Sichuanese Sichuanese, Szechuanese or Szechwanese may refer to something of, from, or related to the Chinese province and region of Sichuan (Szechwan/Szechuan) (historically and culturally including Chongqing), especially: *Sichuanese people, a subgroup of the ...

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

Southwest China Southwest China () is a region in the south of the People's Republic of China. Geography Southwest China is a rugged and mountainous region, transitioning between the Tibetan Plateau to the west and the Chinese coastal hills (东南丘陵) and ...

State Council State Council may refer to: Government * State Council of the Republic of Korea, the national cabinet of South Korea, headed by the President * State Council of the People's Republic of China, the national cabinet and chief administrative auth ...

Jialing River The Jialing River, formerly known by numerous other names, is a major tributary of the Yangtze River in the Sichuan Basin. It is named after the Jialing Valley in Feng County, Shaanxi through which it flows. The Jialing River's most notable c ...

Yangtze River The Yangtze or Yangzi ( or ; ) is the longest list of rivers of Asia, river in Asia, the list of rivers by length, third-longest in the world, and the longest in the world to flow entirely within one country. It rises at Jari Hill in th ...

Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...

Shanghai Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...

Tianjin Tianjin (; ; Mandarin: ), alternately romanized as Tientsin (), is a municipality and a coastal metropolis in Northern China on the shore of the Bohai Sea. It is one of the nine national central cities in Mainland China, with a total popul ...

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

Shenzhen Shenzhen (; ; ; ), also historically known as Sham Chun, is a major sub-provincial city and one of the special economic zones of China. The city is located on the east bank of the Pearl River estuary on the central coast of southern province ...

counties A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

autonomous counties Autonomous counties () and autonomous banners () are county-level autonomous administrative divisions of China. The two are essentially identical except in name. There are 117 autonomous counties and three autonomous banners. The latter are fo ...

Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northeast ...

Sichuan Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan; formerly also referred to as "West China" or "Western China" by Protestant missions) is a province in Southwest China occupying most of the ...

Second Sino-Japanese War The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) or War of Resistance (Chinese term) was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific Th ...

financial center A financial centre ( BE), financial center ( AE), or financial hub, is a location with a concentration of participants in banking, asset management, insurance or financial markets with venues and supporting services for these activities to t ...

Sichuan Basin The Sichuan Basin (), formerly transliterated as the Szechwan Basin, sometimes called the Red Basin, is a lowland region in southwestern China. It is surrounded by mountains on all sides and is drained by the upper Yangtze River and its tributa ...

Yangtze The Yangtze or Yangzi ( or ; ) is the longest river in Asia, the third-longest in the world, and the longest in the world to flow entirely within one country. It rises at Jari Hill in the Tanggula Mountains (Tibetan Plateau) and flows ...

Economist Intelligence Unit The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) is the research and analysis division of the Economist Group, providing forecasting and advisory services through research and analysis, such as monthly country reports, five-year country economic forecasts, ...

Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport is located in Yubei District, Chongqing, China. The airport's IATA Airport code, CKG, is derived from the city's former romanized name, Chungking. Jiangbei airport is also a 128-hour transit visa-fre ...

Western China Western China (, or rarely ) is the west of China. In the definition of the Chinese government, Western China covers one municipality (Chongqing), six provinces (Sichuan Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alternatively r ...

Changan Automobile Chang'an Automobile Co., Ltd. is a Chinese state-owned automobile manufacturer headquartered in Jiangbei, Chongqing.Big Four" car manufacturers of China, and hosts more than 10 foreign consulates, making it the fifth major city to host more foreign representatives than any other city in China after

Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...

,

Shanghai Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...

,

Guangzhou Guangzhou (, ; ; or ; ), also known as Canton () and alternatively romanized as Kwongchow or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of Guangdong province in southern China. Located on the Pearl River about north-northwest of Hong Kon ...

and

Chengdu Chengdu (, ; Simplified Chinese characters, simplified Chinese: 成都; pinyin: ''Chéngdū''; Sichuanese dialects, Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: ), Chinese postal romanization, alternatively Romanization of Chi ...

. Chongqing is one of the top 50 cities in the world by scientific research outputs as tracked by the

Nature Index The Nature Index is a database that tracks institutions and countries and their scientific output since its introduction in November, 2014. Each year, Nature Index ranks the leading institutions (which can be companies, universities, government agen ...

, and home to several notable universities, including

Chongqing University Chongqing University (CQU; , colloquially abbreviated as ChóngDà) is a public research university located in Chongqing, China. It is a National Key University directly funded by the central government of China as part of the Double First Class U ...

,

Southwest University Southwest University (SWU, ) is a comprehensive university in Chongqing, China. It is a Chinese state Double First Class University Plan university. Overview Southwest University (SWU) is a comprehensive university sponsored by the Ministry o ...

,

Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications (; abbreviation: CQUPT) is a public university in China's fourth largest municipality: Chongqing. It focuses on the research and education in the field of information and communications and en ...

,

Southwest University of Political Science and Law Southwest University of Political Science and Law (SWUPL) is a national public university located in Chongqing, China. It was founded in 1953 with the original name Southwest College of Political Science and Law. It was one of the first facultie ...

,

Chongqing Normal University Chongqing Normal University (Simplified Chinese: 重庆师范大学) is a major public research university in Chongqing, China. Founded in 1954 as East Sichuan Normal School, it is one of the institutions of higher learning in the People's Republi ...

and

Chongqing University of Technology Chongqing University of Technology (CQUT) is a public research university in Chongqing. It was founded as Shiji Public School on 18 September 1940 by ordnance expert . Overview The university was established on 18 September 1940, it now has aro ...

.

History

Ancient history

Chongqing's location is historically associated with the

State of Ba Ba () was an ancient state in eastern Sichuan, China. Its original capital was Yicheng (Enshi City), Hubei. Ba was conquered by Qin in 316 BC. The historical Bo people and the modern Tujia people trace some of their origins back to the people of ...

. Its capital was first called Jiangzhou ().

Imperial era

Jiangzhou subsequently remained under

Qin Shi Huang Qin Shi Huang (, ; 259–210 BC) was the founder of the Qin dynasty and the first emperor of a unified China. Rather than maintain the title of "king" ( ''wáng'') borne by the previous Shang and Zhou rulers, he ruled as the First Emperor ( ...

's rule during the

Qin dynasty The Qin dynasty ( ; zh, c=秦朝, p=Qín cháo, w=), or Ch'in dynasty in Wade–Giles romanization ( zh, c=, p=, w=Ch'in ch'ao), was the first Dynasties in Chinese history, dynasty of Imperial China. Named for its heartland in Qin (state), ...

, the successor of the Qin State, as well as the rule of

Han dynasty The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–207 BC) and a warr ...

emperors. Jiangzhou was subsequently renamed during the

Northern and Southern dynasties The Northern and Southern dynasties () was a period of political division in the history of China that lasted from 420 to 589, following the tumultuous era of the Sixteen Kingdoms and the Eastern Jin dynasty. It is sometimes considered as ...

to Chu Prefecture (), then again in 581 AD (

Sui dynasty The Sui dynasty (, ) was a short-lived imperial dynasty of China that lasted from 581 to 618. The Sui unified the Northern and Southern dynasties, thus ending the long period of division following the fall of the Western Jin dynasty, and layi ...

) to Yu Prefecture (), and later in 1102 during

Northern Song Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North, a point in direction * Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe * Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States * Northern Province, Sri Lanka * Northern Range, a r ...

to Gong Prefecture (). The name Yu however survives to this day as an abbreviation for Chongqing, as well as for the city's historic center, where the old town once stood; its name is Yuzhong (, Central Yu). It received its current name in 1189, after Prince Zhao Dun of the

Southern Song dynasty The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...

described his crowning as king and then Emperor Guangzong as a "double celebration" (, or ''chóngqìng'' in short). To mark the occasion of his enthronement, Yu Prefecture was therefore converted to Chongqing Fu. In 1362, (

Yuan dynasty The Yuan dynasty (), officially the Great Yuan (; xng, , , literally "Great Yuan State"), was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after its division. It was established by Kublai, the fifth ...

),

Ming Yuzhen Ming Yuzhen (; 2 October 1328 – 17 March 1366) was a peasant rebel leader who established the dynasty of Ming Xia during the late Yuan dynasty in China. Ming was born in Suizhou (today Sui County, Hubei) in a farmer family. He changed the ch ...

, a peasant rebel leader, established the Daxia Kingdom () at Chongqing for a short time. In 1621 (

Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...

), another short-lived kingdom of Daliang () was established by She Chongming () with Chongqing as its capital. In 1644, after the fall of the Ming dynasty to a rebel army, Chongqing, together with the rest of

Sichuan Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan; formerly also referred to as "West China" or "Western China" by Protestant missions) is a province in Southwest China occupying most of the ...

, was captured by

Zhang Xianzhong Zhang Xianzhong (张献忠 or Chang Hsien-chung; 18 September 1606 – 2 January 1647), nickname Huanghu (literally 'Yellow Tiger'), was a Chinese peasant leader who led a peasant revolt from Yan'an wei, Shaanxi (today Yulin, Shaanxi province) ...

, who was said to have massacred a large number of people in Sichuan and depopulated the province, in part by causing many people to flee to safety elsewhere. The

Manchus The Manchus (; ) are a Tungusic East Asian ethnic group native to Manchuria in Northeast Asia. They are an officially recognized ethnic minority in China and the people from whom Manchuria derives its name. The Later Jin (1616–1636) and Q ...

later conquered the province, and during the

Qing dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...

, immigration to Chongqing and Sichuan took place with the support of the Qing emperor. In 1890, the British Consulate General was opened in Chongqing. The following year, the city became the first inland commerce port open to foreigners, with the proviso that foreign ships should not be at liberty to trade there until Chinese-owned steamers had succeeded in ascending the river. This restriction was abolished by the

Treaty of Shimonoseki The , also known as the Treaty of Maguan () in China and in the period before and during World War II in Japan, was a treaty signed at the , Shimonoseki, Japan on April 17, 1895, between the Empire of Japan and Qing China, ending the Firs ...

in 1895, which declared the city open on the same terms as other ports, although it was not until 1907 that a steamship made the journey without the help of manual haulers. From 1896 to 1904, the American, German, French, and Japanese consulates were opened in Chongqing.

Provisional wartime capital of the Republic of China

China from the Eyes of the Flying Tigers 1944-1945 57

During and after the

Second Sino-Japanese War The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) or War of Resistance (Chinese term) was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific Th ...

, from Nov 1937 to May 1946, it was Generalissimo

Chiang Kai-shek Chiang Kai-shek (31 October 1887 – 5 April 1975), also known as Chiang Chung-cheng and Jiang Jieshi, was a Chinese Nationalist politician, revolutionary, and military leader who served as the leader of the Republic of China (ROC) from 1928 ...

's provisional capital. After the General and remaining army had lived there for a time following their retreat in 1938 from the previous capital of

Wuhan Wuhan (, ; ; ) is the capital of Hubei, Hubei Province in the China, People's Republic of China. It is the largest city in Hubei and the most populous city in Central China, with a population of over eleven million, the List of cities in China ...

, it was formally declared the second capital city (, ''péi dū'') on 6 September 1940. After Britain, the United States, and other Allies entered the war in Asia in December 1941, one of the Allies' deputy commanders of operations in South East Asia (South East Asia Command SEAC),

Joseph Stilwell Joseph Warren "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell (March 19, 1883 – October 12, 1946) was a United States Army general who served in the China Burma India Theater during World War II. An early American popular hero of the war for leading a column walking ...

, was based in the city. This made it a city of world importance in the fight against Axis powers, together with

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

,

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...

and

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

The city was also visited by Lord

Louis Mountbatten Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma (25 June 1900 – 27 August 1979) was a British naval officer, colonial administrator and close relative of the British royal family. Mountbatten, who was of German ...

, the Supreme Commander of SEAC which was itself headquartered in Ceylon, modern day Sri Lanka. Chiang Kai Shek as Supreme Commander in China worked closely with Stilwell. From 1938 to 1943, the city suffered from continuously massive bombing campaigns of the

Imperial Japanese Navy The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's surrender ...

and

Army Air Force The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

s; battles of which were fought entirely by the

Chinese Air Force The People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF; ), also known as the Chinese Air Force (中国空军) or the People's Air Force (人民空军), is an Air force, aerial service branch of the People's Liberation Army, the regular army, regular ...

squadrons and anti-aircraft artillery units. Many lives were saved by the air-raid shelters which took advantage of the mountainous terrain. Chongqing was acclaimed to be the "City of Heroes" due to the indomitable spirits of its people as well as their contributions and sacrifices during the War of Resistance-World War II. Many factories and universities were relocated from eastern China and ultimately to Chongqing during years of setbacks in the war, transforming this city from inland port to a heavily industrialized city. In late November 1949, the Nationalist KMT government retreated from the city.

Municipality status

File:Location of Chongqing Prefecture within Sichuan.png, File:Location of Fuling Prefecture within Sichuan.png, File:Location of Wanxian Prefecture within Sichuan.png, File:Location of Qianjiang Prefecture within Sichuan.png, A Sunset View of Chongqing Central Business District

A Sunset View of Chongqing Central Business District

On 14 March 1997, the Eighth

National People's Congress The National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China (NPC; ), or simply the National People's Congress, is constitutionally the supreme state authority and the national legislature of the People's Republic of China. With 2, ...

decided to merge the

sub-provincial city A sub-provincial division () in China is a prefecture-level city governed by a province promoted by half a level. Thus, it is half a level under the provincial level (hence the name sub-provincial) but half a level above the prefecture-level. T ...

with adjacent

Fuling Fuling District () is a district in central Chongqing, China. The area is known for ''zha cai'', a hot pickled mustard tuber, as well as serving as the location of former U.S. Peace Corps teacher Peter Hessler's best-selling memoir '' River Town: ...

,

Wanxian Wanzhou District () is Chongqing's second most populated urban core area on the upper reaches of the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River in China. It is currently governed as a district of Chongqing Municipality, bordering Sichuan to the northwest ...

, and Qianjiang prefectures that it had governed on behalf of the province since September 1996. The resulting single entity became Chongqing Municipality, containing 30,020,000 people in forty-three former

counties A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

(without intermediate political levels). The municipality became the spearhead of China's effort to develop its western regions and to coordinate the resettlement of residents from the reservoir areas of the

Three Gorges Dam The Three Gorges Dam is a hydroelectric gravity dam that spans the Yangtze River by the town of Sandouping, in Yiling District, Yichang, Hubei province, central China, downstream of the Three Gorges. The Three Gorges Dam has been the world ...

project. Its first official ceremony took place on 18 June 1997. On 8 February 2010, Chongqing became one of the four National Central/Core cities, the other three are Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin. The same year on June 18, the

Liangjiang New Area Liangjiang, officially known as Liangjiang New Area (), is a state-level new area situated in the municipality of Chongqing, China. The area covers 1,205 square kilometres combining part of Jiangbei District, Yubei District, and Beibei District ...

was established in Chongqing, which was the third state-level

new area The new areas or new districts of the People's Republic of China are new urban districts that are given special economic and development support by the Chinese Central Government or regional government. New areas are divided into two varieties ...

at the time of its establishment.

