Chongqing

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Chongqing Overview & Map Weather Transportation Information

Today's Chongqing weather forcast

Chongqing Seasons

Chongqing has a humid subtropical climate, and the best time to visit here is the spring and fall.

Summer - Chongqing's summers are among the hottest in China. The temperature can be as high as 43C, with an average high of 35C in August. But the relatively cool wind makes it more bearable.

Winter - Weather here in winter is fairly mild, but damp and overcast; average January highs are 9C.

Foggy Weather - Famous for its foggy weather in spring and winter days (annual average foggy days are 100-150), Chongqing got a nickname of "foggy city".

Rainy Days - When spring and summer meet, it often rains at night. The abundant rainfall in Chongqing averages about 1000 to 1400 millimeters annually.

Top 4 Chongqing Attractions

• 1 Dazu Rock Carvings - Remarkable for a grand size, aesthetic quality, rich diversity of subject matter...

• 2 Ciqikou Old Town - The holiest site in Tibet and the ultimate pilgrimage destination for Tibetan Buddhists...

• 3 Eling Park - Enjoying a favorite location, the Park provides a superb bird's eye view of the whole city of Chongqing...

• 4 Qutang Gorge - It is the shortest and most spectacular of the Three Gorges with vertical cliffs of some thousand meters high...

Chongqing History

Ba & Shu Culture

Chongqing is an ancient city enjoying a history of 3,000 years. The earliest Wushan Man was found living in the area. The ancient Ba Kingdom and the Xia Kingdom once set their capital here, and thus developed the distinct Ba & Shu Culture.

Name of "Chongqiing"

The name "Chongqing" was gained in the South Song Dynasty (1127-1279) when Guang Zong (Emperor Guang) ascended the throne meaning "double happiness."

Modern Times

During World War II, the Kuomintang Government retreated to Chongqing and made it the center of politics and economy. In the year 1997 Chongqing was made one of the municipalities, and was in the direct control of the central government in 1953.

Chongqing Food

Chongqing Cuisine

Chongqing Hot Pot - With the spicy and hot characteristic, it is the signature dish of Chongqing. The Hot Pot is mainly divided into red soup and clear soup, either spicy or of light fragrance. Yuanyang Hot Pot is the combination of these two kinds of soup.

Spicy Chicken - Chicken here is cooked in a variety ways and two popular dishes are Spicy Chicken and Spicy Chicken Appetizer that's served cold.

Local Snacks - Popular snacks: Xiangshan Honey Cake is made of flour and honey balsam and it tastes very crisp and soft as well as sweet; Shancheng Small Glutinous Rice Balls are fairly sweet; Jiuyuan Steamed Bun with Stuffing is special in taste with salty stuffing of ham etc.

Featured Chongqing Restaurants

Tanyingxiong Hotpot Restaurant

Famous for nutritional Tanyingxiong Yutou (head of fish) hotpot. The restaurant has many chains in the city.

Add No.521, Jiangbei 3rd Avenue, Jiangbei District
Tel 6772 5424

Wai Po Qiao

Or Grandma's Bridge, serves both Hot Pot and Sichuan Cuisine, and also provides you spectacular night view of Yangtze River.

Add Nan Bin Road
Tel 6288 1918

Chongqing Entertainment

Shopping

Shu Embroidery - Since the Southern Song Dynasty, Shu embroideries have been cited as one of the most famous embroideries in China, renowned for its superb workmanship, smooth and bright in quality.

Folding Paper Fans - Chongqing's elaborate folding paper fans have been exported to foreign countries since the Qing Dynasty. The beautiful fans have brought artistic charm, enjoying a unique, national flavor.

Where to Buy

Jiefangbei - The Jiefangbei commercial Pedestrian Street centers this well-known shopping area - Jiefangbei. Clusters of modern shopping malls and exclusive shops line the roadsides. Banks, theatres, KTV clubs, bookstores, hotels, bars and pubs are also quite easy to find.

