Lonely Planet China
Page 161
5Eating
Chuānbĕi LiángfĕnSICHUAN$
(川北凉粉 %0817 622 6695; 90 Dadong Jie; 大东街90号 mains ¥7-38; h8am-9pm)
Outside the central old town just before the Fēng Shuǐ Museum, this busy restaurant is best known for the namesake bean-starch noodles, but the wide selection of Sìchuān-style favourites are all good.
8Information
Bank of China ATMATM
(中国银行; Zhōngguó Yínháng cnr Dadong Jie & Neidong Jie; 大东街内东街的路口 h24hr)
At the top end of Dadong Jie; accepts foreign cards 24 hours and changes foreign currency from 9am to 5pm.
8Getting There & Away
Buses from Chéngdū’s Běimén bus station arrive at Lángzhōng's main bus station (七里客运中心汽车站; Qīlĭ kèyùn zhōngxīn qìchēzhàn), which also serves Dūjiāngyàn (¥115, four hours, 8am), Lè Shān (¥150, six hours, 9.30am), Yíbīn (¥148, six hours, 9.30am), and Chóngqìng (¥107, four hours, 8.30am, 10.50am and 3pm). Buses return to Chéngdū (¥97, four hours, leaving frequently between 6.40am and 5.50pm).
Lángzhōng also has a smaller bus station, Bāshíjiǔ Duì (89队), which serves Guǎngyuán (¥57, 2½ hours, 8.20am, 9.50am and 2pm), from where you can catch trains north to Xī’ān or buses west to Jiǔzhàigōu.
From the Bāshíjiǔ Duì bus station, it’s easiest just to walk to the old town. Turn left out of the station; after a couple of blocks turn right onto Tianshanggong Jie (天上宫街) and keep walking straight. Dadong Jie will be on your left. Wumiao Jie will be straight on through an ornamental archway.
8Getting Around
Local bus 8 (¥2) connects the town's two bus stations via the old town. From Bāshíjiǔ Duì it's four stops (from the main station 10 stops) to the old-town stop at Yīqiáo Gŭchéng Rénkŏu (一桥古城人口). Walk up towards the Huáguāng Tower for Dadong Jie.
To explore the far side of the river, small boats (¥3) make the crossing irregularly from 8am to 6pm.
GUǎNGYUáN 广元
Those on their way to Xī’ān from Jiǔzhàigōu can take the most direct overland route via the midsized town of Guǎngyuán (广元) on the main Chéngdū–Xī’ān train line.
China’s only female emperor, Wu Zetian, was born in Guǎngyuán during the Tang dynasty. Huángzé Temple (皇泽寺; Huángzé Sì Zetian Nanlu; 则天南路 adult/student ¥50/25; h8am-6pm), with its pavilions and 1000 carvings, is dedicated to her. Further north near the east bank of the Jiālíng River, Qiānfú Cliff (千佛崖摩崖造像; Qiānfú Yá Móyá Zàoxiàng adult/student ¥50/25; h8am-6pm) is a honeycomb of more than 7000 grotto carvings dating back 1500 years to the ancient cliff roads that linked Sìchuān to provinces further north.
Tiānzhào HotelHOTEL$$
(天曌马瑞卡酒店; Tiānzhào Mǎruìkǎ Jiǔdiàn %0839 366 8888; 112 Jinlun Nanlu; 金轮南路112号 r from ¥148; paiW)
If you need to stay the night in Guǎngyuán, this hotel has smart rooms in a convenient location. Turn right out of the train station; it’s about two blocks on your right.
Guǎngyuán's train and long-distance bus station (途汽车客运站) are adjacent, with the bus station just to the left of the train station exit. Huángzé Temple is about 1km to the south, while the Qiānfú Cliff is a walkable 4km northeast of the town centre, on the river's east bank.
SELECTED BUSES FROM GUǎNGYUáN
Chéngdū ¥111, four hours, frequently from 9am to 9pm
Jiǔzhàigōu ¥106, 8½ hours, two daily (6am, 10.20am)
Lángzhōng ¥58, 2½ hours, four daily (10.30am, 11am, 2.50pm, 5.30pm)
Xī’ān ¥142, six hours, two daily (10am, 10.30am)
SELECTED TRAINS FROM GUǎNGYUáN
Chéngdū K ¥47, five hours, 20 daily from 12.06am to 11.36pm
Xī’ān K seat/sleeper ¥75/133, 10 hours, nine daily from 2.22am to 11.01pm
Chóngqìng
Chongqing City
Dazu Buddhist Caves
Laitan
Zhongshan
Wlong
Anju Ancient Town
Chóngqìng
Pop 30.17 million
Why Go?