Geography

Physical geography and topography

Chongqing is situated at the transitional area between the

Tibetan Plateau The Tibetan Plateau (, also known as the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau or the Qing–Zang Plateau () or as the Himalayan Plateau in India, is a vast elevated plateau located at the intersection of Central, South and East Asia covering most of the Ti ...

and the plain on the middle and lower reaches of the

Yangtze River The Yangtze or Yangzi ( or ; ) is the longest list of rivers of Asia, river in Asia, the list of rivers by length, third-longest in the world, and the longest in the world to flow entirely within one country. It rises at Jari Hill in th ...

in the

sub-tropical The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical and climate zones to the north and south of the tropics. Geographically part of the temperate zones of both hemispheres, they cover the middle latitudes from to approximately 35° north and ...

climate zone often swept by moist

monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscil ...

s. It often rains at night in late spring and early summer, and thus the city is famous for its "night rain in the Ba Mountains", as described by poems throughout Chinese history including the famous ''Written on a Rainy Night-A Letter to the North'' by

Li Shangyin Li Shangyin (, 813858), courtesy name Yishan (), was a Chinese poet and politician of the late Tang dynasty, born in the Henei Commandery (now Qinyang, Henan). He is noted for the imagist quality of his poems and his "no title" () style of poe ...

. The municipality reaches a maximum length of from east to west, and a maximum width of from north to south. It borders the following provinces:

Hubei Hubei (; ; alternately Hupeh) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China, and is part of the Central China region. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Dongting Lake. The prov ...

in the east,

Hunan Hunan (, ; ) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China, part of the South Central China region. Located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze watershed, it borders the province-level divisions of Hubei to the north, Jiangxi to ...

in the southeast,

Guizhou Guizhou (; formerly Kweichow) is a landlocked province in the southwest region of the People's Republic of China. Its capital and largest city is Guiyang, in the center of the province. Guizhou borders the autonomous region of Guangxi to t ...

in the south,

Sichuan Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan; formerly also referred to as "West China" or "Western China" by Protestant missions) is a province in Southwest China occupying most of the ...

in the west and northwest, and

Shaanxi Shaanxi (alternatively Shensi, see #Name, § Name) is a landlocked Provinces of China, province of China. Officially part of Northwest China, it borders the province-level divisions of Shanxi (NE, E), Henan (E), Hubei (SE), Chongqing (S), Sichu ...

to the north in its northeast corner. Qutang Gorge on Changjiang

Chongqing covers a large area crisscrossed by rivers and mountains. The

Daba Mountains The Daba Mountains, also known by their Chinese name as the Dabashan, are a mountain range in Central China between the watersheds of the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers. Part of the larger Qinling mountain range, it cuts through four provinces: Si ...

stand in the north, the

Wu Mountains Wu Gorge (), sometimes called Great Gorge (), is the second gorge of the Three Gorges system on the Yangtze River, People's Republic of China. Formed by the Wu River, it stretches from Wushan to Guandukou, and is located downstream of Qutang ...

in the east, the

Wuling Mountains The Wuling Mountains () are a mountain range located in Central China, running from Chongqing Municipality and East Guizhou to West Hunan. They are home to many ethnic groups, including as the Tujia, Han, Miao, Dong, and Bai. Wulingyuan Th ...

in the southeast, and the

Dalou Mountains The Dalou Mountains (} are a range of limestone mountains running north east to south west across the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau spanning Guizhou and Sichuan Provinces, People's Republic of China. At , Mount Jinfo (金佛山) in Nanchuan District, C ...

in the south. The whole area slopes down from north and south towards the

Yangtze River valley The Yangtze or Yangzi ( or ; ) is the longest river in Asia, the third-longest in the world, and the longest in the world to flow entirely within one country. It rises at Jari Hill in the Tanggula Mountains (Tibetan Plateau) and flow ...

, with sharp rises and falls. The area is featured by a large geological

massif In geology, a massif ( or ) is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole. The term also refers to a ...

, of mountains and hills, with large sloping areas at different heights. Typical

karst Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...

landscape is common in this area, and stone forests, numerous collections of peaks,

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

caves and valleys can be found in many places. The ''Longshuixia Gap'' (), with its natural arch-bridges, has made the region a popular tourist attraction. The Yangtze River runs through the whole area from west to east, covering a course of , cutting through the Wu Mountains at three places and forming the well-known

Three Gorges The Three Gorges () are three adjacent gorges along the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, in the hinterland of the People's Republic of China. With a subtropical monsoon climate, they are known for their scenery. The "Three Gorges Scenic A ...

: the Qutang, the Wuxia and the Xiling gorges. Coming from northwest and running through "the Jialing Lesser Three Gorges" of Libi, Wentang and Guanyin, the

Jialing River The Jialing River, formerly known by numerous other names, is a major tributary of the Yangtze River in the Sichuan Basin. It is named after the Jialing Valley in Feng County, Shaanxi through which it flows. The Jialing River's most notable c ...

joins the Yangtze in Chongqing. The central urban area of Chongqing, or Chongqing proper, is a city of unique features. Built on mountains and partially surrounded by the Yangtze and Jialing rivers, it is known as a "mountain city" and a "city on rivers". The night scene of the city is very illuminated, with millions of lights and their reflection on the rivers. With its special

topographical Topography is the study of the forms and features of land surfaces. The topography of an area may refer to the land forms and features themselves, or a description or depiction in maps. Topography is a field of geoscience and planetary sci ...

features, Chongqing has the unique scenery of mountains, rivers, forests, springs, waterfalls, gorges, and caves.

Li Bai Li Bai (, 701–762), also pronounced as Li Bo, courtesy name Taibai (), was a Chinese poet, acclaimed from his own time to the present as a brilliant and romantic figure who took traditional poetic forms to new heights. He and his friend Du F ...

, a famous poet of the

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an Zhou dynasty (690–705), interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dyn ...

, was inspired by the natural scenery and wrote this

epigram An epigram is a brief, interesting, memorable, and sometimes surprising or satirical statement. The word is derived from the Greek "inscription" from "to write on, to inscribe", and the literary device has been employed for over two mille ...

. Specifically, the central urban area is located on a huge folding area.

Yuzhong District Yuzhong District () is the central district and heart of Chongqing municipality. It is the capital of the municipality and is also the political, economical, and entertainment center of the city of Chongqing. Located in the central portion of Yuz ...

,

Nan'an District Nan'an District (), is one of the six central districts of Chongqing municipality, China. It covers an area of 262.43 km2, with 44 km2 covered with forests and woods. It has an estimated population of 891,000 in late 2017. Geography The ...

,

Shapingba District Shapingba () is a district of Chongqing, People's Republic of China, formerly known as Shaci District () during the Second Sino-Japanese War, Sino-Japanese War. It is one of the central parts of Chongqing and covers around 396 square kilometers, w ...

and Jiangbei District are located right on a big

syncline In structural geology, a syncline is a fold with younger layers closer to the center of the structure, whereas an anticline is the inverse of a syncline. A synclinorium (plural synclinoriums or synclinoria) is a large syncline with superimpose ...

. And the "Southern Mountain of Chongqing" (Tongluo Mountain), along with the Zhongliang Mountain are two

anticlines In structural geology, an anticline is a type of fold that is an arch-like shape and has its oldest beds at its core, whereas a syncline is the inverse of an anticline. A typical anticline is convex up in which the hinge or crest is the l ...

next to the syncline of downtown. Zhongliang Mountains () and Tongluo Mountains () roughly forms the eastern and western boundaries of Chongqing's urban area. The highest point in downtown is the top of Eling Hill, which is a smaller syncline hill that separates the Yangtze River and Jialing River. The elevation of Eling Hill is . The lowest point is Chaotian Gate, where the two rivers merge with each other. The altitude there is . The average height of the area is . However, there are several high mountains outside central Chongqing, such as the Wugong Ling Mountain, with the altitude of , in Jiangjin.

Climate

Chongqing has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...

''Cfa''), bordering on a monsoonal humid subtropical climate (

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (born 1951), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author and ...

''Cwa'') and for most of the year experiences very high relative humidity, with all months above 75%. Known as one of the "

Three Furnaces The term Three Furnaces () refers to the especially hot and oppressively humid summer weather in several major cities in the Yangtze River Valley, within China. It was coined during the ROC period of China, and refers to the following cities: *C ...

" of the Yangtze River, along with

Wuhan Wuhan (, ; ; ) is the capital of Hubei, Hubei Province in the China, People's Republic of China. It is the largest city in Hubei and the most populous city in Central China, with a population of over eleven million, the List of cities in China ...

and

Nanjing Nanjing (; , Mandarin pronunciation: ), alternately romanized as Nanking, is the capital of Jiangsu province of the People's Republic of China. It is a sub-provincial city, a megacity, and the second largest city in the East China region. T ...

, its summers are long and among the hottest and most humid in China, with highs of in July and August in the urban area. Winters are short and somewhat mild, but damp and overcast. The city's location in the

Sichuan Basin The Sichuan Basin (), formerly transliterated as the Szechwan Basin, sometimes called the Red Basin, is a lowland region in southwestern China. It is surrounded by mountains on all sides and is drained by the upper Yangtze River and its tributa ...

causes it to have one of the lowest annual sunshine totals nationally, at only 1,055 hours, lower than much of Northern Europe; the monthly percent possible sunshine in the city proper ranges from a mere 8% in December and January to 48% in August. Extremes since 1951 have ranged from on 15 December 1975 (unofficial record of was set on 8 February 1943) to on 18 and 19 August 2022 (unofficial record of was set on 8 and 9 August 1933). Chongqing, with over 100 days of fog per year, is known as the "Fog City" (); this is because in the spring and fall, a thick layer of fog enshrouds it for 68 days per year. During the

Second Sino-Japanese War The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) or War of Resistance (Chinese term) was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific Th ...

, this special weather possibly played a role in protecting the city from being overrun by the

Imperial Japanese Army The was the official ground-based armed force of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945. It was controlled by the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office and the Ministry of the Army, both of which were nominally subordinate to the Emperor o ...

. As exemplified by Youyang County below, conditions are often cooler in the southeast part of the municipality due to the higher elevations there.

Cityscape

File:Jiangbeizui CBD.jpg,

Jiangbeizui CBD Jiangbeizui CBD（) is one of the central business districts and part of Liangjiang New Area in central Chongqing, China. The CBD aims to attract financial institutions, making it a financial centre in the future. Jiangbeizui CBD is located ...

from above, taken in 2018 File:Chaotianmen Bridge, Nan'an District of Chongqing.jpg,

Chaotianmen Bridge The Chaotianmen Bridge (), is a road-rail bridge over the Yangtze River in the city of Chongqing, China. The bridge, which opened on 29 April 2009, is the world's longest through arch bridge. The continuous steel truss arch bridge with tie girder ...

connects Jiangbei District with

Nan'an District Nan'an District (), is one of the six central districts of Chongqing municipality, China. It covers an area of 262.43 km2, with 44 km2 covered with forests and woods. It has an estimated population of 891,000 in late 2017. Geography The ...

of Chongqing, taken in 2018 File:Jiefangbei.jpg, Jiefangbei () is a

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

victory monument File:Raffles City Chongqing 2019-9.jpg, Raffles City Chongqing, sitting in the confluence of Yangtze and Jialing River

Politics

Chongqing has been, since 1997, a

direct-controlled municipality A direct-controlled municipality is the highest level classification for cities used by unitary states, with status equal to that of the provinces in the respective countries. A direct-controlled municipality is similar to, but not the same as, a ...

in the Chinese administrative structure, making it a provincial-level division with commensurate political importance. The municipality's top leader is the secretary of the municipal committee of the Chinese Communist Party ("party chief"), which, since 2007, has also held a seat on the

Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party The Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party, formally known as the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and known as the Central Bureau before 1927, is the decision-making body of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). ...

, the country's second highest governing council. Under the Soviet-inspired

nomenklatura The ''nomenklatura'' ( rus, номенклату́ра, p=nəmʲɪnklɐˈturə, a=ru-номенклатура.ogg; from la, nomenclatura) were a category of people within the Soviet Union and other Eastern Bloc countries who held various key admi ...

system of appointments, individuals are appointed to the position by the central leadership of the Communist Party, and bestowed to an official based on seniority and adherence to party orthodoxy, usually given to an individual with prior regional experience elsewhere in China and nearly never a native of Chongqing. Notable individuals who have held the municipal Party Secretary position include

He Guoqiang He Guoqiang (; born October 1. 1943) is a retired senior leader of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Between 2007 and 2012, He was a member of the Politburo Standing Committee (PSC), China's highest ruling council, and the Secretary of the Cent ...

,

Wang Yang Wang Yang may refer to: People *Wang Yang (politician) (born 1955), Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference *Wang Yang (Liaoning politician) (born 1957), former provincial official from Liaoni ...

,

Bo Xilai Bo Xilai (; born 3 July 1949) is a Chinese former politician who was convicted on bribery and embezzlement charges. He came to prominence through his tenures as Mayor of Dalian and then the governor of Liaoning. From 2004 to November 2007, ...

,

Zhang Dejiang Zhang Dejiang (; born 4 November 1946) is a Chinese retired politician. He served as the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the 12th National People's Congress, roughly the equivalent of a speaker of parliament in other countries between ...

, and

Sun Zhengcai Sun Zhengcai (; born September 25, 1963) is a former Chinese politician and senior regional official. From 2012 to 2017, Sun served as the Communist Party Secretary of Chongqing, an interior municipality, and a member of the Politburo of the Chi ...

, the latter three were Politburo members during their term as party chief. The party chief heads the municipal

party standing committee Members of the standing committees of the Chinese Communist Party provincial-level committees, commonly referred to as ''Shengwei Changwei'' (), make up the top ranks of the provincial-level organizations of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). I ...

