Chongqing(594 views)

Release date:2010-02-08 14:15:48

The misty city of Chongqing is on the rise. Already a massive city, it grows larger every year and, in time with this, develops even further. But don’t think that this city, placed at the confluence of two of China’s largest rivers, the Yangtze and the Jialing rivers, is all about modernity: Chongqing has a long history itself and, moreover, has been important in the history of China. Chongqing was once part of Sichuan province and, as a result, is now engaged in a friendly rivalry with Chengdu, capital of the present Sichuan province. Like the rest of this region, Chongqing is famed for its spice: in the food and in the character of the people. Chongqing people are loud and passionate, but warm hearted and friendly too.

One of Chongqing’s best attractions is undoubtedly the food itself, which takes spicy flavours to a whole new level. This is because of their use of Sichuan pepper, ma jiao, which gives dishes a mouth numbing spicy flavour. Some popular dishes are, of course, the famous huo guo (hot pot), liang mian (cold noodles tossed with peanuts, oil, spices and other seasonings), ma po doufu (grandma or pockmarked woman’s tofu – so called because of the dimpled appearance of the tofu), and huiguorou (twice cooked pork). This is not a cuisine for the fainthearted.

Chongqing is a hilly city and as a result, it is one of the few places in China where you will not encounter many bicycles. The older neighborhoods seem to have grown organically out of the steep hills and houses are reached by climbing small winding stairs carved into the rock. The area’s natural geography has also given rise to bang bangs – a distinctive and common site in the city. Bang bang men (and sometimes women) will carry goods by attaching them to either end of a pole which is then slung across the shoulders. The bang bang’s occasional feats of strength have to be seen to be believed but it is also equally likely to find them trailing after a lady with her morning shopping. Bang bangs are an indispensable part of life in this city and you will hear the cry ‘bang bang!’ as often as you would hear ‘fuwuyuan!’ in a restaurant.

A trip to Chongqing’s Three Gorges Museum will reveal to the visitor the long and proud history of the region – from it’s first recorded beginnings 3000 years ago when the native Ba people lived here, through to the hardworking trackers who would haul boats up the Yangste, scrambling across the rocks and singing to keep time with each other, to the city’s position as China’s capital during the war against the Japanese and its resulting sufferings from attack. There are a number of bomb shelters remaining in Chongqing as well as other reminders of and memorials to the war.

The steep, rice paddy like steps of the Chaotianmen docks in the district of Jiefangbei is traditionally the place to begin a cruise down the Yangtze River. Along the way travelers can witness the mysterious Fengdu (City of Ghosts), the magnificent Three Gorges, and the daintily beautiful Smaller Three Gorges with its waters that sparkle like jade. Travellers can also observe the modern engineering marvel of the Three Gorges Dam as their boat passes slowly through the towering locks.

Another attraction worth visiting is the Dazu Caves, where statues of Buddha were carved into the rock from around the 7th century on. There are buses to Dazu (the journey takes around 2 hours) and tours to the area are often offered by hostels and hotels. The caves are situated in beautiful natural surroundings and, after the noise and bustle of the city, are a welcome relief.

But the noise and the bustle of the city are certainly attractions in themselves. There is no better way to end a day in Chongqing than by sitting in a river side restaurant, perhaps while indulging in hot pot, and admiring the beautiful night views of the city. The skyline twinkles and, at times, the lights of the city seem to be the stars in the sky.

back