Chóngqìng (重庆) municipality may be a relatively recent creation, having been carved out of Sìchuān province in 1997, but with its eponymous city driving the economy of western China, it's now one of the most important regions in the whole country. And, despite its new name, the area it covers has played a significant role throughout Chinese history and remains a place of great natural beauty.
Thanks to the mighty Yangzi River (Cháng Jiāng), which powers its way through here, this region has long been one of strategic military importance. The river was responsible for creating one of China’s greatest natural wonders, the magnificent Three Gorges.
Humans have left their indelible mark as well, with a panoply of ancient Buddhist sculptures, dozens of seemingly lost-in-time villages and, of course, the megalopolis that is Chóngqìng: one of the fastest-growing, buzzing cities in all China.
When to Go
AApr & May Winter chill has lifted; full force of summer sweat box yet to arrive, but still rainy.
AJul & Aug It’s hot; temperatures top 40°C and Chóngqìng City resembles a steam bath.
ASep & Oct Manageable temperatures; a good time to explore the countryside.
Best Places to Eat
A Zēng Lǎo Yāo Yú Zhuāng
A Mang Hot Pot
A Suzie's Pizza
Best Places to Sleep
A Travelling With Hostel
A Somerset
A Hóngyádòng Hotel
Chóngqìng Highlights
1 Yangzi River Cruise Shifting down a gear or two as you float past the awe-inspiring Three Gorges.
2 Dàzú Buddhist Caves Gasping in wonder at the exquisite artwork of these ancient cliff carvings.
3 Wǔlóng County National Geology Park Exploring the wild waterfalls and karst formations of this mountain wilderness area.
4 Mang Hot Pot Tucking into the world’s most mouth-numbing hotpot at this Chóngqìng favourite.
5 Ānjū Ancient Town Wandering the cobblestones of this exquisitely preserved Ming dynasty village.
6 Fishing Town Fortress Hiking the ruins of one of China’s greatest battlefields.
7 Shāokǎo Pulling up a stool to enjoy these spicy meat, tofu and veggie skewers, one of Chóngqìng's greatest street snacks.
History
Stone tools unearthed along the Yangzi River valleys show that humans lived in this region two million years ago. The ancient Ba kingdom ruled from here more than 2000 years before subsequent Qin, Sui and Southern Song dynasty rulers took over. From 1938 to 1945, Chóngqìng City (previously known as Chungking) became the Kuomintang’s wartime capital. It was here that representatives of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), including Zhou Enlai, acted as ‘liaisons’ between the Kuomintang and the communists headquartered at Yán’ān, in Shaanxi province.
Refugees from all over China flooded into the city during WWII. More followed when the construction of the Three Gorges Dam displaced more than one million people.
In 1997 Chóngqìng separated from Sìchuān province and became a municipality under the direct control of the central government.
The city was the backdrop for one of modern China’s biggest political scandals in 2012 when Gu Kailai, the wife of Chóngqìng’s Communist Party boss Bo Xilai, was convicted of murdering British businessman Neil Heywood. Allegations of corruption, extortion and espionage surrounded the case, as well as rumours that Běijīng was unhappy with Bo's populist policies and wanted him out of the way. Both Bo and his wife were sentenced to lengthy prison terms.
8Getting There & Away
Chóngqìng is well-connected with the rest of the country and the world via bus, rail and air. The road network is increasingly good, with even many small villages now served by smooth, newly paved streets.
Chóngqìng City 重庆市
%023 / Pop 13.33 mil
lion
There's a frontier-town vibe to Chóngqìng City (重庆市; Chóngqìng Shì), one of the most booming metropolises on earth. Despite a history that dates back to the ancient Ba kingdom, as well as being China's de facto capital during WWII, this former walled fortress has a distinctly brash feel.
The city sprawling down both banks of the Yangzi River for kilometres – with further development ongoing – but very little remains of old Chóngqìng. Yet the city has a unique energy that makes it a fascinating place and the locals are some of the most welcoming in all China. The gritty docks, too, are a permanent reminder of how Chóngqìng's fortunes have long been tied to the river that flows through it.