, the ''de facto'' top governing council of the municipality. The standing committee is typically composed of 13 individuals which includes the party chiefs of important subdivisions and other leading figures in the local party and government organization, as well as one military representative. The municipal People's Government serves as the day-to-day administrative authority, and is headed by the mayor, who is assisted by numerous vice mayors and mayoral assistants. Each vice mayor is given jurisdiction over specific municipal departments. The mayor is the second-highest-ranking official in the municipality. The mayor usually represents the city when foreign guests visit. The municipality also has a People's Congress, theoretically elected by lower level People's Congresses. The People's Congress nominally appoints the mayor and approves the nominations of other government officials. The People's Congress, like those of other provincial jurisdictions, is generally seen as a symbolic body. It convenes in full once a year to approve party-sponsored resolutions and local regulations and duly confirm party-approved appointments. On occasion the People's Congress can be venues of discussion on municipal issues, although this is dependent on the actions of individual delegates. The municipal People's Congress is headed by a former municipal official, usually in their late fifties or sixties, with a lengthy prior political career in Chongqing. The municipal Political Consultative Conference (''zhengxie'') meets at around the same time as the People's Congress. Its role is to advise on political issues. The ''zhengxie'' is headed by a leader who is typically a former municipal or regional official with a lengthy career in the party and government bureaucracy.

Military

Chongqing was the wartime capital of China during the

Second Sino-Japanese War The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) or War of Resistance (Chinese term) was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific Th ...

(i.e., World War II), and from 1938 to 1946, the seat of administration for the Republic of China's government before its departure to

Nanjing Nanjing (; , Mandarin pronunciation: ), alternately romanized as Nanking, is the capital of Jiangsu province of the People's Republic of China. It is a sub-provincial city, a megacity, and the second largest city in the East China region. T ...

and then

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...

. After the eventual defeat at the

Battle of Wuhan The Battle of Wuhan (武漢之戰), popularly known to the Chinese as the Defense of Wuhan, and to the Japanese as the Capture of Wuhan, was a large-scale battle of the Second Sino-Japanese War. Engagements took place across vast areas of Anhui ...

General Chiang-Kai Shek and the army were forced to use it as base of resistance from 1938 onwards. It also contains a military museum named after the Chinese

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

hero Qiu Shaoyun. Chongqing used to be the headquarters of the

13th Group Army In music or music theory, a thirteenth is the note thirteen scale degrees from the root of a chord and also the interval between the root and the thirteenth. The interval can be also described as a compound sixth, spanning an octave ...

of the

People's Liberation Army The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is the principal military force of the People's Republic of China and the armed wing of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The PLA consists of five service branches: the Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, ...

, one of the two group armies that formerly comprised the

Chengdu Military Region The Chengdu Military Region was one of seven military districts and is located in the southwest of the People's Republic of China, covering Chongqing, Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, and the Xizang/Tibet Autonomous Region. It includes some of the area ...

, which in 2016 was re-organized into the

Western Theater Command The Western Theater Command ()is one of the five theater commands of the People's Liberation Army, founded on 1 February 2016. Its jurisdiction includes Sichuan, Tibet, Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai, Xinjiang, Shaanxi, Yunnan, Chongqing. Guizhou ...

.

Administrative divisions

Chongqing is the largest of the four direct-controlled municipalities of the People's Republic of China. The municipality is divided into 38 subdivisions (3 were abolished in 1997, and Wansheng and Shuangqiao districts were abolished in October 2011), consisting of 26 districts, 8 counties, and 4 autonomous counties. The boundaries of Chongqing municipality reach much farther into the city's hinterland than the boundaries of the other three provincial level municipalities (Beijing, Shanghai and

Tianjin Tianjin (; ; Mandarin: ), alternately romanized as Tientsin (), is a municipality and a coastal metropolis in Northern China on the shore of the Bohai Sea. It is one of the nine national central cities in Mainland China, with a total popul ...

), and much of its administrative area, which spans over , is rural. At the end of year 2018, the total population is 31.02 million.

Urban areas

Central Chongqing

A View of Chongqing Central Business District

The main urban area of Chongqing city () spans approximately , and includes the following nine districts: *

Yuzhong District Yuzhong District () is the central district and heart of Chongqing municipality. It is the capital of the municipality and is also the political, economical, and entertainment center of the city of Chongqing. Located in the central portion of Yuz ...

(, literally "Central Chongqing District"), the central and most densely populated district, where government and international business offices and the city's best shopping are located in the district's

Jiefangbei CBD Jiefangbei CBD (), also known as Jiefangbei Business Walking Street (), is the ultra-dense, urbanized downtown core and one of several central business districts of Chongqing, China. It is anchored by a large pedestrian mall with a landmark monum ...

area. Yuzhong is located on the peninsula surrounded by Eling Hill, Yangtze River and Jialing River. * Jiangbei District (, literally "North of the River District"), located to the north of Jialing River. *

Shapingba District Shapingba () is a district of Chongqing, People's Republic of China, formerly known as Shaci District () during the Second Sino-Japanese War, Sino-Japanese War. It is one of the central parts of Chongqing and covers around 396 square kilometers, w ...

(), roughly located between Jialing River and Zhongliang Mountain. *

Jiulongpo District Jiulongpo () is a district forming part of the western part of the Chongqing urban core (). Its total population is around 675,000, while its urban city population is nearly 650,000 (2005). Location Jiulongpo is one of the main districts in Ch ...

(), roughly located between Yangtze River and Zhongliang Mountain. *

Nan'an District Nan'an District (), is one of the six central districts of Chongqing municipality, China. It covers an area of 262.43 km2, with 44 km2 covered with forests and woods. It has an estimated population of 891,000 in late 2017. Geography The ...

(, literally "Southern Bank District"), located on the south side of Yangtze River. *

Dadukou District Dadukou District () is a district of Chongqing municipality in China. Dadukou is an industrialised district where the Chongqing Iron & Steel Company Limited ("Chong Gang" or ) is based. Most of the facilities, including school, hospitals, shoppin ...

() * Banan District (, literally "Southern of Ba District"). Previously called Ba County, and changed to the current name in 1994. *

Yubei District Yubei District (), literally meaning ''the north of Yu'' (with ''Yu'' being an abbreviation for Chongqing), is a district of Chongqing municipality, bordering Sichuan province to the north. Lianglu, which is a town administered by Yubei District, ...

(, or "Northern Chongqing District"). Previously called Jiangbei County, and changed into the current name in 1994. *

Beibei District Beibei District () is a district in the Chongqing municipality, People's Republic of China. A satellite town in the north of central Chongqing, Beibei got its name because of the huge rock that extends to the middle of Jialing River, and is k ...

(), a satellite district northwest of Chongqing.

Demographics

Population

Jiefangbei (People's Liberation Monument)

According to a July 2010 article from the official Xinhua news agency, the municipality has a population of 32.8 million, including 23.3 million farmers. Among them, 8.4 million farmers have become migrant workers, including 3.9 million working and living in urban areas of Chongqing. , the

metropolitan area A metropolitan area or metro is a region that consists of a densely populated urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories sharing industries, commercial areas, transport network, infrastructures and housing. A metro area usually com ...

encompassing the central urban area was estimated by the

OECD The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD; french: Organisation de coopération et de développement économiques, ''OCDE'') is an intergovernmental organisation with 38 member countries, founded in 1961 to stimulate e ...

to have, a population of 17 million. This would mean that the locally registered farmers who work in other jurisdictions number 4.5 million, reducing the local, year-round population of Chongqing in 2010 to 28.3 million, plus those who are registered in other jurisdictions but live and work in Chongqing. According to China's 2005 statistical yearbook, of a total population of 30.55 million, those with residence registered in other jurisdictions but residing in the Chongqing enumeration area numbered 1.4 million, including 46,000 who resided in Chongqing "for less than half-year". An additional 83,000 had registered in Chongqing, but not yet settled there. The 2005 statistical yearbook also lists 15.22 million (49.82%) males and 15.33 million (50.18%) females. In terms of age distribution in 2004, of the 30.55 million total population, 6.4 million (20.88%) were age 0–14, 20.7 million (67.69%) were 15–64, and 3.5 million (11.46%) were 65 and over. Of a total 10,470,000 households (2004), 1,360,000 consisted of one person, 2,940,000 two-person, 3,190,000 three-person, 1,790,000 four-person, 783,000 five-person, 270,000 six-person, 89,000 seven-person, 28,000 eight-person, 6,000 nine-person, and 10,000 households of 10 or more persons per household.

Religion

The predominant religions in Chongqing are

Chinese folk religion Chinese folk religion, also known as Chinese popular religion comprehends a range of traditional religious practices of Han Chinese, including the Chinese diaspora. Vivienne Wee described it as "an empty bowl, which can variously be filled ...

s, Taoist traditions and

Chinese Buddhism Chinese Buddhism or Han Buddhism ( zh, s=汉传佛教, t=漢傳佛教, p=Hànchuán Fójiào) is a Chinese form of Mahayana Buddhism which has shaped Chinese culture in a wide variety of areas including art, politics, literature, philosophy, ...

. According to surveys conducted in 2007 and 2009, 26.63% of the population believes and is involved in cults of ancestors, while 1.05% of the population identifies as

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

(see also

Christianity in Sichuan Christianity is a minority in the Chinese province of Sichuan (formerly romanized as Szechwan or Szechuan; also referred to as "West China" or "Western China"). Eastern Lipo, Kadu people and A-Hmao are ethnic groups present in the province. His ...

). The reports did not give figures for other types of religion; 72.32% of the population may be either irreligious or involved in worship of nature deities, Buddhism,

Confucianism Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China. Variously described as tradition, a philosophy, a religion, a humanistic or rationalistic religion, a way of governing, or ...

, Taoism, or folk religious sects. In 2010, there were 9,056

Muslims Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abraha ...

in Chongqing.

Economy

Chongqing is facing rapid

urbanization Urbanization (or urbanisation) refers to the population shift from rural to urban areas, the corresponding decrease in the proportion of people living in rural areas, and the ways in which societies adapt to this change. It is predominantly t ...

. For instance, statistics suggest that new construction added approximately daily of usable floor space to satisfy demands for residential, commercial and factory space. Thus, Chongqing was separated from Sichuan province and made into a municipality in its own right on 14 March 1997 in order to accelerate its development and subsequently China's relatively poorer western areas (see

China Western Development China Western Development (), also Great Western Development Strategy or the Open Up the West Program, is a policy adopted for the Western China. The policy covers 6 provinces (Gansu, Guizhou, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Sichuan and Yunnan), 5 autonomo ...

strategy). An important industrial area in western China, , the economy of Chongqing was China's 16th largest economy with a

GDP Gross domestic product (GDP) is a monetary measure of the market value of all the final goods and services produced and sold (not resold) in a specific time period by countries. Due to its complex and subjective nature this measure is often ...

of CNY¥ 2,789 billion or

USD The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...

$439 billion in (nominal), which is equivalent to the GDP of Nigeria, the largest economy in Africa. However, its overall economic performance is still lagging behind coastal cities such as

Shanghai Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...

,

Shenzhen Shenzhen (; ; ; ), also historically known as Sham Chun, is a major sub-provincial city and one of the special economic zones of China. The city is located on the east bank of the Pearl River estuary on the central coast of southern province ...

and

Guangzhou Guangzhou (, ; ; or ; ), also known as Canton () and alternatively romanized as Kwongchow or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of Guangdong province in southern China. Located on the Pearl River about north-northwest of Hong Kon ...

. For example, its GDP per capita was 87,000 yuan (

USD The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...

13,400 $), which is around the national average. Nevertheless, there is a massive government push to transform Chongqing into the region's economic, trade, and

financial center A financial centre ( BE), financial center ( AE), or financial hub, is a location with a concentration of participants in banking, asset management, insurance or financial markets with venues and supporting services for these activities to t ...

and use the municipality as a platform to open up the country's western interior to further development. Compared to a country, it would be the 33rd-largest economy and the 45th most populous with the total perminant population of 32.05 millions as of 2021. Chongqing has been identified by the

Economist Intelligence Unit The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) is the research and analysis division of the Economist Group, providing forecasting and advisory services through research and analysis, such as monthly country reports, five-year country economic forecasts, ...

in the November 2010 Access China White Paper as a member of the CHAMPS (Chongqing, Hefei, Anshan, Maanshan, Pingdingshan and Shenyang), an economic profile of the top 20 emerging cities in China. Traditionally, due to its geographic inaccessibility, Chongqing and

Sichuan Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan; formerly also referred to as "West China" or "Western China" by Protestant missions) is a province in Southwest China occupying most of the ...

have both been important military bases in weapons research and development. Even though Chongqing's industries are diversified, unlike eastern China, its export sector is small due to its relatively disadvantageous inland location. Instead, factories producing local-oriented consumer goods such as processed food, cars, chemicals, textiles, machinery, sports equipment and electronics are common. Chongqing is China's third largest motor vehicle production center and the largest for motorcycles. In 2007, it had an annual output capacity of 1 million cars and 8.6 million motorcycles. Leading makers of cars and motorbikes includes China's fourth biggest automaker; Changan Automotive Corp and Lifan Hongda Enterprise, as well as

Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. The company sells automobi ...

, with the US car giant having 3 plants in Chongqing. The municipality is also one of China's nine largest iron and steel producers in China as well as one of its three major aluminum producers. Important manufacturers include

Chongqing Iron and Steel Company Chongqing Iron and Steel Company Limited (,), or CISC is an iron and steel manufacturing state-owned enterprise in Chongqing, China. Formerly "Hanyang Iron Plant" in Wuhan, it was established in 1890 during Qing Dynasty by Zhang Zhidong, the G ...

(重庆钢铁股份有限公司) and Southwest Aluminum (西南鋁業), which is Asia's largest aluminum plant. Agriculture remains significant. Rice and fruits, especially oranges, are the area's main produce. Natural resources are also abundant with large deposits of coal, natural gas, and more than 40 kinds of minerals such as

strontium Strontium is the chemical element with the symbol Sr and atomic number 38. An alkaline earth metal, strontium is a soft silver-white yellowish metallic element that is highly chemically reactive. The metal forms a dark oxide layer when it is ex ...

and

manganese Manganese is a chemical element with the symbol Mn and atomic number 25. It is a hard, brittle, silvery metal, often found in minerals in combination with iron. Manganese is a transition metal with a multifaceted array of industrial alloy use ...

. Coal reserves total approximately . Chuandong Natural Gas Field is China's largest inland gas field with deposits of around 270 billion m³ – more than 1/5 of China's total. Has China's largest reserve of strontium (China has the world's 2nd biggest strontium deposit). Manganese is mined in the Xiushan area. Although the mining sector has been denounced as heavily polluting and unsafe. Chongqing is also planned to be the site of a 10 million ton capacity refinery operated by

CNPC The China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) () is a major national oil and gas corporation of China and one of the largest integrated energy groups in the world. Its headquarters are in Dongcheng District, Beijing. CNPC was ranked fourth ...

(parent company of

PetroChina PetroChina Company Limited () is a Chinese oil and gas company and is the listed arm of state-owned China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), headquartered in Dongcheng District, Beijing. The company is currently Asia's largest oil and gas pr ...

) to process imported crude oil from the

Sino-Burma pipelines Sino-Myanmar pipelines refers to the oil and natural gas pipelines linking Myanmar's deep-water port of Kyaukphyu (Sittwe) in the Bay of Bengal with Kunming in Yunnan province of China. History Talks between China and Myanmar on the feasibility ...

