The world’s largest inland port city, Chongqing is located in Southwestern China where the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers meet. It is one of five principal cities, and the only municipality in Western China directly administered by the Central Government. Chongqing is known for its hot springs, collection of bridges, local cuisine and scenic night views.

Chongqing is noted for its rich culture and history. The city was founded nearly 3000 years ago when the Ba-Yu civilization first established itself here. Later, during the Song Dynasty, the city was named Chongqing which in Chinese means “Double Happiness.”

In today’s Chongqing, you can see the fusion of old and new, modern and traditional. Porters, using the same techniques from centuries ago, swiftly carry their packs up the city’s meandering steps, and ferry boats move slowly downriver. These glimpses of old China are slowly giving way to 21st century life.

Centrally located in the city is Chongqing Medical University or CQMU. Founded in 1956, our university was first part of the Shanghai First Medical College, now part of Fudan University. CQMU is now a comprehensive medical university with a diverse offering of Bachelors, Masters, Doctors and Postdoctoral programs.

Tourist attraction in downtown Chongqing

A. Geographic and topographical feature of Chongqing

Known as the Mountain City, Chongqing is distinguished from other cities with the prominent feature that it is a city in three dimensions. The central skyline from Chaotianmen in the east runs west along Pipa Mountain, Eling Park, Fotuguan Pass, Hutouyan Mountain, The city, crisscrossed with gullies, is surrounded by mountains on three sides. The average altitude of the city is 400 metres above sea level.

With many rivers crisscrossing the land, Chongqing is rich in water resources. From west to east 600 kilometres of the Yangtze are in Chongqing, about one fifth of the river’s navigable section of 3194 kilometers. Among the nine major tributaries of the Yangtz, the Jialing and Wujiang Rivers run across the city. In the city there are over 160 rivers, each with a drainage area of 3,000 square kilometers. As the area is mainly limestone in nature with prominent karst topographic characteristics, there are numerous limestone caves, gorges and canyons, hot springs and mountain passes.

Climatic features of Chongqing can be summarized like this: spring comes early, but the temperature is changeable; summer is very hot and often dry; autumn is cool but often wet, and winter is mild, foggy and without snow.

B. Jiefangbei shopping centre

The largest business centre of the city, Jiefangbei, or the People’s Liberation Monument, formerly known as the Monument of Victory in the War of Resistance, a 27.5 meter high structure, was renamed and had its new name inscribed by Liu Bocheng on October 1, 1950. The shopping square, completed at the end of 1997, is 400 meters from east to west, and 350 metres from north and south, covering an area of 24,400 square meters. Around the square there are more than 3000 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. More than 300,000 people visit this area every day on the average, and on holidays the figure may exceed 900,000.This is the busiest part of downtown Chongqing.

C. People’s Great Hall

When first built in the early 1950s, the People’s Great Hall consisted of three parts: the great hall, the North Wing and the South Wing on each side of the hall. In 1986, East Wing was added. The round roof with its green glazed tiles makes the building look like the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. The porch in front of the hall with its red columns and white marble rails reminds people of the Tiananmen gate in Beijing. The building is 65 metres high, with a construction area of 185,000 square metres, built in the traditional Chinese palace style, imposing, beautiful and magnificent. In the book History of Comparative Architecture published in Great Britain in 1987, the hall was put in the second place in a list of 43 best Chinese buildings constructed after liberation. In May 1997, People’s Square was completed in front of the hall, covering an area of 25,000 square meters, of which 15,000 square metres is planted with trees and flowers. The ground of the square is paved with smooth and shinning marble tiles. There is a magic music fountain. At the southern end of the square stands a stage for performances in the open air. In the numerous beautiful lights in the evening, you may see thousands of people dancing on the square.

D. The ancient town of Ciqikou

The ancient town of Ciqikou in Shapingba district has a history of over a thousand years. It is said that Emperor Jianwen of the Ming Dynasty once took shelter in the Baolun Temple in this town; therefore the town was originally called Longyin Town, or the town where the dragon is hiding. In later years, the river port town on the Jialing River gradually became a business center. As it was noted for its products of blue porcelain and colored porcelain, the town was named Ciqikou, “a river port of porcelain”. Many of the old houses and shops in this ancient town are wooden structures of the Ming and Qing style, and the streets are paved with flagstone plated. The local people here like to sit in century-old tea-houses, enjoying over a cup of tea ballad singing, story telling ,or the singing of Sichuan opera arias without the accompany of musical instruments. They still love spiced peanuts and blood curd. They are good at such trade as oil pressing, cloth weaving and dough figurines making.

E. Hongyadong

Hongyadong is located in the downtown of Chongqing by the riverside of Jialing River. It used to be one of the top eight ancient sceneries. Hongyadong has a very special construction feature which is built on hillside and by riverside, with one side of the house resting on rocks while the other three sides supported by wooden or bamboo poles. It has a history of 2,300 years, with an area of 46,000 square metres. Now what you are visiting is a newly built one. It is now a key scenic spot and an AAA tourism project. It has a function of sightseeing and entertainment.

One state: cultural entertainment, food culture, sports, shopping

Three features: Diaojiaolou, Ba culture, ancient town

Four streets: Zhiyanhe Pub Street, Tianchengxiang Ba culture street, food street, Foreign Custom Balcony

In Zhiyanhe Pub Street, Private Bar and world chain pub are opened. Tianchengxiang Ba culture street shows people different trends, based on Ba culture of 2300 years ago with blue bricks, stone tiles, red roof and green tiles, which reflects local residential houses of Ming and Qing Dynasty. You can also find many folk arts and painting exhibition hall here. There is an opera show at night. In food street you can enjoy many snacks all round China with typical local taste.

Eight Scenes: waterfall of Hongya, wooden houses complex, sculptures, city balcony, culture column, hot pot of China, sunset of Jialing River.

F. Three Gorges Museum

China Three Gorges Museum is situated at the west part of the People's Square of Chongqing. Occupying the area of 30,000 square meters, the museum was completed and opened to the public on Jun 18, 2005 with the construction area of 42,500 square meters. It was the first large museum with the title of "China" named by the State Council Office of the People's Republic of China beyond Beijing.

China Three Gorges Museum has another name—Chongqing Museum. It's not only a specified museum of Three Gorges but also a comprehensive museum of history and art, a collection of over 170,000 pieces of cultural relics. Entering the Museum, you could watch four basic presentations:

"The Splendid Three Gorges"—reflecting the history and culture of the Three Gorges

"Far-Ancient Ba Yu"—introducing the origination of the local history

"The Urban Development of Chongqing"-stating the transitional process of Chongqing

"Anti-Japanese Days"—telling the stories occurred in Anti-Japanese period

Moreover, there are other six specialized exhibitions:

"Paintings and Calligraphies in Different Historical Periods ", '"The Currencies in Different Periods of China", "the Sculpture in Han Dynasty", "Cultural Relics Donated by Mr. Li Chuli", "Minority Nationality Custom in Southwest China ", "Ceramics in Different Periods of China "

Besides, the museum has the Round - Screen Cinema that shows the natural scenery and daily life of the Three Gorges area before the construction of Three Gorges Dam, the Semi-Scene Picture of "Big Bombing in Chongqing" which represents the five years' continual bombing in Chongqing as the temporary capital during World War II. The museum also equips an International Academic Hall, an Audience Activities Center and three temporary Exhibition Halls that enriching the functions for society service.