Chóngqìng is sometimes mistakenly referred to as the most populous city in the world. It isn’t. Figures for the whole municipality’s population are just over 30 million but, for now anyway, the city of Chóngqìng itself has just over 13 million inhabitants.
The city centre is a peninsula poking out horizontally between the Yangzi and Jiālíng rivers. This area is called the Yúzhōng District (渝中区), and the busy urban core at its eastern tip is known as Jiěfàngbēi (解放碑). To the north of Yúzhōng across the Jiālíng River is Jiāngběi (江北区), which is mostly residential buildings and new, upscale tower blocks. To the south of Yúzhōng across the Yangzi is Nán'àn (南岸区); the main attractions for visitors are the strands of new bars and restaurants along the waterfront. West of Yúzhōng is Shāpíngbà (沙坪坝区), home to several universities and some of Chóngqìng's hipper nightlife.
1Sights
Chóngqìng is not especially heavy on world-class sights. Those that exist are spread fairly evenly around the city.
Húguǎng Guild HallMUSEUM
(湖广会馆; Húguǎng Huìguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %023-6393 0287; Dongshuimen Zhengjie; 东水门正街 admission ¥30; h9am-5pm; mXiaoshizi)
You could spend several hours poking around the beautifully restored buildings in this gorgeous museum complex, which once served as a community headquarters for immigrants from the Hú (Húnán and Húběi) and Guǎng (Guǎngdōng and Guǎngxī) provinces, who arrived in Chóngqìng several hundred years ago. There are rooms filled with artwork and furniture, a temple, a teahouse and several stages for Chinese opera performances.
Luóhàn TempleBUDDHIST TEMPLE
(罗汉寺; Luóhàn Sì MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Luohan Si Jie; 罗汉寺街 ¥10; h7am-5pm; mXiǎoshízì)
Built around 1000 years ago, this still-active temple is now sandwiched between skyscrapers. A notable feature is the corridor flanked by intricate rock carvings found just after you enter the complex, but the main attraction here is Arhat Hall (罗汉堂; Luóhàn Táng), off to your right just after the corridor, which contains 500 terracotta arhats (a Buddhist term for those who have achieved enlightenment and who pass to nirvana at death).
Chóngqìng (Jiěfàngbēi Area)
1Sights
1Chóngqìng Ancient City GatesF5
2Dōngshuǐ MénG4
3Hóngyá CaveD3
4Húguǎng Guild HallF4
5Liberation MonumentD4
6Luóhàn TempleE3
7Tōngyuàn MènA5
2Activities, Courses & Tours
8Cháotiāngōng Cruise BoatG1
9Cháotiānmén Cruise BoatG1
10Jīnbì Huánggōng Cruise BoatG1
11Yangzi River Cable CarE4
4Sleeping
12Deck 88 HostelD3
13Harbour PlazaD5
Hóngyádòng HotelD3
14SomersetE3
15Sunrise Míngqīng HostelF4
16Travelling With HostelB6
17Travelling With Hostel – Yangtze RiverF5
18Xīnhuá HotelC4
5Eating
19Liúyīshǒu HuǒguōE3
20Mang Hot PotC5
21Xiǎo Bīn LōuB6
22Zēng Lǎo Yāo Yú ZhuāngE6
23Zhào'èr HuǒguōE5
6Drinking & Nightlife
24Cici ParkD3
Cliff's BarD3
3Entertainment
25Chóngqìng Sìchuān Opera HouseA5
26Nuts Live HouseC6
7Shopping
Hóngyá CaveD3
8Information
2724-Hour PharmacyC5
Harbour Plaza Travel CentreD5
Transport
28Chóngqìng Ferry Port Ticket HallF1
29Three Gorges Ferry PortF1
Cíqìkǒu Ancient TownOLD TOWN
(磁器口古镇; Cíqìkǒu Gǔzhèn Shapingba; mCiqikou, exit 1)
The opportunity to snatch a glimpse of old Chóngqìng makes it worth riding out to Shapingba district, on the Jiālíng River west of the centre. Through the archway that is the entrance to the town, most of the buildings in this sprawling complex – many dating to the late Ming dynasty – have been restored. The main drag can feel like a carnival, complete with candied fruits and neon fairy wands for sale, especially on weekends, but away from the central street, a living, working village remains.