. The pipeline itself, though not yet finished, will eventually run from

Sittwe Sittwe (; ; formerly Akyab) is the capital of Rakhine State, Myanmar (Burma). Sittwe, pronounced ''sait-tway'' in the Rakhine language, is located on an estuarial island created at the confluence of the Kaladan, Mayu, and Lay Mro rivers emptyi ...

(in Myanmar's western coast) through

Kunming Kunming (; ), also known as Yunnan-Fu, is the capital and largest city of Yunnan province, China. It is the political, economic, communications and cultural centre of the province as well as the seat of the provincial government. The headquar ...

in Yunnan before reaching Chongqing and it will provide China with fuels sourced from Myanmar, the Middle East and Africa. Recently, there has been a drive to move up the

value chain A value chain is a progression of activities that a firm operating in a specific industry performs in order to deliver a valuable product (i.e., good and/or service) to the end customer. The concept comes through business management and was firs ...

by shifting towards high technology and knowledge intensive industries resulting in new development zones such as the Chongqing New North Zone (CNNZ). Chongqing's local government is hoping through the promotion of favorable economic policies for the electronics and information technology sectors, that it can create a 400 billion RMB high technology manufacturing hub which will surpass its car industry and account for 25% of its exports. The city has also invested heavily in infrastructure to attract investment. The network of roads and railways connecting Chongqing to the rest of China has been expanded and upgraded reducing

logistical Logistics is generally the detailed organization and implementation of a complex operation. In a general business sense, logistics manages the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of consumption to meet the requirements of ...

costs. Furthermore, the nearby

Three Gorges Dam The Three Gorges Dam is a hydroelectric gravity dam that spans the Yangtze River by the town of Sandouping, in Yiling District, Yichang, Hubei province, central China, downstream of the Three Gorges. The Three Gorges Dam has been the world ...

which is the world's largest, supplies Chongqing with power and allows oceangoing ships to reach Chongqing's

Yangtze River The Yangtze or Yangzi ( or ; ) is the longest list of rivers of Asia, river in Asia, the list of rivers by length, third-longest in the world, and the longest in the world to flow entirely within one country. It rises at Jari Hill in th ...

port. These infrastructure improvements have led to the arrivals of numerous foreign direct investors (FDI) in industries ranging from

car A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people instead of goods. The year 1886 is regarded as ...

to finance and retailing; such as

Ford Ford commonly refers to: * Ford Motor Company, an automobile manufacturer founded by Henry Ford * Ford (crossing), a shallow crossing on a river Ford may also refer to: Ford Motor Company * Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company * Ford F ...

,

Mazda , commonly referred to as simply Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Fuchū, Hiroshima, Japan. In 2015, Mazda produced 1.5 million vehicles for global sales, the majority of which (nearly one m ...

,

HSBC HSBC Holdings plc is a British multinational universal bank and financial services holding company. It is the largest bank in Europe by total assets ahead of BNP Paribas, with US$2.953 trillion as of December 2021. In 2021, HSBC had $10.8 tri ...

,

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,

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,

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,

ANZ Bank ANZ may refer to: People * Anz (musician), a British DJ and electronic musician Banks * ANZ (bank), Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited, the fourth-largest bank in Australia ** ANZ Bank New Zealand, the largest bank in New Zealand ...

,

Scotiabank The Bank of Nova Scotia (french: link=no, Banque de Nouvelle-Écosse), operating as Scotiabank (french: link=no, Banque Scotia), is a Canadian multinational banking and financial services company headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. One of Canada ...

,

Wal-Mart Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores from the United States, headquarter ...

,

Metro AG Metro AG is a German multinational company based in Düsseldorf which operates business membership only cash and carry stores primarily under the Metro brand. Until 2020 it was also active in general retail business through Real division, wh ...

and

Carrefour Carrefour () is a French multinational retail and wholesaling corporation headquartered in Massy, France. The eighth-largest retailer in the world by revenue, it operates a chain of hypermarkets, groceries stores and convenience stores, which ...

, among other multinational corporations.

Economic and technological development zones

The city includes a number of economic and technological development zones: * Chongqing Chemical Industrial Park * Chongqing Economic & Technological Development Zone * Chongqing Hi-Tech Industry Development Zone * Chongqing New North Zone (CNNZ) * Chongqing Export Processing Zone * Jianqiao Industrial Park (located in Dadukou District) * Liangjiang New Area * Liangjiang Cloud Computing Center (the largest of its kind in China) Chongqing itself is part of the

West Triangle Economic Zone The West Triangle Economic Zone is an economic zone designated by the Chinese government comprising Chengdu, Chongqing and Xi'an. Created as part of China's Western Development strategy, the West Triangle Economic Zone contributes nearly 40% o ...

, along with

Chengdu Chengdu (, ; Simplified Chinese characters, simplified Chinese: 成都; pinyin: ''Chéngdū''; Sichuanese dialects, Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: ), Chinese postal romanization, alternatively Romanization of Chi ...

and

Xi'an Xi'an ( , ; ; Chinese: ), frequently spelled as Xian and also known by #Name, other names, is the list of capitals in China, capital of Shaanxi, Shaanxi Province. A Sub-provincial division#Sub-provincial municipalities, sub-provincial city o ...

.

Education

As of 2022, Chongqing hosts 70 institutions of higher education (excluding adult colleges), making it the fourth city with most higher education institutions nationwide and the first city in

Southwest China Southwest China () is a region in the south of the People's Republic of China. Geography Southwest China is a rugged and mountainous region, transitioning between the Tibetan Plateau to the west and the Chinese coastal hills (东南丘陵) and ...

, which comprises Chongqing,

Sichuan Province Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan; formerly also referred to as "West China" or "Western China" by Protestant missions) is a province in Southwest China occupying most of the ...

,

Guizhou Province Guizhou (; formerly Kweichow) is a landlocked province in the southwest region of the People's Republic of China. Its capital and largest city is Guiyang, in the center of the province. Guizhou borders the autonomous region of Guangxi to the ...

,

Yunnan Province Yunnan , () is a landlocked province in the southwest of the People's Republic of China. The province spans approximately and has a population of 48.3 million (as of 2018). The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders the C ...

, and

Tibet Autonomous Region The Tibet Autonomous Region or Xizang Autonomous Region, often shortened to Tibet or Xizang, is a Provinces of China, province-level Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region of the China, People's Republic of China in Southwest China. I ...

with a combination of more than 180 million population.

Colleges and universities

*

Chongqing University Chongqing University (CQU; , colloquially abbreviated as ChóngDà) is a public research university located in Chongqing, China. It is a National Key University directly funded by the central government of China as part of the Double First Class U ...

() *

Southwest University Southwest University (SWU, ) is a comprehensive university in Chongqing, China. It is a Chinese state Double First Class University Plan university. Overview Southwest University (SWU) is a comprehensive university sponsored by the Ministry o ...

() *

Chongqing University of Science and Technology Chongqing University of Science and Technology is a university located in the Shapingba District of Chongqing City supported by the Chongqing Municipal People's government, the China National Petroleum Corporation, the China Petrochemical Corp ...

() *

Southwest University of Political Science and Law Southwest University of Political Science and Law (SWUPL) is a national public university located in Chongqing, China. It was founded in 1953 with the original name Southwest College of Political Science and Law. It was one of the first facultie ...

() *

Third Military Medical University The Army Medical University (), formerly the Third Military Medical University (), is a Chinese medical education institution affiliated to the People's Liberation Army (PLA), located in Chongqing. The Army Medical University was founded in 1954 ...

() *

Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications (; abbreviation: CQUPT) is a public university in China's fourth largest municipality: Chongqing. It focuses on the research and education in the field of information and communications and en ...

() *

Chongqing University of Technology Chongqing University of Technology (CQUT) is a public research university in Chongqing. It was founded as Shiji Public School on 18 September 1940 by ordnance expert . Overview The university was established on 18 September 1940, it now has aro ...

() *

Chongqing Jiaotong University Chongqing Jiaotong University was founded in 1951 as a university with engineering being the primary focus. The university also teaches management, natural sciences, and humanities. In the Nanan District of the Chongqing Municipality, China, the ...

() *

Chongqing Medical University Chongqing Medical University (CQMU; ), previously referred to as the Chongqing University of Medical Sciences (CQUMS), was established in 1956 in Chongqing, China. It was originally a branch of the Shanghai First Medical College (now named the Sh ...

() *

Chongqing Normal University Chongqing Normal University (Simplified Chinese: 重庆师范大学) is a major public research university in Chongqing, China. Founded in 1954 as East Sichuan Normal School, it is one of the institutions of higher learning in the People's Republi ...

() *

Chongqing Technology and Business University Chongqing Technology and Business University () is a public university in Nan'an District, Chongqing, China. It was formed by the merger of the predecessor Chongqing Business School and Yuzhou University in 2002. History The university started wi ...

() * Chongqing Three Gorges University () *

Chongqing Telecommunication Institute Chongqing Communication Institute (), also known as Chongqing Telecommunication Institute, is a college located in Geleshan, Shapingba District in the Chinese municipality of Chongqing. Founded in 1950, the college is best known for its contribu ...

() *

Sichuan Fine Arts Institute Sichuan Fine Arts Institute (SFAI) () is a public fine arts university established in 1940 in the southwest City of Chonqing, China. It is one of the four most prominent art academies in China and the only one in southwest China. History and reput ...

() *

Sichuan International Studies University Sichuan International Studies University (SISU; ) is a public research university in Chongqing, China. It is one of the top eight foreign studies universities in China. It is colloquially known in Chinese as (). It is the flagship universit ...

() *

University of Logistics The PLA Army Service Academy (), formerly known as the Logistical Engineering University of PLA or University of Logistics, is an institution of higher learning in Chongqing, focusing on military engineering. It is affiliated to the General Logis ...

() *Chongqing University of Arts and Science () *

Yangtze Normal University Yangtze Normal University () is a full-time, comprehensive university under the administration of the Chongqing Municipal Government of the People's Republic of China. The campus is in Fuling District, at the conjunction of the Yangtze and Wu Ri ...

() * Chongqing University of Education ()

Notable high schools

* Fuling Experimental High School () * Chongqing No.1 Secondary School () *

Chongqing Nankai Secondary School Chongqing Nankai Middle School () is a senior high school in Chongqing, China. It is located in Chenjiawan, Shapingba District. In a 2016 ranking of Chinese high schools that send students to study in American universities, Chongqing Nankai Middl ...

() * Chongqing No.8 Secondary School () *

Bashu Secondary School Chongqing Bashu High School is ranked 5th in China and 2nd in Chongqing High School Ranking. No. 5 in China for seven consecutive years.) Bashu Secondary School(巴蜀中学）, formerly known as Bashu Middle School (巴蜀中学校) and Chongqin ...

() *

Chongqing Railway High School Chongqing Railway High School (simplified Chinese: 重庆铁路中学; traditional Chinese: 重慶鐵路中學; pinyin: chóng qìng tiě lù zhōng xué) is a public high school in Chongqing, People's Republic of China. Founded in 1956, it was ...

() * Chongqing Yucai Secondary School () * Chongqing Foreign Language School (The High School Affiliated to Sichuan International Studies University ) * Verakin High School of Chongqing (The 2nd Chongqing Foreign Language School, ) * Chongqing Qiujing High School () * High School Affiliated to Southwest University () * Chongqing NO.18 Secondary School ()

International schools

*

Yew Chung International School of Chongqing Yew Chung International School of Chongqing () is an accredited K3 - Year 13 international school for boys and girls located in the Chongqing International School Garden of the city's New Northern Economic Development Zone. The school's internati ...

() * KL International School of Chongqing Bashu ()

Transport

Since its elevation to national-level municipality in 1997, the city has dramatically expanded its transportation infrastructure. With the construction of railways and expressways to the east and southeast, Chongqing is a major transportation hub in southwestern China. , the municipality had 31 bridges across the Yangtze River including over a dozen in the city's urban core. Aside from the city's first two Yangtze River bridges, which were built, respectively, in 1960 and 1977, all of the other bridges were completed since 1995.

Public transit

Chongqing Rail Transit

Public transport in Chongqing consists of

metro Metro, short for metropolitan, may refer to: Geography * Metro (city), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urba ...

, intercity railway, a ubiquitous bus system and the world's largest monorail network. According to the Chongqing Municipal Government's ambitious plan in May 2007, Chongqing is investing 150 billion RMB over 13 years to finish a system that combines underground metro lines with heavy

monorail A monorail (from "mono", meaning "one", and "rail") is a railway in which the track consists of a single rail or a beam. Colloquially, the term "monorail" is often used to describe any form of elevated rail or people mover. More accurately, ...

. , four metro lines, the long CRT Line 1, a conventional subway, and the long heavy monorail CRT Line 2 (through Phase II), Line 3, a heavy monorail connects the airport and the southern part of downtown. Line 6, runs between

Beibei Beibei District () is a district in the Chongqing municipality, People's Republic of China. A satellite town in the north of central Chongqing, Beibei got its name because of the huge rock that extends to the middle of Jialing River, and is k ...

, a district in the city's far north to downtown. Line 5 opened in late 2017. By 2020 CRT will consist of 6 lines and 1 loop line resulting in of road and railway to the existing transportation infrastructure and 93 new metro stations will be added to the 111 stations that are already in place. By 2050, Chongqing will have as many as 18 lines that are planned to be in operation.