Chaotianmen Market - Located on East Jiefang Road, it is the biggest market in Chongqing dealing primarily in Garment wholesale. Shoppers can expect to find stylish clothes with reasonable prices.

Nightlife

Enjoy Hot Pot - Comes nightfall, Hot Pot restaurants and numerous sidewalk stands open for business. Adorned with strand after strand of colorful lights, hot pot businesses come in all different shapes and sizes.

Bars & Clubs - Chongqing's vibrant night life is no different from that of China's other thriving metropolises, boasting bars, movie theatres and dance clubs which bring the city alive in the evening hours.

Chongqing Map

Chongqing City Map

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Chongqing Attraction Map

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Chongqing Transportation

Get In

Air - Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport, located in Yubei district, north of Chongqing, provides links to most parts of China and to other countries.

Railway - Chongqing is a major rail hub in south central China, three main national rail lines are available here: Chuan-Qian (Sichuan to Guiyang); Cheng-Yu (Chengdu to Chongqing); Xiang-Yu (Xiangfan of Hubei to Chongqing).

Bus - There are a lot of national highways in Chongqing, such as, Highway 210, 212, 313, 319, 321, etc. which have formed a comprehensive transportation network linking Chongqing with other parts of China.

Water - Chongqing Passenger Dock, located in Chaotianmen, is the best starting point for a Three Gorges cruise by ship. The high-energy highway transportation in the Chongqing port is very convenient.

Get Around

Public-bus

Public transportation in town is very convenient within nearly 300 bus lines operated. There are common buses, midlevel and high-level buses, so the starting fees are as folloews:

Fee 1, or 1.5 or 2 Yuan

Light Rail

Light Rail Train No.1 has been run in Chongqing now, with the starting point at Chongqing zoo in Yangjiaping and the end point at the Jiaochangkou in the Yuzhong District.

Fee 5 Yuan

Taxi

Taxis are relatively cheap (start by 5RMB and 1.2RMB/km) and can be easily found 24 hours a day.

Fee From 5 Yuan

Dazu Rock Carvings - Remarkable for a grand size, aesthetic quality, rich diversity of subject matter, both secular and religious, it is an outstanding evidence of the harmonious synthesis of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism.

Ciqikou Old Town - With a history of more than 1,800 years, it is really a charming quiet place with traditional Chinese folk culture and construction, unique in its "one river, two streams, three mountains and four streets".

Eling Park - Or Goose Neck Park. Enjoying a favorite location, the Park provides a superb bird's eye view of the whole city of Chongqing, famous for its imposing views, dense flowers and trees, odd rocks and grand pavilions.

Shibaozhai Temple - For 500 years, the Temple has sat on a hillside overlooking a crowded medieval village and the terraced green fields of the narrow Yangtze River valley. The wooden pagoda stands 56 meters tall with 12 stories, lying from the waist to the top of the peak.

Chongqing Highlights List

Natural Scene

• Qutang Gorge
• Wu Gorge
• Eling Park
• Port Chaotianmen
• Mt. Geleshan

Historical Site

• Kuimen
• Baidicheng
• Fengdu
• Dazu Rock Carvings
• Shibaozhai Temple
• Chongqing People's Assembly Hall
• Ciqikou Old Town

Cultural Site

• Eling Park
• Chongqing Zoo
• Chongqing Three Gorges Museum
• Wanzhou
• Artists' Village

Chongqing Highlights

Yangtze River attraction highlights

The mighty Yangtze, or ChangJiang, is the third largest river in the world (The Nile is the longest, followed by the Amazon.). At 6,300 kilometers (3,900 miles), the Yangtze is closest in length to the Mississippi. Among the Chinese, the name Yangtze is rarely used. They prefer Chang Jiang simply, Long River.