You can easily lose yourself in its narrow lanes, peeking into homes and tiny storefronts. And there’s plenty to eat here, both in the alleys and overlooking the river. It’s also worth poking your head inside Bǎolún Sì (宝轮寺 ¥5; h7am-6pm), one of Cíqìkǒu’s only remaining temples. Its main building is more than 1000 years old. The alley the temple is on, Heng Jie (横街), is one of the most pleasant places to explore, and contains a string of cute cafes with wi-fi.
Hóngyá CaveAREA
(洪崖洞; Hóngyá Dòng MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 56 Cangbai Lu, 沧白路56号 mXiǎoshízì)
Not a cave, but a Disney-esque re-creation of the old stilt houses that once lined Chóngqìng's riverfronts, this 11-storey shopping, dining and entertainment complex anchors the city's tourism scene. Here, you can get a foot massage, buy a jade bracelet, eat a dinner of spicy skewers and down a beer at an international pub, all in one place. It's cheesy good fun, and at night, the lit-up complex is fairly spectacular.
Chóngqìng (Càiyuánbà Area)
1Sights
1Three Gorges MuseumA1
8Information
2Global Doctor Chóngqìng ClinicA2
Transport
3Airport Shuttle BusA1
4Càiyuánbà Bus StationA3
5EscalatorA3
Chóngqìng Ancient City GatesRUINS
(古城门; Gǔchéngmén MAP GOOGLE MAP )
Sadly, only fragments remain of Chóngqìng’s once-magnificent Ming dynasty city wall, which stretched 8km around the Jiěfàngbēi peninsula and was more than 30m tall in places. Of the 17 gates that punctuated the wall before demolition began in 1927, two are still standing. The charming, moss-hewn Dōngshuǐ Mén (东水门 MAP GOOGLE MAP ) is on a pathway beside the Yangtze River Hostel. Larger, and partly restored, is Tōngyuán Mén (通远门 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; mQixinggang, exit 1), a short walk from Qīxīnggǎng metro station.
Three Gorges MuseumMUSEUM
(三峡博物馆; Sānxiá Bówùguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 236 Renmin Lu, Yuzhong; h9am-4pm Tue-Sun; mZēngjiāyán, exit A)F
This sleek museum showcases the history of settlement in the Chóngqìng region. There's the inevitable exhibition on the Three Gorges, including a model of the dam, as well as clothing and artwork relating to southwest China’s minority groups. Some exhibits have better English captions than others.
Pípá Mountain ParkPARK
(枇杷山公园; Pípá Shān Gōngyuán GOOGLE MAP ; 74 Pipa Shanzheng Jie; 枇杷山正街74号 h6am-10pm)F
For views of the city skyline, climb 345m Pípá Mountain Park, the highest point on the Chóngqìng peninsula. During the day, residents bring their songbirds to the park for air and group warbling.
CHóNGQìNG’S STILT HOUSING
Once a striking feature of the Chóngqìng skyline, stilt houses (吊脚楼; diàojiǎo lóu) were in many ways the predecessor to the modern skyscraper; sprawling vertically rather than horizontally to save space. Their design also served to keep fam
ily units in close quarters despite the uneven terrain of hilly Chóngqìng. They were built on a bamboo or fir frame that was fitted into bore holes drilled into the mountain side, and their thin walls were stuffed with straw and coated with mud to allow for cooling ventilation in a city that swelters in summer.
Modernisation has turned stilt housing into a symbol of poverty and as a result it has all but disappeared in the city itself, with the last remaining stilt houses in the centre slated for demolition at the time of writing. But many survive in the villages around Chóngqìng municipality, with some fine examples in the alleyways of Sōnggài and especially by the river in Zhōngshān.
2Activities
While it is possible to cruise the Yangzi River in either direction, Chóngqìng is the most popular spot to start your trip along the river, mainly because of its proximity to the mighty Three Gorges. Both luxury and ordinary cruises depart daily and tickets for them are sold at travel agencies all over town. It's best to book a day or two ahead and, if possible, avoid Chinese public holidays when the boats get very crowded.
oRónghuì Hot SpringsHOT SPRINGS
(融汇温泉; Rónghuì Wēnquán %023 6530 0378; www.cqrhwq.com; 171 Qingxi Lu, Shapingba; 沙坪坝区清溪路171号 entry ¥179; h24hr; c)