Aerial tramway

Chongqing is the only Chinese city that keeps public

aerial tramway An aerial tramway, sky tram, cable car, ropeway, aerial tram, telepherique, or seilbahn is a type of aerial lift which uses one or two stationary ropes for support while a third moving rope provides propulsion. With this form of lift, the grip ...

s. Historically there were three aerial tramways in Chongqing: the Yangtze River Tramway, the Jialing River Tramway and the South Mountain Tramway. Currently, only Yangtze River Tramway is still operating and it is Class 4A Tourist Attractions in China. The -long tramway connects the southern and northern banks of Yangtze River; its daily passenger volume is about 10,000. An aerial tramway

Railways

Major railway stations in Chongqing: *

Chongqing railway station Chongqing railway station () is a railway station of Chengyu Railway, Xiangyu Railway, Chuanqian Railway, Chengyu Passenger Railway, that located in People's Republic of China. It is a transportation hub of Chongqing in China. Once the most impo ...

in Yuzhong, accessible via Metro Lines 1 & 3 ( Lianglukou Metro station), is the city's oldest railway station and located near the

Jiefangbei CBD Jiefangbei CBD (), also known as Jiefangbei Business Walking Street (), is the ultra-dense, urbanized downtown core and one of several central business districts of Chongqing, China. It is anchored by a large pedestrian mall with a landmark monum ...

in the city center. The station handles mostly long-distance trains. There are plans for a major renovation and overhaul of this station, thus many services have been transferred to Chongqing North railway station. *

Chongqing North railway station Chongqing North railway station is a railway station located in Yubei District, Chongqing, China. It is served by the Yuhuai Railway, Suining–Chongqing Railway and Yuli Railway, and operated by the China Railway Chengdu Group. Name Prior to ...

is a station handling many long-distance services and high-speed rail services to Chengdu, Beijing and other cities. It was completed in 2006 and is connected to Metro Line. *

Chongqing West railway station The Chongqing West railway station is a railway station of Chengyu Passenger Railway that is located in Shapingba District of Chongqing, People's Republic of China. It is the second largest railway station, after Xi'an North, in South Western ...

is in Shapingba, a station handling many long-distance services and high-speed rail services to many cities. It was completed in 2018. *

Shapingba railway station The Shapingba railway station () is a railway station of Chengyu Passenger Railway that is located in Shapingba District of Chongqing, People's Republic of China. It was originally opened in 1979 serving ground-level tracks and has been operat ...

is in Shapingba, near Shapingba CBD, accessible via Shapingba metro station on Lines 1, 9 and the Loop line. It handles many local and regional train services. It was completed in 2018. *Another railway station, Chongqing East, is currently under construction and is expected to be completed in 2025. Chongqing is a major freight destination for rail with continued development with improved handling facilities. Due to subsidies and incentives, the relocation and construction of many factories in Chongqing has seen a huge increase in rail traffic. Chongqing is a major rail hub regionally. *

Chengdu–Chongqing railway Chengdu–Chongqing railway or Chengyu railway (), is a single-track electrified railroad in the Sichuan Basin of Southwest China between the cities Chengdu and Chongqing. Chongqing's short form name is Yu (渝) and the railway is named after the ...

(to

Chengdu Chengdu (, ; Simplified Chinese characters, simplified Chinese: 成都; pinyin: ''Chéngdū''; Sichuanese dialects, Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: ), Chinese postal romanization, alternatively Romanization of Chi ...

,

Sichuan Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan; formerly also referred to as "West China" or "Western China" by Protestant missions) is a province in Southwest China occupying most of the ...

Province) * Sichuan–Guizhou railway (to

Guiyang Guiyang (; ; Mandarin pronunciation: ), historically rendered as Kweiyang, is the capital of Guizhou province of the People's Republic of China. It is located in the center of the province, situated on the east of the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau, ...

,

Guizhou Guizhou (; formerly Kweichow) is a landlocked province in the southwest region of the People's Republic of China. Its capital and largest city is Guiyang, in the center of the province. Guizhou borders the autonomous region of Guangxi to t ...

Province) *

Xiangyang–Chongqing railway The Xiangyang–Chongqing railway or Xiangyu railway (襄渝铁路), also known as the Xiangfan-Chongqing railway and Xiangyu line (襄渝线), is a single-track electrified railroad in central China between the cities of Xiangyang, formerly known ...

(to

Hubei Hubei (; ; alternately Hupeh) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China, and is part of the Central China region. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Dongting Lake. The prov ...

Province) *

Chongqing–Huaihua railway Chongqing–Huaihua railway or Yuhuai railway (), is a single-track, electrified railroad in southwest China between Chongqing Municipality and Huaihua in Hunan Province. The line is long and was built between 2000 and 2005. Cities and towns al ...

(to

Hunan Hunan (, ; ) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China, part of the South Central China region. Located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze watershed, it borders the province-level divisions of Hubei to the north, Jiangxi to ...

Province) * Suining–Chongqing railway (to

Sichuan Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan; formerly also referred to as "West China" or "Western China" by Protestant missions) is a province in Southwest China occupying most of the ...

Province) * Chongqing–Lichuan railway (to

Hubei Hubei (; ; alternately Hupeh) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China, and is part of the Central China region. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Dongting Lake. The prov ...

Province) * Chongqing–Lanzhou railway railway (to

Gansu Gansu (, ; alternately romanized as Kansu) is a province in Northwest China. Its capital and largest city is Lanzhou, in the southeast part of the province. The seventh-largest administrative district by area at , Gansu lies between the Tibet ...

Province)

River port

Chongqing is one of the most important inland ports in China. There are numerous luxury cruise ships that terminate at Chongqing, cruising downstream along the

Yangtze River The Yangtze or Yangzi ( or ; ) is the longest list of rivers of Asia, river in Asia, the list of rivers by length, third-longest in the world, and the longest in the world to flow entirely within one country. It rises at Jari Hill in th ...

to

Yichang Yichang (), alternatively romanized as Ichang, is a prefecture-level city located in western Hubei province, China. It is the third largest city in the province after the capital, Wuhan and the prefecture-level city Xiangyang, by urban populati ...

,

Wuhan Wuhan (, ; ; ) is the capital of Hubei, Hubei Province in the China, People's Republic of China. It is the largest city in Hubei and the most populous city in Central China, with a population of over eleven million, the List of cities in China ...

,

Nanjing Nanjing (; , Mandarin pronunciation: ), alternately romanized as Nanking, is the capital of Jiangsu province of the People's Republic of China. It is a sub-provincial city, a megacity, and the second largest city in the East China region. T ...

or even Shanghai. In the recent past, this provided virtually the only transportation option along the river. However, improved rail, expressways and air travel have seen this ferry traffic reduced or cancelled altogether. Most of the river ferry traffic consists of leisure cruises for tourists rather than local needs. Improved access by larger cargo vessels has been made due to the construction of the

Three Gorges Dam The Three Gorges Dam is a hydroelectric gravity dam that spans the Yangtze River by the town of Sandouping, in Yiling District, Yichang, Hubei province, central China, downstream of the Three Gorges. The Three Gorges Dam has been the world ...

. This allows bulk transport of goods along the Yangtze River. Coal, raw minerals and containerized goods provide the majority of traffic plying this section of the river. Several port handling facilities exist throughout the city, including many impromptu river bank sites.

Highways

Traditionally, the road network in Chongqing has been narrow, winding and limited to smaller vehicles because of the natural terrain, large rivers and the huge population demands on the area, especially in the

Yuzhong District Yuzhong District () is the central district and heart of Chongqing municipality. It is the capital of the municipality and is also the political, economical, and entertainment center of the city of Chongqing. Located in the central portion of Yuz ...

. In other places, such as

Jiangbei Jiangbei () may refer to: * Henan Jiangbei Province, during the Yuan dynasty * Jiangbei District, Chongqing, China * Jiangbei District, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China * Jiangbei, Meizhou, Guangdong, China * Jiangbei (region), north of the Yangtze, Yangtze ...

, large areas of homes and buildings have recently been cleared to improve the road network and create better urban planning; thus, several ring roads have also been constructed. This has seen many tunnels and large bridges needing to be built across the city. The construction of many expressways have connected Chongqing to its neighbors. The natural mountainous terrain that Chongqing is built on makes many road projects difficult to construct, including for example some of the world's highest road bridges. Unlike many other Chinese cities, it is rare for motorbikes, electric scooters or bicycles to be seen on Chongqing's Roads. This is due to the extremely hilly and mountainous nature of Chongqing's roads and streets. However, despite this, Chongqing is a manufacturing center for these types of vehicles. * Chongqing-Chengdu Expressway * Chongqing-Chengdu 2nd Expressway (under construction) * Chongqing-Wanzhou-Yichang Highway (Wanzhou-Yichang section under construction) * Chongqing-Guiyang Highway * Chongqing-Changsha Expressway (Xiushan-Changsha section under construction) * Chongqing-Dazhou-Xi'a Highway (Dazhou-Xi'an section under construction) * Chongqing-Suining Expressway * Chongqing-Nanchong Expressway *

China National Highway 210 China National Highway 210 (G210) runs from Mandula in Baotou, Inner Mongolia to Fangchenggang, Guangxi. It is 3,097 kilometres in length and runs south from Baotou and passes through the province-level divisions of Shaanxi, Sichuan, Chongqing, Gu ...

*

China National Highway 212 China National Highway 212 (G212) runs from Lanzhou in Gansu to Chongqing. It was originally 1302 kilometres in length. In the 2013 National Highway Network Planning it was extended to Longbang, Guangxi, on the border with Vietnam. After the ex ...

Bridges

With so many bridges crossing the Yangtze and Jialing rivers in the urban area, Chongqing is sometimes known as the 'Bridge Capital of China'. The first important bridge in urban Chongqing was the Niujiaotuo Jialing River Bridge, built in 1958. The first bridge over the

Yangtze river The Yangtze or Yangzi ( or ; ) is the longest list of rivers of Asia, river in Asia, the list of rivers by length, third-longest in the world, and the longest in the world to flow entirely within one country. It rises at Jari Hill in th ...

was the Shibanpo Yangtze River Bridge (or Chongqing Yangtze River Bridge) built in 1977. , within the area of the 9 districts, there were 20 bridges on the

Yangtze river The Yangtze or Yangzi ( or ; ) is the longest list of rivers of Asia, river in Asia, the list of rivers by length, third-longest in the world, and the longest in the world to flow entirely within one country. It rises at Jari Hill in th ...

and 28 bridges on the Jialing river. The bridges in Chongqing exhibit a variety of shapes and structures, making Chongqing a showcase for bridge design.

Airports

The major airport of Chongqing is

Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport is located in Yubei District, Chongqing, China. The airport's IATA Airport code, CKG, is derived from the city's former romanized name, Chungking. Jiangbei airport is also a 128-hour transit visa-fre ...

(IATA: CKG, ICAO: ZUCK). It is located in

Yubei District Yubei District (), literally meaning ''the north of Yu'' (with ''Yu'' being an abbreviation for Chongqing), is a district of Chongqing municipality, bordering Sichuan province to the north. Lianglu, which is a town administered by Yubei District, ...

. The airport offers a growing network of direct flights to China, South East Asia, the Middle East, North America, and Europe. It is located north of the

city center A city centre is the commercial, cultural and often the historical, political, and geographic heart of a city. The term "city centre" is primarily used in British English, and closely equivalent terms exist in other languages, such as "" in Fren ...

of Chongqing and serves as an important aviation hub for south-western China. Jiangbei airport is a hub for

China Southern Airlines China Southern Airlines Company Limited is an airline headquartered in Baiyun District, Guangzhou, Baiyun District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province and is the largest airline in China. Established on 1 July 1988 following the restructuring of ...

,

Chongqing Airlines Chongqing Airlines () is an airline based in Chongqing, China. It operates both domestic passenger services within mainland China and international passenger services to Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore. Chongqing Airlines had 402 empl ...

,

Sichuan Airlines Sichuan Airlines Co., Ltd. () is a Chinese airline based in Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, and is the largest airline in western China, operating mainly scheduled domestic and international flights out o ...

,

China Express Airlines China Express Airlines () is a regional airline with its corporate headquarters on the grounds of Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport, Chongqing, China. History China Express Airlines, also known as Huaxia Airlines, is China's first priva ...

,

Shandong Airlines Shandong Airlines Co,.Ltd. (; nicknamed SDA or ) is an airline based in the Shandong Airlines Center () in Jinan, Shandong. The Chinese carrier operates a sizable domestic network from Jinan, Qingdao and Yantai to major cities across China, toget ...

and

Hainan Airlines Hainan Airlines Co., Ltd. (HNA, ) is an airline headquartered in Haikou, Hainan, People's Republic of China. The airline is rated as a 5-star airline by Skytrax. It is the largest civilian-run and majority state-owned air transport company, ma ...

's new

China West Air West Airlines Co. Ltd. (), operating as West Air, is a low-cost airline based in New North Zone, Chongqing, China, operating a scheduled passenger network to domestic and international destinations out of its hub, Chongqing Jiangbei International ...

. Chongqing also is a focus city of

Air China Air China Limited () is the flag carrier of the People's Republic of China and one of the "Big Three" mainland Chinese airlines (alongside China Southern Airlines and China Eastern Airlines). Air China's headquarters are in Shunyi District, ...

, therefore it is very well connected with

Star Alliance Star Alliance is the world's largest global airline alliance. Founded on 14 May 1997, its CEO is Jeffrey Goh and its headquarters is located in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. , Star Alliance is the largest of the three global alliances by passenger ...

and

Skyteam SkyTeam is one of the world's three major airline alliances. Founded in June 2000, SkyTeam was the last of the three alliances to be formed, the first two being Star Alliance and Oneworld, respectively. Its annual passenger count is 630 million ...

's international network. The airport currently has three parallel runways in operation. It serves domestic routes to most other Chinese cities, as well as international routes to

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...

,

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

,

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

,

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

,

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...

,

Doha Doha ( ar, الدوحة, ad-Dawḥa or ''ad-Dōḥa'') is the capital city and main financial hub of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf coast in the east of the country, north of Al Wakrah and south of Al Khor, it is home to most of the coun ...

,

Dubai Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics of ...

,

Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 ...

,

Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estima ...

,

Phuket Phuket (; th, ภูเก็ต, , ms, Bukit or ''Tongkah''; Hokkien:普吉; ) is one of the southern provinces (''changwat'') of Thailand. It consists of the island of Phuket, the country's largest island, and another 32 smaller islands of ...

,

Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of 2. ...

,

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...

,

Chiang Mai Chiang Mai (, from th, เชียงใหม่ , nod, , เจียงใหม่ ), sometimes written as Chiengmai or Chiangmai, is the largest city in northern Thailand, the capital of Chiang Mai province and the second largest city in ...

,

Phnom Penh Phnom Penh (; km, ភ្នំពេញ, ) is the capital and most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since the French protectorate of Cambodia and has grown to become the nation's primate city and its economic, indus ...

,

Siem Reap Siem Reap ( km, សៀមរាប, ) is the second-largest city of Cambodia, as well as the capital and largest city of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia. Siem Reap has French colonial and Chinese-style architecture in the Old F ...

,

Malé Malé (, ; dv, މާލެ) is the capital and most populous city of the Maldives. With a population of 252,768 and an area of , it is also one of the most densely populated cities in the world. The city is geographically located at the southern ...

,

Bali Bali () is a province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller neighbouring islands, notably Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nu ...

, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur,

Batam Batam is the largest city in the province of Riau Islands, Indonesia. The city administrative area covers three main islands of Batam, Rempang, and Galang (collectively called Barelang), as well as several small islands. Batam Island is the cor ...

,

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

and

Helsinki Helsinki ( or ; ; sv, Helsingfors, ) is the Capital city, capital, primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Finland, most populous city of Finland. Located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, it is the seat of the region of U ...

. , Jiangbei Airport was the 4th busiest airport in terms of passenger traffic in mainland China. Currently, Jiangbei airport has three terminals. Chongqing Airport has metro access ( CRT Line 3 and Line 10) to its central city, and two runways in normal use. There are four other airports in Chongqing Municipality: Qianjiang Wulingshan Airport, Wanzhou Wuqiao Airport,

Chongqing Xiannüshan Airport Chongqing Xiannüshan Airport or Chongqing Xiannyushan Airport () is an airport that serves Wulong District, Chongqing municipality, China. The airport is located in the town of Xiannüshan (仙女山), also spelled as Xiannyushan or Xiannvsha ...