• Qutang Gorge
• Wu Gorge
• Xiling Gorge
• Three Gorges Dam
• The First Bend of the Yangtze
• Small Three Gorges
• Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge

city highlights

• Shanghai
• Chongqing
• Nanjing
• Yichang
• Danjiangkou
• Badong
• Jingzhou
• Wuhan

Mahjong city highlights

A great deal of bunkum has been written about the origin of Mah Jong. Both the Chinese, and later, the rest of the world decided to embellish the truth liberally and outrageously for nefarious purposes and the result has been a number of spurious assertions for the game's history.

• Chengdu
• Guangzhou
• Chongqing

Sichuan Hot Pot city highlights

First eaten by poor boatmen of the Yangtze River in Chongqing area and then spread westwards to the rest of Sichuan. The essence of Sichuan hotpot lies in the broth, which contains oil, wine, sugar, spice and Chinese prickly ash. There are all types of hot pots - spicy, non spicy, and with all different types of theme flavors.

• Chengdu
• Chongqing

Panda attraction highlights

Panda is one of the most famous animals in the world and indigenous only to China. Wild pandas live in six small areas in Sichun, Gansu, and Shaanxi provinces of China and are listed as endangered species.

• Wolong Nature Reserve
• Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base
• Beijing Zoo
• Chongqing Zoo

city highlights

• Chengdu
• Chongqing

Embroidery

Embroidery is a brilliant pearl in Chinese art. From the magnificent Dragon Robe worn by Emperors to the popular embroidery seen in today's fashions, embroidery adds so much pleasure to our life and our culture.

Sichuan Opera city highlights

Originated from Ming Dynasty, Sichuan Opera is now playing an important part in Chinese culture. Fast changing face astonish audience from all over the world.

• Chengdu
• Chongqing

Chongqing FAQ & Travelers's Tips

  Weather

1. Is Chongqing's weather very hot? What to notice?

  Shopping

1. What sourvenirs should I buy and where?

  Travel

1. Can I tour around Chonqing by bike?

  Customs

1. Could I get to know something about minority cultures in Chongqing?

  Other Hints

1. Notice this if you tend to drink beer in a bar
2. Emergency numbers
3. Mind this customs rule

• Is Chongqing's weather very hot? What to notice?

  Chongqing is located in the transition area between the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the Middle-lower Yangtze Plain. Which is famous for its hot summers and it is known as one of 'the three furnace cities'. The other two are Nanjing and Wuhan. Bring light clothing such as T-shirts, shorts and sandals if you come in summer. Also, remember to bring your umbrella, sunglasses, and suntan lotion to avoid the heat of the 'burning furnace'. The best season to visit Chongqing is in spring, autumn and winter.

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• Could i get to know something about minority cultures in Chongqing?

  Chongqing is a multi-cultural city, with about 23 distinct minority cultures. The Tujia and the Miao are the largest two minorities in Chongqing and mainly inhabit the Qianjiang Development District and the Fuling District. Every January 3 to 15 of the lunar calendar, Tujia people hold grand activities of worship, praying and dancing. The Miao people express themselves through singing.

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• Can i tour around Chonqing by bike?

  The bike is the worst choice for people who understand the structure of the mountain city. First timers to Chongqing should be warned it is very easy to get lost. The bus system and monorail are advised as the best forms of transportation.

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• What sourvenirs should I buy and where?

  The local "Tan Mu Jiang" (Carpenter Tan) carpentry shop is worth a visit for its fine wood artwares
  

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• Notice this if you tend to drink beer in a bar

  There are many bars in Chongqing, but most are underpopulated. Several branches of the Newcastle Arms offer the closest thing to proper beer, but be sure they get your beer from the pump and not the slop tray.

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• Emergency numbers

  • Ambulance: 120
    
  • Emergencies: 110
    
  • Fire: 119
    
  • Tel No. Enquiry: 114
    
  • Police: 110



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• Mind this customs rule

  Customs rules require an accounting of all valuables including watches, jewellery, cameras and currency that you are taking in. A copy of this is surrendered on departure and anything missing may well be treated as imported and duty required accordingly. Therefore make sure you obtain a police report for any goods stolen during your stay.
  Recorded video-tapes must be declared and may be viewed by the Authorities on arrival.

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