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| ¡¡Chongqing |
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 With a history of over 3,000 years, Chongqing, the birthplace of Ba and Yu culture is one of the least well known but most important historical cities in all of China.
Today, little of this interesting past is visible and the city is essentially an industrial mass.
Much of it is dirty and seedy but there is a lively atmosphere prevalent about the place that often goes hand in hand with the more "hardcore" cities in China.
The area known as Chongqing became the capital of the Ba State in the 11 century BC under the mythical King of the Yu. By the 12th Century AD, this small city had grown in size and was renamed Chongqing, meaning "Double happiness" in Chinese.
Despite the name, the city in fact has a rather turbulent past, and the residents here have spent much of their history keeping invaders out. In 1242 Chongqing put up a defense against the Mongols and in 1937, the Kuomingtang fled here from the Japanese.
The city withstood attack and was one of the last Kuomingtang bastions. In 1997, Chongqing separated from Sichuan to become an independent prefecture in its own right. Today, this vast southwestern dynamo is known as Chongqing Municipality.
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| ¡¡Special Reference |
| Dazu Rock Carving |
Situated in Dazu County, Chongqing Municipality, the Dazu Rock Carvings are truly the epitome of an historical relic. The masterpieces were first constructed in 650 AD, and building continued well into the 17th century. Flourishing since the 9th century, when grotto art began to decline in general, the Dazu Rock Carvings are an outstanding example of China's grotto art in ancient times.
The carvings are not only beautiful pieces of art, but serve to depict Chinese culture and its influences at that time. The art includes Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian figures, which distinguishes them from other grotto arts at that time. The statues also personify the daily lives of people in ancient times, and also reveal folk religion and culture.
All of the statues are blessed with elaborate carvings and valuable inscribed tablets, breaking new ground in religious art. The artisans did not simply replicate images from their predecessors, but devoted painstaking effort into creating figures that epitomized the culture at that time. |
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| Eling Park |
The Eling Park, situated on Changjiang Lu, Yuzhong District, was built in 1909 as a private garden, and was originally the home of Lee Yaoting, a rich businessman and his son.
Formerly known as Edingling, for its resemblance to the nape of a goose's neck, Eling Park is renowned for its ideal location and beautiful scenery. Moreover, many famous historical and cultural figures of China have stayed in the park, including Mr. and Mrs. Chiang-Kai-Shek, the premier of Kumingtang, Feng Yuxiang, Lin Sen, Sun Ke, Song Ziwen, He Yingqin, Yan Xishan, Chen Cheng.
Near the park, there is also a zoo with some of the most rare animals in the world, such as the giant panda and golden haired monkey. Also, the museum in Chongqing has displays of many dinosaur fossil skeletons; in Dazu, there are also famous stone scriptures. Moreover, if you are visiting Chongqing, you should visit the Yangzi Gorges, one of the most ambitious hydroelectric projects ever conceived by man. |
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| The Great Hall of People |
The People's Great Hall is a large complex that encompasses a grand auditorium, the People's Square, and the People's Hotel. Formerly known as the Sino-Soviet Building after its completion in 1953, the Hall's greatest feature is a 55-meter tall column-supported building flanked with wings.
The building was modeled and inspired by traditional Chinese architecture of the Ming and Qing dynasty. The dome is reminiscent of the Temple of Heaven while the front entrance is similar to the one in Tiananmen Square in Beijing. The theater seats a maximum of 4000 people, and is frequently used for important conferences and key performances. The Great Hall boosts lush lawns, fountains, and lights, making it the emblem of Chongqing. |
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| Chongqing zoo |
As the largest zoo in southwest China, the Chongqing Zoo boosts over 1000 birds and 170 species of animals, including the charming giant panda, golden hair monkeys, and exotic tigers from South China.
In particular, the panda bear, considered a "national treasure" of China, is in danger of extinction. Today, there are less than 1,000 pandas living in the world; the Chongqing Zoo is dedicated to providing giant pandas and their offspring a comfortable environment in order to preserve the survival of the species. Also, photos of the pandas are taken from the Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Sichuan Province, China. In all, the pandas will surely be a sight to behold for all. |
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