, and

Chongqing Wushan Airport Chongqing Wushan Airport () , originally named Wushan Shennüfeng Airport () is an airport serving Wushan County of China's Chongqing Municipality. The airport is located at the border of Wushan and Fengjie counties, from the county seat, and m ...

. They are all class 4C airports and serve passenger flights to domestic destinations including Beijing, Shanghai and

Kunming Kunming (; ), also known as Yunnan-Fu, is the capital and largest city of Yunnan province, China. It is the political, economic, communications and cultural centre of the province as well as the seat of the provincial government. The headquar ...

.

Culture

Language

Zhongshan Ancient Town, Jiangjin, Chongqing

The language native to Chongqing is

Southwestern Mandarin Southwestern Mandarin (), also known as Upper Yangtze Mandarin (), is a Mandarin Chinese language spoken in much of Southwest China, including in Sichuan, Yunnan, Chongqing, Guizhou, most parts of Hubei, the northwestern part of Hunan, the northe ...

. More precisely, the great majority of the municipality, save for

Xiushan Xiushan Tujia and Miao Autonomous County (), or Xiushan County for short, is located in the southeast of Chongqing Municipality, China. It is the municipality's southernmost county-level division. * Area: * Population Population typically ...

, speak

Sichuanese Sichuanese, Szechuanese or Szechwanese may refer to something of, from, or related to the Chinese province and region of Sichuan (Szechwan/Szechuan) (historically and culturally including Chongqing), especially: *Sichuanese people, a subgroup of the ...

, including the primary

Chengdu-Chongqing dialect Chengdu-Chongqing dialect or Cheng–Yu (; Sichuanese Pinyin: ''Cen2yu2'', ) is the most widely used branch of Southwestern Mandarin, with about 90 million speakers. It is named after Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan, and Chongqing, which was ...

and

Minjiang dialect The Minjiang dialect (, ; ) is a branch of Sichuanese, spoken mainly in the Min River (''Mínjiāng'') valley or along the Yangtze in the southern and western parts of the Sichuan Basin in China. There is also a language island of the Minjiang ...

spoken in

Jiangjin Jiangjin District (), one of the districts in the southwest of Chongqing, China, lies along the upper reaches of Yangtze River, and has a history extending back more than 1500 years. The district covers 3200 square kilometres and has a population ...

and

Qijiang Qijiang District () is a district of Chongqing, China, bordering Guizhou province to the south. The district has an area of 2,748 km2 and a population of 1,213,770 (de facto resident population 825,500 as of 2017.) In October 2011, Qijiang C ...

. There are also a few speakers of Xiang and

Hakka The Hakka (), sometimes also referred to as Hakka Han, or Hakka Chinese, or Hakkas are a Han Chinese subgroup whose ancestral homes are chiefly in the Hakka-speaking provincial areas of Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan, Zhej ...

in the municipality, due to the great immigration wave to the Sichuan region () during the

Ming The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...

and

Qing dynasties The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speaki ...

. In addition, in parts of southeastern Chongqing, the

Miao Miao may refer to: * Miao people, linguistically and culturally related group of people, recognized as such by the government of the People's Republic of China * Miao script or Pollard script, writing system used for Miao languages * Miao (Unicode ...

and

Tujia language The Tujia language (Northern Tujia: Bifzivsar, ; Southern Tujia: Mongrzzirhof, ; ) is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken natively by the Tujia people in Hunan Province, China. It is unclassified within the Sino-Tibetan language family, due to pervasi ...

s are also used by some

Miao Miao may refer to: * Miao people, linguistically and culturally related group of people, recognized as such by the government of the People's Republic of China * Miao script or Pollard script, writing system used for Miao languages * Miao (Unicode ...

and

Tujia people The Tujia ( Northern Tujia: ''Bifjixkhar'' / ''Bifzixkar'', IPA: , Southern Tujia: ''Mongrzzir'', ; ) are an ethnic group and, with a total population of over 8 million, the eighth-largest officially recognized ethnic minority in the People's ...

.

Tourism

As the provisional Capital of China for almost ten years (1937 to 1945), the city was also known as one of the three headquarters of the Allies during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, as well as being a strategic center of many other wars throughout China's history. Chongqing has many historic war-time buildings or sites, some of which have since been destroyed. These sites include the People's Liberation Monument, located in the center of Chongqing city. It used to be the highest building in the area, but is now surrounded and dwarfed by numerous

shopping center A shopping center (American English) or shopping centre (Commonwealth English), also called a shopping complex, shopping arcade, shopping plaza or galleria, is a group of shops built together, sometimes under one roof. The first known collec ...

s. Originally named the ''Monument for the Victory over Axis Armies'', it is the only building in China for that purpose. Today, the monument serves as a symbol for the city. The

General Joseph W. Stilwell Museum The Stilwell Museum () is a museum in Yuzhong District of Chongqing that which preserves the former residence of General Joseph W. Stilwell, the Allied Chief of Staff in the China Theater during World War II. It opened in 1994.Jane PerlezChina ...

, dedicated to General "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell, a World War II general. the air force cemetery in the Nanshan area, in memory of those air force personnel killed during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945), and the

Red Rock Village Museum Red Rock Village Museum or Hongyancun Museum () is a museum in Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China. It was a diplomatic site for the Chinese Communist Party, led by Zhou Enlai during World War II. The museum is the site where Mao Zedong signed th ...

, a diplomatic site for the

Communist Party A communist party is a political party that seeks to realize the socio-economic goals of communism. The term ''communist party'' was popularized by the title of ''The Manifesto of the Communist Party'' (1848) by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. A ...

in Chongqing led by

Zhou Enlai Zhou Enlai (; 5 March 1898 – 8 January 1976) was a Chinese statesman and military officer who served as the first Premier of the People's Republic of China, premier of the People's Republic of China from 1 October 1949 until his death on 8 J ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, and Guiyuan, Cassia Garden, where

Mao Zedong Mao Zedong pronounced ; also romanised traditionally as Mao Tse-tung. (26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976), also known as Chairman Mao, was a Chinese communist revolutionary who was the founder of the People's Republic of China (PRC) ...

signed the "Double 10 (10 October) Peace Agreement" with the

Kuomintang The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Tai ...

in 1945.

The Hongyadong stilted house in Chongqqing city

* The

Baiheliang Underwater Museum The Baiheliang Underwater Museum or White Crane Ridge Underwater Museum () is an underwater museum built around the White Crane Ridge of Fuling District , Chongqing. It is China's first underwater museum. The museum is located on the Yangtze ...

, China's first underwater museum, * The Memorial of Great Tunnel Massacre, a former air-raid shelter where a major massacre occurred during World War II. * The

Great Hall of the People The Great Hall of the People is a state building located at the western edge of Tiananmen Square in Beijing. It is used for legislative and ceremonial activities by the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the ruling Chinese Co ...

in Chongqing is based on the

Great Hall of the People The Great Hall of the People is a state building located at the western edge of Tiananmen Square in Beijing. It is used for legislative and ceremonial activities by the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the ruling Chinese Co ...

in Beijing. This is one of the largest public assembly buildings in China which, though built in modern times, emulates traditional architectural styles. It is adjacent to the densely populated and hilly central district, with narrow streets and pedestrian only walkways, * The large domed

Three Gorges Museum The Three Gorges Museum () is a museum in the Yuzhong District of Chongqing, about the Three Gorges and Chongqing. It is one of the largest museums in the country. The museum opened in 2005, replacing the former Chongqing Museum. It is loc ...

presents the history, culture, and environment of the Three Gorges area and Chongqing. *

Chongqing Art Museum Chongqing Art Museum () (also known as Chongqing Art Gallery or Chongqing Guotai Arts Center) is an art museum in Yuzhong District of Chongqing. Its main focus is on traditional Chinese painting, printmaking, and small sculptures. Architecture ...

is known for striking architecture. *

Chongqing Science and Technology Museum The Chongqing Science and Technology Museum () is a science museum in the Jiangbei District of Chongqing, China. The ground-breaking ceremony for the museum was held on 7 January 2006 and construction started in October 2006. The museum was open ...

has an

IMAX IMAX is a proprietary system of high-resolution cameras, film formats, film projectors, and theaters known for having very large screens with a tall aspect ratio (approximately either 1.43:1 or 1.90:1) and steep stadium seating. Graeme F ...

theater Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actor, actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The p ...

. * Luohan Si, a

Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...

temple, *

Huangguan Escalator The Huangguan Escalator (, also known as the Lianglukou Escalator) is an escalator in Chongqing, China. Constructed in 1993 and completed in 1996, the Huangguan Escalator was the highest single-grading escalator in China and Asia when it was b ...

, the second longest escalator in Asia. * Former sites for embassies of major countries during the 1940s. As the capital at that time, Chongqing had many residential and other buildings for these officials. *

Wuxi County Wuxi County () is a county of Chongqing Municipality, People's Republic of China, bordering Shaanxi to the north and Hubei to the northeast and east. Sitting at the upper reaches of Daning River and the southern slopes of the central Daba Mounta ...

, noted as a major tourism area of Chongqing, * The

Dazu Rock Carvings The Dazu Rock Carvings () are a series of Chinese religious sculptures and carvings and UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Dazu District, Chongqing, China. The carvings date back as far as the 7th century AD, depicting and influenced by Buddhi ...

, in Dazu county, are a series of Chinese religious sculptures and carvings, dating back as far as the 7th century A.D., depicting and influenced by

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

,

Confucian Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China. Variously described as tradition, a philosophy, a Religious Confucianism, religion, a humanistic or rationalistic religion, ...

and

Taoist Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of philosophical thought (道家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (道教; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmony with the ''Tao'' ...

beliefs. Listed as a

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

, the Dazu Rock Carvings are made up of 75 protected sites containing some 50,000 statues, with over 100,000 Chinese characters forming inscriptions and epigraphs., * The Three Natural Bridges and

Furong Cave Furong Cave () is a karst cave located on the banks of the Furong River, from the seat of Wulong District, Chongqing, People's Republic of China. History First discovered by local farmers in 1993 the cave was opened to tourists in 1994. It beca ...

in Wulong Karst National Geology Park,

Wulong County Wulong District () is a district of Chongqing Municipality, China, bordering Guizhou province to the south. Administration Climate Education There is a central elementary school in Baiyun Town. Transportation The district is served by C ...

are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the

South China Karst The South China Karst (), a UNESCO World Heritage Site since June 2007, spans the provinces of Chongqing, Guangxi, Guizhou, and Yunnan. It is noted for its karst features and landscapes as well as rich biodiversity. The site comprises seven clust ...

, * Ciqikou is a 1000-year-old town in the

Shapingba District Shapingba () is a district of Chongqing, People's Republic of China, formerly known as Shaci District () during the Second Sino-Japanese War, Sino-Japanese War. It is one of the central parts of Chongqing and covers around 396 square kilometers, w ...

of Chongqing. It is also known as "Little Chongqing". The town, located next to the lower reaches of the

Jialing River The Jialing River, formerly known by numerous other names, is a major tributary of the Yangtze River in the Sichuan Basin. It is named after the Jialing Valley in Feng County, Shaanxi through which it flows. The Jialing River's most notable c ...

, was at one time an important source of china-ware and used to be a busy commercial dock during the Ming and

Qing dynasties The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speaki ...

, *

Fishing Town A fishing village is a village, usually located near a fishing ground, with an economy based on catching fish and harvesting seafood. The continents and islands around the world have coastlines totalling around 356,000 kilometres (221,000 m ...

or Fishing City is one of the three great ancient battlefields of China. It is noted for its resistance to the

Mongol The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , , ; ; russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal member of ...

armies during the Southern

Song dynasty The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...

(1127–1279) and the location where the Mongol leader

Möngke Khan Möngke ( mn, ' / Мөнх '; ; 11 January 1209 – 11 August 1259) was the fourth khagan-emperor of the Mongol Empire, ruling from 1 July 1251, to 11 August 1259. He was the first Khagan from the Toluid line, and made significant reforms ...

died in 1259, *

Xueyu Cave Snowy Jade Cave (a.k.a. Snow Jade Cave or Xueyu Cave, ) is a National Three Gorges Scenic Area and a National 4A Scenic Area located in Fengdu County, Chongqing Municipality, People's Republic of China, not far from the Yangtze River. Descript ...

in

Fengdu County Fengdu County (; formerly ) is a county located in Chongqing Municipality, People's Republic of China. The county was established as Fengdu County () during the Sui Dynasty. The name was changed to Fengdu County () during the Ming Dynasty. In 1 ...

is the only example of a pure-white, jade-like

karst Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...

cave in China, *

Fengdu Ghost City Fengdu Ghost City (, originally ) is a large complex of shrines, temples and monasteries dedicated to the afterlife located on the Ming mountain, in Fengdu County, Chongqing municipality, China. It is situated about downstream from Chongqing o ...

in

Fengdu County Fengdu County (; formerly ) is a county located in Chongqing Municipality, People's Republic of China. The county was established as Fengdu County () during the Sui Dynasty. The name was changed to Fengdu County () during the Ming Dynasty. In 1 ...

is the Gate of the Hell in traditional Chinese literature and culture. *

Snowy Jade Cave Snowy Jade Cave (a.k.a. Snow Jade Cave or Xueyu Cave, ) is a National Three Gorges Scenic Area and a National 4A Scenic Area located in Fengdu County, Chongqing Municipality, People's Republic of China, not far from the Yangtze River. Descript ...

, see Xueyu Cave (above). *

Baidi Cheng Baidicheng or Baidi Fortress is an ancient fortress and temple complex on a hill on the northern shore of the Yangtze River in China, 8 km east of the present day Fengjie County seat in Chongqing municipality. Overview The name ''Baidiche ...

, a peninsula in Yangtze River, known due to a famous poem by

Li Bai Li Bai (, 701–762), also pronounced as Li Bo, courtesy name Taibai (), was a Chinese poet, acclaimed from his own time to the present as a brilliant and romantic figure who took traditional poetic forms to new heights. He and his friend Du F ...

. * The

Chongqing Zoo Chongqing Zoo is a zoo in the city of Chongqing, China, about 8 km (5 miles) southwest from the city centre. Overview The zoo is located at Yangjiaping on Xijiao Road in the Jiulongpo District of Chongqing. It was built in 1953 and officia ...

, a

zoo A zoo (short for zoological garden; also called an animal park or menagerie) is a facility in which animals are kept within enclosures for public exhibition and often bred for Conservation biology, conservation purposes. The term ''zoological g ...

that exhibits many rare species including the

giant panda The giant panda (''Ailuropoda melanoleuca''), also known as the panda bear (or simply the panda), is a bear species endemic to China. It is characterised by its bold black-and-white coat and rotund body. The name "giant panda" is sometimes us ...

