural preservation and renovation design for the Datianwan Stadium protection and utilization project and dean of the Historical Architecture Branch of Chongqing University Planning and Architectural Design Research Institute Co., Ltd., explained that the construction techniques of Datianwan Stadium are highly ethnically distinctive. Especially elements like watchtowers, red walls, and arched windows have strong traditional Chinese architectural features, considered classics.
Workers repairing severely weathered railings
Image from Hualong Net - New Chongqing Client
Preliminary form of traditionally styled railing repair
Image from Hualong Net - New Chongqing Client
To respect the "authenticity and integrity" of the cultural relic, these traditional features were all preserved and restored. In the early stage of the project, extensive material and chemical analysis, as well as chemical and mechanical experiments, were conducted to determine the materials used at the time. In the later stage, to avoid altering the original state of the relic, the cultural preservation team engaged traditional artisans to carry out repairs using traditional techniques based on regional architectural styles.
Integration of the stadium with new buildings
Image from Hualong Net - New Chongqing Client
As a result, the integrity and stability of the watchtowers are very good. Primarily, the seismic performance was enhanced, while the exterior walls were cleaned and repainted following traditional techniques. Damaged components of plain concrete railings were supplemented with original materials, original techniques, and original methods.
The Cultural Palace will completely restore its original facade. The eldest son and second daughter of Gong Dalin, one of the designers of the Chongqing Working People's Cultural Palace, recalled their father's introduction to the architectural features of the Cultural Palace's auditorium: a European-style building with a large hall spanning a wide distance but without a single column, including under the second-floor balcony. Creating such a spatial structure required a very high level of architectural skill, which was extremely difficult at that time.
Old appearance of the Cultural Palace Grand Theater
Image from the official website of Chongqing Working People's Cultural Palace
In the 1950s, Chongqing already had considerable design capability. In the original design drafts of the Cultural Palace, there were modern styles, European Renaissance styles, popular styles, traditional ethnic styles, and mountain city characteristic garden landscapes. The aesthetics of that era were more diverse, retaining more locally adapted regional flavors.
These "local" and "naturalistic" design concepts—such as the semi-sunken square in front of the auditorium entrance platform set according to the terrain, the open-air stage built against the cliff, and the ball court utilizing the slope—even after 60 to 70 years, are worthy of admiration for their craftsmanship.
Rendering of the square in front of the Cultural Palace Grand Theater after renovation
Provided by the City Federation of Trade Unions
Rendering of the Cultural Palace Folk Customs Corridor
Provided by the City Federation of Trade Unions
Rendering of the Cultural Palace middle gate—rear gate passage
Provided by the City Federation of Trade Unions
New construction techniques bring the most eagerly anticipated venue function of the new era—parking.
Traffic flow on the Lianglukou ring road Photo by You Like
In an era of widespread family car ownership, ample parking supply is undoubtedly a major advantage. Given that the overall area cannot be increased, new technology offers another possibility. Beneath the football field, a two-story underground parking garage is under construction. During the hottest days of July, workers were performing secondary structure and decoration work in the garage. Once completed, it will provide 780 parking spaces. The garage will also have 10 pedestrian passages connecting to the stands. Citizens driving into the garage can reach the stands directly via these passages.
Partial rendering of Datianwan Stadium
Image from Chongqing Datianwan National Fitness Center
Shen Ruitong, the engineer from China Construction Eighth Engineering Division in charge of this construction, said the biggest challenge was that the renovation of the "underground garage" and "passages" had to protect the cultural relic while avoiding Metro Line 1 and Line 3. Only the most traditional and primitive methods could be used.
The difficulty of the overall renovation of Datianwan Stadium is evident from the shaft construction site. First, the shaft is located under the cultural relic's stands, inside the original functional rooms. Before excavation, the original rooms' walls, columns, beams, etc., had to be dismantled, and additional steel supports were added to replace the original structural components to bear the load of the stands. Only after ensuring the safety of the cultural relic's structure could construction proceed. Second, because the roof could not be removed, tower cranes had to be replaced with mobile cranes, halving construction efficiency. Meanwhile, building the football field above the underground garage also imposed higher quality requirements on the construction.
