About Chongqing
What to see and do in Chongqing
Weather in Chongqing
Airport in Chongqing
Visa
Chongqing (Postal map spelling: Chungking; Wade-Giles: Chung-ching) is the largest and most populous of the People's Republic of China's four provincial-level municipalities, and the only one in the less densely populated western region of China. Formerly (until 14 March 1997) a sub-provincial city within Sichuan Province, the municipality of Chongqing has a registered population of 31,442,300 (2005). The boundaries of Chongqing municipality reach much further into the city's hinterland than the boundaries of the other three provincial level municipalities (Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin), and much of the municipality, which spans over 80 000 km square, is rural. The population of the urban area of Chongqing proper was 5.09 million (2000).
The municipal abbreviation Yu, was approved by the State Council on 18 April 1997. Chongqing was also a municipality of the old Republic of China. 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.
What to see and do in Chongqing
While on the surface there may appear to be not much to do, further investigation will uncover a city with its own character and a number of interesting sites worth looking into.
Chongqing served as the capital of China for 7 years during the later 1930's and early 1940's. With this political history comes a number of historic sights which are worth visiting. Chongqing is also the largest city 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 may get a little 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. (GPS 29.568520-106.547700)
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 craft here and genuine local food. (GPS 29.564730-106.575160)
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 (GPS 29.613330-106.598510), a small train, the world's largest public restroom and many other attractions. (Foreign Street GPS 29.612220-106.594560)
Jiang Jieshi (Chiang Kai-Shek) old military headquarters When Chongqing was the capital of China during the WW2, Jiang Jieshi (Chiang Kai-Shek) established his military headquarter up in the mountains above Chongqing. 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. (GPS 29.568940 106.614350)
Chongqing Jiefangbei Pedestrian Street (Jiefangbei Shangye Buxingjie) Jiefangbei stands in the most prosperous downtown 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 glassy offices. The shopping square, 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 and shops of various kinds, with two dozen large malls and shopping centers, a dozen star-grade hotels, and over 300 establishments and offices such as banks, stock markets, postal and telecommunication services and places for entertainment.
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. (GPS 29.5646-106.549)
Three Gorges Museum
Across the People's Square is Three Gorges Museum, well worth a visit.
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 they are.
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. 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.
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 of 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.
Song Qing Ling's Residence
Another interesting site to visit (especially if your staying at the Hilton Hotel) is Song Qing Ling's
former residence, from the period of the Second World War when Japan held 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 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.
Tour Boat
A 2 hour 30 mins trip on Jialing and Yangtse (ChangJiang) rivers for RMB 20 (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.
Cable car ride
There are two cable car rides: one over the Yangtze and the other over the Jialing River.
RMB 4 return for a 5 minutes cable car trip above the Yangtse or the Jialing river - great view of the city.
Chongqing Old 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, 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. Several buses go there including 808 and 843.
Worth a visit for a couple of hours. (GPS 29.581350-106.448260)
Computer and electronics markets
A place with several huge computers department stores. (GPS 29.529110-106.482140) There are also smaller
such department stores in Jiefangbei, Jiangbei, and Shapingba.
Dazu Rock Carvings
Driving two 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.
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 RMB 38.
Yangtze River Cruise
Yangtze River Cruise will take you through the cradle of China, while giving you the opportunity to
see some of the most spectacular scenery imaginable.
Yangtze river cruise sailing dates and prices can be obtained from Discover Yangtze River Tour
Chongqing has a subtropical climate with an annual average temperature of 18 C, an annual rainfall of 1,000mm and an annual average humidity of 79%. The land is green even in winter.
The four seasons in Chongqing are characterised as an early spring, a hot summer, a rainy autumn and a warm winter. The best weather is in April, May, September and October.