, the extremely rare

South China tiger The South China tiger is a population of the ''Panthera tigris tigris'' subspecies that is native to southern China. The population mainly inhabited the Fujian, Guangdong, Hunan and Jiangxi provinces. It has been listed as Critically Endanger ...

, and the African elephant. *

Chongqing Amusement Park Chongqing Amusement Park (), formerly known as Chongqing Popular Science Center (), is the largest amusement park in Nan'an District, Chongqing, in southwestern China. The park was created in 1991. It cost the Chongqing government about 100 milli ...

. * Chongqing Grand Theater, a

performing arts center Performing arts center/centre (see spelling differences), often abbreviated as PAC, is used to refer to: * A multi-use performance space that is intended for use by various types of the performing arts, including dance, music and theatre. :The ...

. * Foreigners' Street was an amusement park, including the

Porcelain Palace Porcelain Palace is a large public toilet complex at the Foreigners' Street amusement park in the city of Chongqing, China. The facade of the complex was inspired by ancient Egyptian art. A toilet complex to the south is in the distinctive s ...

, the world's largest toilet. Also the location of the abortive Love Land development in 2009. * The Black Mountain Valley (''Heishangu''). * Hongya Cave (aka Hongya Dong), a pier stilt house fortress that served as one of the 17 city gates of Ancient Chongqing is a popular tourist attraction for its architecture.

Cuisine

Chongqing food is part of

Sichuan Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan; formerly also referred to as "West China" or "Western China" by Protestant missions) is a province in Southwest China occupying most of the ...

cuisine. Chongqing is known for its spicy food. Its food is normally considered numbing because of the use of Sichuan pepper, also known as Sichuan peppercorn, containing

hydroxy alpha sanshool Hydroxy-''alpha''-sanshool is a molecule found in plants from the genus ''Zanthoxylum''. It is believed to be responsible for the numbing and tingling sensation caused by eating food cooked with Sichuan peppercorns and Uzazi. The term ''sansh ...

. Chongqing's

city center A city centre is the commercial, cultural and often the historical, political, and geographic heart of a city. The term "city centre" is primarily used in British English, and closely equivalent terms exist in other languages, such as "" in Fren ...

has many restaurants and food stalls where meals often cost less than

RMB The renminbi (; symbol: ¥; ISO code: CNY; abbreviation: RMB) is the official currency of the People's Republic of China and one of the world's most traded currencies, ranking as the fifth most traded currency in the world as of April 2022. ...

10. Local specialties here include

dumpling Dumpling is a broad class of dishes that consist of pieces of dough (made from a variety of starch sources), oftentimes wrapped around a filling. The dough can be based on bread, flour, buckwheat or potatoes, and may be filled with meat, fi ...

s and pickled vegetables and, different from many other Chinese cuisines, Chongqing dishes are suitable for the solo diner as they are often served in small individual sized portions. Among the delicacies and local specialties are these dishes: Red House hot pot Chongqing

*

Chongqing hot pot ''Chongqing Hot Pot'' () is a 2016 Chinese caper screwball comedy film written and directed by Yang Qing and starring Chen Kun, Bai Baihe, Qin Hao and Yu Entai. The film had its world premiere in March 2016 at the 2016 Hong Kong International Fi ...

– Chongqing's local culinary specialty which was originally from Northern China. Tables in

hot pot Hot pot or hotpot (), also known as soup-food or steamboat, is a cooking method that originated in China. A heat source on the dining table keeps a pot of soup stock simmering, and a variety of Chinese foodstuffs and ingredients are served b ...

restaurants usually have a central pot, where food ordered by the customers is boiled in a spicy broth, items such as beef, pork,

tripe Tripe is a type of edible lining from the stomachs of various farm animals. Most tripe is from cattle, pigs and sheep. Types of tripe Beef tripe Beef tripe is made from the muscle wall (the interior mucosal lining is removed) of a cow's st ...

,

kidney The kidneys are two reddish-brown bean-shaped organs found in vertebrates. They are located on the left and right in the retroperitoneal space, and in adult humans are about in length. They receive blood from the paired renal arteries; blood ...

slices, pork aorta and goose intestine are often consumed. * Chongqing Xiao Mian – a common

lamian Lamian (simplified Chinese: 拉面; traditional Chinese: 拉麵; pinyin: ''Lāmiàn'') is a type of soft wheat flour Chinese noodle that is particularly common in northern China. Lamian is made by twisting, stretching and folding the dough i ...

noodle dish tossed with

chili oil Chili oil is a condiment made from vegetable oil that has been infused with chili peppers. Different types of oil and hot peppers are used, and other components may also be included. It is commonly used in Chinese cuisine, Southeast Asian cuisi ...

and rich mixtures of spices and ingredients * Jiangtuan fish – since Chongqing is located along

Jialing River The Jialing River, formerly known by numerous other names, is a major tributary of the Yangtze River in the Sichuan Basin. It is named after the Jialing Valley in Feng County, Shaanxi through which it flows. The Jialing River's most notable c ...

, visitors have a good opportunity to sample varieties of aquatic products. Among them, is a fish local to the region, Jiangtuan fish: ''

Hypophthalmichthys nobilis The bighead carp (''Hypophthalmichthys nobilis'') is a species of cyprinid freshwater fish native to East Asia, and is one of several Asian carps introduced into North America. It is one of the most intensively exploited fishes in fish farming, ...

'' although more commonly known as bighead

carp Carp are various species of oily freshwater fish from the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. While carp is consumed in many parts of the world, they are generally considered an invasive species in parts of ...

. The fish is often served steamed or baked.Wanzhou district is famous for baking Jiangtuan fish. La Zi Ji (Chicken with Chiles) (2269517013)

* Suan La Fen (Sour and Spicy Sweet-Potato Noodles) – Thick, transparent noodles of rubbery texture in a spicy vinegar soup. * Lazi Ji (Spicy Chicken) – A stir-fried dish consists of marinated then deep-fried pieces of chicken, dried Sichuan

chili peppers Chili peppers (also chile, chile pepper, chilli pepper, or chilli), from Nahuatl '' chīlli'' (), are varieties of the berry-fruit of plants from the genus ''Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for ...

, Sichuan peppers, garlic, and ginger, originated near

Geleshan Geleshan () is a subdistrict in the Shapingba District of Chongqing, China. It is located 13.6 km west of Chongqing city centre. Demographics As of 2010, Geleshan has a recorded population of 41,674. The population consists of 21,045 fema ...

in Chongqing. * Quanshui Ji (Spring Water Chicken) – Quanshui Ji is cooked with the natural spring water in the

Southern Mountain of Chongqing South Mountain Park (Nanshan Park) is a large suburban park in Nan'an District of Chongqing. It is located on the ''Nanshan'' (South Mountain), which is a part of the Tongluo Mountain (a branch of Huaying Mountain). The mountain itself is a hu ...

. * Pork leg cooked with rock sugar – A common household dish of Chongqing, the tender, reddish finished dish, has been described as having strong and sweet aftertaste. * Qianzhang (skimmed soy bean cream) – Qianzhang is the

cream Cream is a dairy product composed of the higher-fat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization. In un-homogenized milk, the fat, which is less dense, eventually rises to the top. In the industrial production of cream, this process ...

skimmed from

soybean The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (''Glycine max'') is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean, which has numerous uses. Traditional unfermented food uses of soybeans include soy milk, from which tofu an ...

milk. In order to create this, several steps must be followed very carefully. First, soybeans are soaked in water, ground, strained, boiled, restrained several times and spread over

gauze Gauze is a thin, translucent fabric with a loose open weave. In technical terms "gauze" is a weave structure in which the weft yarns are arranged in pairs and are crossed before and after each warp yarn keeping the weft firmly in place. ...

until delicate, snow-white cream is formed. The paste can also be hardened, cut into slivers and seasoned with

sesame oil Sesame oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from sesame seeds. The oil is one of the earliest-known crop-based oils. Worldwide mass modern production is limited due to the inefficient manual harvesting process required to extract the oil. O ...

, garlic and

chili oil Chili oil is a condiment made from vegetable oil that has been infused with chili peppers. Different types of oil and hot peppers are used, and other components may also be included. It is commonly used in Chinese cuisine, Southeast Asian cuisi ...

. Another variation is to bake the cream and fry it with

bacon Bacon is a type of salt-cured pork made from various cuts, typically the belly or less fatty parts of the back. It is eaten as a side dish (particularly in breakfasts), used as a central ingredient (e.g., the bacon, lettuce, and tomato sand ...

, which is described as soft and sweet.

Media

The

Chongqing People's Broadcast Station Chongqing Broadcasting Group (CBG; () is a government-owned television network based in the city of Chongqing in southwestern China. Established in 1981, Chongqing Television has been the leading broadcasting network in Chongqing and its affiliat ...

is Chongqing's largest radio station. The only municipal-level TV network is

Chongqing TV Chongqing Broadcasting Group (CBG; () is a government-owned television network based in the city of Chongqing in southwestern China. Established in 1981, Chongqing Television has been the leading broadcasting network in Chongqing and its affiliate ...

, claimed to be the 4th largest television station in China. Chongqing TV broadcasts many local-oriented channels, and can be viewed on many TV sets throughout China.

Sports and recreation

Basketball

Chongqing Soaring Dragons The Beijing Royal Fighters () are a Chinese professional men's basketball team which is based in Beijing and plays in the Northern Division of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). Beijing BG (known in Chinese as Beijing Beikong) is the clu ...

became the 20th team playing in

Chinese Basketball Association The Chinese Basketball Association (), often abbreviated as the CBA, is the first-tier professional men's basketball league in China. The league is commonly known by fans as the CBA, and this acronym is even used in Chinese on a regular basis ...

in 2013. They play at Datianwan Arena, in the same sporting complex as

Datianwan Stadium Datianwan Stadium () is a multi-purpose stadium in Chongqing. Built in 1954 under the direction of He Long, Datianwan is the oldest multi-purpose stadium of its size in southwestern China. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stad ...

. The team moved to Beijing in 2015 and is currently known as

Beijing Royal Fighters The Beijing Royal Fighters () are a Chinese professional men's basketball team which is based in Beijing and plays in the Northern Division of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). Beijing BG (known in Chinese as Beijing Beikong) is the cl ...

.

Soccer

Professional soccer teams in Chongqing include: *

Chongqing Lifan Chongqing Liangjiang Athletic () is a defunct Chinese football club. The team was based in Chongqing. The club was founded in 1995 as Wuhan Qianwei before making their debut in the newly developed fully professional Chinese football league system ...

(

Chinese Super League The Chinese Football Association Super League, commonly known as Chinese Super League or CSL, currently known as the China Ping An Chinese Football Association Super League for sponsorship reasons, is the highest tier of professional football in ...

) * Chongqing F.C., ''folded'' Chongqing Lifan is a professional Chinese soccer club that currently plays in the Chinese Super League. They are owned by the Chongqing-based

Lifan Group Lifan Industry (Group) Co., Ltd. (Lifan Group or Lifan,China's L ...

, which manufactures motorcycles,

car A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people instead of goods. The year 1886 is regarded as ...

s and spare parts. Originally called ''Qianwei (Vanguard) Wuhan'', the club formed in 1995 to take part in the recently developed, fully professional Chinese Soccer League. They would quickly rise to top tier of the system and experience their greatest achievement in winning the 2000

Chinese FA Cup The Chinese FA Cup (, abbreviated as CFA Cup) is the national knockout cup competition in China organized by the Chinese Football Association. Its current holders are Shandong Taishan, having beaten Shanghai Port in 2021 for a record seventh titl ...

, and coming in fourth within the league. However, since then they have struggled to replicate the same success, and have twice been relegated from the top tier. Chongqing FC was a soccer club located in the city that competed in

China League One The Chinese Football Association China League (), also known as China League One or Chinese Jia League (中甲联赛), is the second level of professional football in China. Above League One is the Chinese Super League. Prior to the formation of ...

, the country's second-tier soccer division, before being relegated to the

China League Two The Chinese Football Association Division Two League (Simplified Chinese: 中国足球协会乙级联赛), or China League Two, is the third tier league of the People's Republic of China. The league is under the auspices of the Chinese Football As ...

, and dissolved due to a resultant lack of funds.

Sport venues

Sport venues in Chongqing include: * The

Chongqing Olympic Sports Center The Chongqing Olympic Sports Center () is a sports venue featuring a 58,680-seat multipurpose stadium named Chongqing Olympic Sports Center Stadium in Chongqing, China. The sports center is the home stadium of Chongqing Lifan F.C. of Chinese Foot ...

is a multipurpose stadium. It is currently used mostly for soccer matches, as it has a grass surface, and can hold 58,680. It was built in 2002 and was one of main venues for the

2004 AFC Asian Cup The 2004 AFC Asian Cup was the 13th edition of the men's AFC Asian Cup, a quadrennial international association football, football tournament organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). It was held from 17 July to 7 August 2004 in China. ...

. *

Yanghe Stadium Yanghe Stadium () is a multi-use stadium in Chongqing, People's Republic of China. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stadium holds 32,000 people, and is the home of Chongqing Lifan in the Chinese Super League. The stadium was ...

is a multiuse stadium that is currently used mostly for soccer matches. The stadium holds 32,000 people, and is the home of Chongqing Lifan in the Chinese Super League. The stadium was purchased by the Lifan Group in 2001 for

RMB The renminbi (; symbol: ¥; ISO code: CNY; abbreviation: RMB) is the official currency of the People's Republic of China and one of the world's most traded currencies, ranking as the fifth most traded currency in the world as of April 2022. ...

80 million and immediately replaced

Datianwan Stadium Datianwan Stadium () is a multi-purpose stadium in Chongqing. Built in 1954 under the direction of He Long, Datianwan is the oldest multi-purpose stadium of its size in southwestern China. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stad ...

as the home of Chongqing Lifan. *

Datianwan Stadium Datianwan Stadium () is a multi-purpose stadium in Chongqing. Built in 1954 under the direction of He Long, Datianwan is the oldest multi-purpose stadium of its size in southwestern China. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stad ...

is a multipurpose stadium that is currently used mostly for soccer matches. The stadium has a capacity 32,000 people, and up until 2001 was the home of Chongqing Lifan.

Cloud Valley

At the end of 2020, a collaboration between a Danish architecture firm and a Chinese tech company Terminus was announced, taking the form of an AI-controlled campus. The project is named Cloud Valley and aims to use sensors and WiFi-controlled devices to collect data on the city's residents and atmosphere, including weather and eating and sleeping habits. The AI will adapt devices to work in a way that fits the gathered information and improves residents' lives.