Shaft under construction
Image from Hualong Net - New Chongqing Client
New technologies can solve problems that predecessors could not and can express new artistic conceptions.
At the stadium construction site, hill-like huts reminiscent of Hobbits are used as staff support rooms. The difference is that Hobbit huts are genuinely excavated into hillsides, while the current construction involves designing the roof as an irregular wave shape, then filling it with soil, laying turf, and planting trees, hiding the new building among the cliffs to create a hill-hut effect. Thus, the support rooms are concealed. Additionally, many new technologies such as composite foundations and rainwater and surface water collection systems are used.
Topped-out new support rooms
Image from Chongqing Datianwan National Fitness Center
This embodies the planning team's tribute to history and culture, as well as the designer's concept of combining technological breakthroughs with aesthetic benefits. Perhaps this is why I like restored old things—technology and time can blend so harmoniously.
Completed Datianwan Stadium Photo by You Like
Back in that year, Deng Xiaoping and Liu Bocheng led the People's Liberation Army to liberate Southwest China, stationed in Chongqing. At a meeting of the Southwest Military and Political Committee, Deng Xiaoping personally proposed building the Chongqing Working People's Cultural Palace. He said that Chongqing was an industrial city with a vast working class, and it should have a cultural palace with a certain scale, complete cultural facilities, and a beautiful environment to meet the cultural and recreational needs of the working people. Today, people may no longer rely solely on this one cultural palace, but the memories it left for Lianglukou from the 1950s to the 1980s form an indelible part of two generations' childhood. In 1956, Datianwan Stadium became the first Class A stadium in New China, carrying the nation's long-sought dream of "sports power." Now, the national dream no longer comes from gold medals; "fitness for all" is the new call for a stadium.
Datianwan "Fitness" National Fitness Day series activities
Image from Chongqing Datianwan National Fitness Center
With the stadium's upgraded reopening, I think such scenes will reappear—on weekends and holidays, Lianglukou will once again gather people coming to learn, just as Pang Zhonghua once learned calligraphy there; the cinema will still show the latest blockbusters, with even lusher vegetation than before; every morning and evening, sweat will flow on the track, and basketball courts, tennis courts, and table tennis tables will be bustling with activity. Morning light or sunset, piercing through the dense leaves of the big trees, will shine on the Cultural Palace's green tiles and black bricks, the Roman carved columns, and the football field's green turf... The smiles of those running, playing ball, or dancing in the square will not change, as if decades have passed in an instant.
Reopened Datianwan Stadium
Image from Yuzhong Media Center Photo by He Chao
This is the vibrant scene of Lianglukou, different from the fashion and avant-garde of the old cinema, swimming pool, and roller skating rink; not entirely the shouts, trophies, and glory of the competition arena, but the thousands of parking spaces meaning the integration of thousands of families, meaning these families staying in Lianglukou to enjoy moments of happiness.
Reopened Datianwan Stadium Photo by Liu Li
Reopened Datianwan Stadium
Image from Yuzhong Media Center Photo by He Chao
Look at Deng Xiaoping's inscription and He Long's statue. If the ancestors know of these new buildings, they would surely say: "My heart is comforted."
Reopened Datianwan Stadium
Image from Yuzhong Media Center Photo by He Chao
- END -
Text | Lian Erye
Layout | Hua Mei
Photos | You Like, He Chao, Liu Li, Chongqing Datianwan National Fitness Center, Chongqing Working People's Cultural Palace official website, City Federation of Trade Unions official website, Hualong Net - New Chongqing Client, Yuzhong Media Center. Some images are from the internet; if infringing, they will be deleted immediately.