January 10 C to 5 C
February 12 C to 6 C
March 17 C to 10 C
April 22 C to 14 C
May 26 C to 18 C
June 28 C to 21 C
July 32 C to 23 C
August 33 C to 23 C
September 21 C to 15 C
October 16 C to 11 C
November 16 C to 8 C
December 11 C to 6 C
Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport (Pinyin: Chongqing Jiangbei Guoji Jichang) (IATA: CKG, ICAO: ZUCK) is an airport located in the Yubei District of Chongqing, People's Republic of China. It is located 21km away from the city-centre of Chongqing and serves as an important hub for south-western China. In 2007, Jiangbei airport handled 10,355,730 passengers, and ranked number 10 of all airports in China. It is a hub forChongqing Airlines, Sichuan Airlines and later China West Air when it begins operations and Shenzhen Airlines when it opens a hub at the airport. It is also a focus city for Air China. The first and second phase of the airport came into operation in January 1990 and December 2004 respectively. Currently Jiangbei airport has two terminals with one serving domestic flights and the other mainly international flights. Its domestic terminal is capable of handling 7 million passengers while its international terminal is able to handle more than 1 million passengers annually. A third terminal is currently in the planning stage with a second and third runway construction due to commence shortly.
In terms of passenger traffic, Chongqing airport was the 10th busiest airport nationwide in 2007, handling 10,355,730 people. Also, the airport was the 11th busiest airport both by cargo traffic and traffic movements nationwide.
Location: Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport is about twenty-one kilometers northeast of Chongqing in Lianglu Town, Yubei District.
Brief Intro: Covering an area of about 2,860,000 square meters (707 acres), the airport has a 4E standard flight area; a 1,050 square meter (11,302 square feet) terminal building; a 3,200 meter (3,500 yards) runway and thirty-one gate positions. The airport offers about seventy air routes and connects over fifty domestic cities and four foreign cities.
Facilities:
Terminal Building: divided into three sections of the Arrival Hall, Leaving Hall and the United Inspection Office,
the building sets ten boarding gates and six boarding bridges, which will meet the needs of 800 person-times
per hour at the peak time.
Rest Rooms: Near the No.6 Hall on the second floor of the Terminal Building. There are rest rooms with changing stations and facilities for the disabled.
Smoking Room: Passengers can find the smoking rooms near the No.9 and No.4 halls on the first floor.
Clinic: in the No.6 Hall, there is a First-Aid Center, medicine counters, doctors and nurses, ambulance offering the 24-hour service.
Parking Lot: there are four parking lots at the airport. The parking for taxis is free. As for the cost of the parking space, it is about one Yuan per hour.
Other: There are cafes, restaurants, shopping counters and luggage carts available throughout the terminal building.
Services:
Airport Information: Customer service counters are very near to the No.7 and No.8 halls on the first floor and to the No.3 and No.4 halls on the second floor of the Terminal Building.
Airport Inquiring Tel: 023 - 67152335 023 - 67152336 023 - 67152337 023 - 67856444
Luggage Searching of CA: 023 - 67152343 023 - 67823331
Broadcasting Office: 023 - 67152300
Banks: there are small branches of China Construction Bank and Industrial & Commercial Bank of China set in the airport and the opening hour of which are from 08:30 to 11:00 in the morning and 13:30 to 16:30 in the afternoon.
Clinic of Terminal Building: 023 - 67152642
Police Station: 023 - 67152274 023 - 67152272
Ticket Center: Located at 161, Zhongshan Sanlu is open from 07:30 to 18:00 daily.
Airport Transportation: passengers can take taxi or the airport bus to get to Chongqing downtown.
Taxi: The flat rate fare of most taxis in Chongqing is about RMB 5 for the prior 3 kilometers (about 1.9 miles) and then the distance surcharge is about RMB 1.8 per kilometers. It will cost passengers at least RMB 45 from the airport to downtown area.
Airlines and other destinations of Chongqing
Domestic
Air China (Beijing-Capital, Changsha, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Guilin, Hangzhou, Hefei, Kunming, Lanzhou, Lhasa, Nanchang, Nanjing, Qingdao, Sanya, Shanghai-Pudong, Shenzhen, Taiyuan, Zhengzhou)
China Eastern Airlines (Hefei, Jinjiang, Kunming, Nanjing, Shanghai-Pudong, Shijiazhuang, Taiyuan, Wenzhou, Wuhan, Wuxi, Xi'an)
China Southern Airlines (Changsha, Chengdu, Dalian, Guangzhou, Guilin, Guiyang, Kunming, Lhasa, Nanning, Sanya, Shenyang, Shenzhen, Urumqi, Wuhan, Yiwu, Zhengzhou)
China United Airlines (Beijing-Nanyuan)
Chongqing Airlines (Beijing-Capital, Changsha, Guangzhou, Kunming, Sanya, Shanghai-Pudong)
Deer Air (Guangzhou)
Hainan Airlines (Beijing-Capital, Changsha, Guangyuan, Guangzhou, Haikou, Lanzhou, Nanning, Shenzhen, Xi'an, Zhengzhou)
Shandong Airlines (Jinan, Kunming, Qingdao)
Shanghai Airlines (Shanghai-Pudong)
Shenzhen Airlines (Changsha, Changzhou, Guiyang, Lhasa, Shenzhen, Zhengzhou)
Sichuan Airlines (Beijing-Capital, Changsha, Chengdu, Dalian, Guangzhou, Guilin, Guiyang, Haikou, Hangzhou, Harbin, Hefei, Jinan, Jiuzhaigou, Kunming, Lanzhou, Lhasa, Lijiang City, Nanjing, Nanning, Ningbo, Panzhihua, Sanya, Shanghai-Pudong, Shenyang, Shenzhen, Tianjin, Urumqi, Wenzhou, Wuhan, Wuxi, Xi'an, Xiamen, Xining, Yichang, Zhangjiajie, Zhengzhou)
Spring Airlines (Shanghai-Pudong)
Xiamen Airlines (Changsha, Guilin, Hangzhou, Nanchang)
International
Air China (Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi, Hong Kong, Nagoya-Centrair, Seoul-Incheon, Tokyo-Narita)
Asiana Airlines (Seoul-Incheon)
Dragonair (Hong Kong)
Hong Kong Express Airways (Hong Kong)
Shanghai Airlines (Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi)
SilkAir (Singapore)
To be able to travel to Chongqing you need to have a valid China Visa, issue from your local government at the China Embassy, Chinese visa fall into four types: diplomatic visa, courtesy visa, service visa and ordinary visa. Ordinary visa is further divided into the following 8 categories each marked with a letter:
(1) Tourist and family visit visa (L-visa) is issued to a foreign citizen who comes to China for tourist purpose, family visit or other personal affairs.
(2) Business Visa (F-visa ) is issued to a foreign citizen who is invited to China for visit, research, lecture, business, exchanges in the fields of science, technology, education, culture and sports, or attending various kinds of trade fairs or exhibitions, or short-term study, intern practice for a period of no more than 6 months.
(3) Student Visa (X-visa) is issued to a foreign citizen who comes to China for the purpose of study or advanced study for a period of six or more months.
(4) Work Visa (Z-visa) is issued to a foreign citizen who comes to China to work and his or her accompanying family members, or to give commercial performances in China.
(5) Transit Visa (G-visa) is issued to a foreign citizen who is to transit through China on his or her way to a third country (or region).
(6) Crew Visa(C-visa)is issued to crew member performing his/her duties on board an international train, or on an international airliner, to a sailor on board an international ocean-liner or freighter, and also to their accompanying family members..
(7) Journalist Visa (J-visa)is issued to foreign journalists. J-visa has two categories: J-1 visa and J-2 visa. J-1 visa is issued to resident foreign journalists in China and their accompanying spouses and under-age children, J-2 visa to foreign journalists who visit China for temporary news coverage.
(8) Permanent Residence Visa(D-visa)is issued to a foreign citizen who has been approved by China' s public security authority to reside in China permanently.
For Language guide please refer to: http://www.china-city-guide.com/beijing/pages/localguide.php for free download of basic survival Chinese conversation in China.