Notable people

*

Ba Manzi Ba Manzi was a Chinese military general of the ancient Ba kingdom in the Warring States period (475 BCE - 221 BCE) of China and a legendary hero in the folk cultures of Chongqing. His stories were recorded in the ''Chronicles of Huayang'', which ...

: a legendary hero of Ba kingdom in

Zhou dynasty The Zhou dynasty ( ; Old Chinese ( B&S): *''tiw'') was a royal dynasty of China that followed the Shang dynasty. Having lasted 789 years, the Zhou dynasty was the longest dynastic regime in Chinese history. The military control of China by th ...

* Ba Qing, the Widow: the earliest known female merchant in Chinese history who provided huge financial aid to

Qin Shi Huang Qin Shi Huang (, ; 259–210 BC) was the founder of the Qin dynasty and the first emperor of a unified China. Rather than maintain the title of "king" ( ''wáng'') borne by the previous Shang and Zhou rulers, he ruled as the First Emperor ( ...

to construct the

Great Wall The Great Wall of China (, literally "ten thousand Li (unit), ''li'' wall") is a series of fortifications that were built across the historical northern borders of ancient Chinese states and Imperial China as protection against Eurasian noma ...

*

Gan Ning Gan Ning () (early 170s - c. 220), courtesy name Xingba, was a Chinese military general serving under the warlord Sun Quan in the late Eastern Han dynasty. Originally a notorious pirate, he gave up the life of a marauder in the late 190s and beca ...

: a general serving under warlord

Sun Quan Sun Quan (, Chinese: 孫權) (183 – 21 May 252), courtesy name Zhongmou (), posthumously known as Emperor Da of Wu, was the founder of the Eastern Wu dynasty, one of the Three Kingdoms of China. He inherited control of the warlord regime es ...

in the last years of

Han dynasty The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–207 BC) and a warr ...

* Yan Yan: a loyal general during

Three Kingdoms The Three Kingdoms () from 220 to 280 AD was the tripartite division of China among the dynastic states of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu. The Three Kingdoms period was preceded by the Han dynasty#Eastern Han, Eastern Han dynasty and wa ...

period *

Lanxi Daolong Lanxi Daolong ( zh, t=蘭溪道隆, s=兰溪道隆, first=t, p=Lánxī Dàolóng, w=Lan-hsi Tao-long; ja, 蘭渓道隆, Rankei Dōryū; c. 1213-1278), born in Sichuan Province, China in 1213 A.D. ( Southern Song Dynasty), was a famous Chinese B ...

: a famous Buddhism monk and philosopher in

Song dynasty The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...

who went to Japan and established the

Kenchō-ji Kenchō-ji (建長寺) is a Rinzai Zen temple in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, which ranks first among Kamakura's so-called Five Great Zen Temples (the ''Kamakura Gozan'') and is the oldest Zen training monastery in Japan.English pamphlet ...

*

Qin Liangyu Qin Liangyu (1574–1648), courtesy name Zhensu, was a female general best known for defending the Ming dynasty from attacks by the Manchu-led Later Jin dynasty in the 17th century. Early life and education Qin Liangyu was born in Zhongzhou (� ...

: a popular heroine in

Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...

who fought against

Manchus The Manchus (; ) are a Tungusic East Asian ethnic group native to Manchuria in Northeast Asia. They are an officially recognized ethnic minority in China and the people from whom Manchuria derives its name. The Later Jin (1616–1636) and Q ...

*

Nie Rongzhen Nie Rongzhen (; December 29, 1899 – May 14, 1992) was a prominent Chinese Communist military leader, and one of ten Marshals in the People's Liberation Army of China. He was the last surviving PLA officer with the rank of Marshal. Biography ...

: marshal of the

People's Liberation Army The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is the principal military force of the People's Republic of China and the armed wing of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The PLA consists of five service branches: the Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, ...

of China *

Liu Bocheng Liu Bocheng (; December 4, 1892 – October 7, 1986) was a Chinese military commander and Marshal of the People's Liberation Army. Liu is known as the 'half' of the "Three and A Half" Strategists of China in modern history. (The other th ...

: an early leader of Chinese communist party during

Anti-Japanese War The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) or War of Resistance (Chinese term) was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific Thea ...

* Lu Zuofu: a notable patriotic industrialist and businessman who was a member of Chinese United League and a leader of

Railway Protection Movement The Railway Protection Movement (), also known as the "Railway Rights Protection Movement", was a political protest movement that erupted in 1911 in late Qing China against the Qing government's plan to nationalize local railway development proje ...

, established the

Beibei District Beibei District () is a district in the Chongqing municipality, People's Republic of China. A satellite town in the north of central Chongqing, Beibei got its name because of the huge rock that extends to the middle of Jialing River, and is k ...

,

Chongqing Natural History Museum The Chongqing Natural History Museum () is a natural history museum in Chongqing, China. The museum founded in 1944, originally as the Western Museum of China. It changed its name in 1981. The museum has a collection of about 70,000 specimens ...

, Jianshan High School, the Northern Hot Spring Park of Chongqing and Beibei Library, and served as the chief official of Food Bureau during

Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northeast ...

period. * Liu Yongqing: wife of the former president and Party general secretary

Hu Jintao Hu Jintao (born 21 December 1942) is a Chinese politician who served as the 16–17th general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from 2002 to 2012, the 6th president of the People's Republic of China (PRC) from 2003 to 2013, an ...

* Zhonghua Pang: a well-known calligrapher and geologist born in Sichuan but raised and lived in Chongqing *

Liu Xiaoqing Liu Xiaoqing (born 30 October 1955) is a Chinese actress and businesswoman. She was one of the leading actresses in China in the 1980s. Biography In her early days Liu worked as a farm labourer, then as a propagandist for the People's Liberatio ...

: an actress * Xia Peisu: Chinese computer scientist *

Chen Kun Chen Kun (; born February 4, 1976), sometimes credited as Aloys Chen, is a Chinese actor and singer. He gained recognition from television dramas ''Love Story in Shanghai'' and ''The Story of a Noble Family'' and rose to international prominence wi ...

: Chinese actor and singer *

Huang Qian Huang Qian (; born July 18, 1986) is a Chinese chess player who holds the title of Woman Grandmaster (WGM). She won the Chinese Chess Championship, Chinese Women's Chess Championship in 2012 and the Asian Chess Championship, Asian Women's ...

:

Chess Chess is a board game for two players, called White and Black, each controlling an army of chess pieces in their color, with the objective to checkmate the opponent's king. It is sometimes called international chess or Western chess to disti ...

player *

Tian Liang Tian Liang (; born August 27, 1979) is a male Chinese actor and former diver. Diving career Tian won gold in the 10 m platform event in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. In the Summer Olympics 2004, he won the bronze medal in the 10 m platform event ...

: Olympic diving gold medalist *

Li Yundi use both this parameter and , birth_date to display the person's date of birth, date of death, and age at death) --> , death_place = , alma_mater = Shenzhen Arts School Musikhochschule Hannover , years_active = 1994–present , o ...

: a pianist *

Karry Wang Wang Junkai (, born 21 September 1999), also known as Karry Wang, is a Chinese singer and actor. He was a trainee of TF Family since 2010 and debuted as the leader of TFBOYS in 2013. He is one of China's wealthiest people born after 1990, with a ...

: A member of the pop band

TFBoys TFBoys (, stylized in all caps), also known as The Fighting Boys, is a popular Chinese idol group that consists of three members: Karry Wang (), Roy Wang (), and Jackson Yee (). The group debuted on August 6, 2013 with their first single album " ...

and an actor *

Roy Wang Roy Wang, also known as Wang Yuan () is a Chinese singer-songwriter, television host and actor. He was named by ''Time'' as one of the 30 Most Influential Teens of 2017. Wang has been a UNICEF ambassador since 2018. He set up his own charity fou ...

: a singer-songwriter and member of

TFBoys TFBoys (, stylized in all caps), also known as The Fighting Boys, is a popular Chinese idol group that consists of three members: Karry Wang (), Roy Wang (), and Jackson Yee (). The group debuted on August 6, 2013 with their first single album " ...

, also an actor and TV host *

Huang Junjie Huang Junjie (born 9 July 1998), is a Chinese actor. He was admitted to Sichuan Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan; formerly also referred to as "West China" or "Western C ...

: an actor *

Jiang Qinqin Jiang Qinqin (, born 3 September 1976) is a Chinese actress. She is sometimes credited as Shui Ling (), a stage name given to her by Taiwanese writer Chiung Yao while she was involved in the production of the television series ''Tears in Heaven'' ...

: an actress *

Li Hua Li Hua () March 6, 1907 − May 5, 1994), was a Chinese woodcut artist and communist known for his participation in left-wing activities, was born in Panyu, Guangdong. Career He graduated from the Municipal Guangzhou Art School in 1926 and remai ...

: artist who studied in Europe * An Qi: singer, a member of the pop band

THE9 The9 Ltd. () is a Shanghai-based online game operator which had the exclusive licence to operate and distribute World of Warcraft in China (launched in June 2005, it has since become the largest online game), a licence it secured after successf ...

*

Xiao Zhan Xiao Zhan (, born 5 October 1991), also known as Sean Xiao, is a Chinese actor and singer. Xiao Zhan began his career in the entertainment industry when he participated in the idol survival show X-Fire and debuted as a member of the Chinese boy ...

: actor, singer, and member of the boy group

X Nine X Nine (, stylized as X-NINE) is a Chinese boy group under Wajijiwa Entertainment. Consisting of eight members: Xiao Zhan, Gu Jiacheng, Wu Jiacheng, Peng Chuyue, Guo Zifan, Zhao Lei, Xia Zhiguang, and Yan Xujia, the group debuted on September 2 ...

* Pan Wenhua: born in Renshou County, Sichuan Province, was a famous military general who was regarded as a born military prodigy *

Zhou Zhennan Zhou may refer to: Chinese history * King Zhou of Shang () (1105 BC–1046 BC), the last king of the Shang dynasty * Predynastic Zhou (), 11th-century BC precursor to the Zhou dynasty * Zhou dynasty () (1046 BC–256 BC), a dynasty of China ** West ...

: a leader of C-pop group

R1SE R1SE was a Chinese idol boy band, formed by Tencent through the 2019 reality show '' Produce Camp 2019'' on Tencent Video. The group consisted of 11 members: Zhou Zhennan, He Luoluo, Yan Xujia, Xia Zhiguang, Yao Chen, Zhai Xiaowen, Zhang Yanqi ...

* Yao Chen : a member of C-pop group

R1SE R1SE was a Chinese idol boy band, formed by Tencent through the 2019 reality show '' Produce Camp 2019'' on Tencent Video. The group consisted of 11 members: Zhou Zhennan, He Luoluo, Yan Xujia, Xia Zhiguang, Yao Chen, Zhai Xiaowen, Zhang Yanqi ...

* Zhang Yanqi : a member of C-pop group

R1SE R1SE was a Chinese idol boy band, formed by Tencent through the 2019 reality show '' Produce Camp 2019'' on Tencent Video. The group consisted of 11 members: Zhou Zhennan, He Luoluo, Yan Xujia, Xia Zhiguang, Yao Chen, Zhai Xiaowen, Zhang Yanqi ...

*

Shi Tingmao Shi Tingmao (; born 31 August 1991) is a Chinese diver representing Chongqing diving team. She has been dominant in the 3 metre springboard events in the 2010s. She has won four gold medals in Olympic competitions, two at the 2016 Olympics and t ...

: Olympic diving gold medalist *

Chen Zihan Chen Zihan (born 2 April 1978 as Chen Shasha) is a Chinese actress. She graduated from the Beijing Film Academy. Birth date While the majority of sources state Chen's birth date as 2 April 1978, some claim that she was born on 2 April 1975.

: Actress *

Xia Li Zhao Xia (; born July 28, 1988) is a Chinese-American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. She is currently signed to WWE, where she performs on the SmackDown (WWE brand), SmackDown WWE brand extension, brand under the ring name Xia Li ...

: Professional wrestler signed with

WWE World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...

* Feng Timo : Singer, pop-star and internet personality * Meng Fei :

Prime time Prime time or the peak time is the block of broadcast programming taking place during the middle of the evening for a television show. It is mostly targeted towards adults (and sometimes families). It is used by the major television networks to ...

television host *

Li Ying (footballer, born 1993) Li Ying (; born 7 January 1993) is a Chinese footballer who currently plays for Shandong Sports Lottery in the Chinese Women's Super League The Chinese Women's Super League (CWSL) is the top level women's association football, football lea ...

: First Chinese Soccer Player to come out as Lesbian *

Domee Shi Domee Shi (; ; born 1989) is a Chinese-born Canadian animator, Film director, director and screenwriter. Since 2011, she has worked for Pixar, contributing as a storyboard artist for multiple films, including ''Inside Out (2015 film), Inside O ...

: Chinese-Canadian animator, director and screenwriter

International relations

Consulates

Twin towns – sister cities

Chongqing has

sister city A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inter ...

relationships with many cities of the world including: *

Toulouse Toulouse ( , ; oc, Tolosa ) is the prefecture of the French department of Haute-Garonne and of the larger region of Occitania. The city is on the banks of the River Garonne, from the Mediterranean Sea, from the Atlantic Ocean and from Par ...

, France (1982) *

Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...

, United States (1983) *

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

, Canada (1986) *

Hiroshima is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 1,199,391. The gross domestic product (GDP) in Greater Hiroshima, Hiroshima Urban Employment Area, was US$61.3 billion as of 2010. Kazumi Matsui h ...

, Japan (1986) *

Leicester Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest settlement in the East Midlands. The city l ...

, United Kingdom (1993) *

Voronezh Voronezh ( rus, links=no, Воро́неж, p=vɐˈronʲɪʂ}) is a city and the administrative centre of Voronezh Oblast in southwestern Russia straddling the Voronezh River, located from where it flows into the Don River. The city sits on the ...

, Russia (1993) *

Zaporizhzhia Zaporizhzhia ( uk, Запоріжжя) or Zaporozhye (russian: Запорожье) is a city in southeast Ukraine, situated on the banks of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. It is the Capital city, administrative centre of Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Zapor ...

, Ukraine (2002) *

Mpumalanga Mpumalanga () is a province of South Africa. The name means "East", or literally "The Place Where the Sun Rises" in the Swazi, Xhosa, Ndebele and Zulu languages. Mpumalanga lies in eastern South Africa, bordering Eswatini and Mozambique. It ...

, South Africa (2002) *

Sliven Sliven ( bg, Сливен ) is the eighth-largest city in Bulgaria and the administrative and industrial centre of Sliven Province and municipality in Northern Thrace. Sliven is famous for its heroic Haiduts who fought against the Ottoman Turk ...

, Bulgaria (2002) *

Düsseldorf Düsseldorf ( , , ; often in English sources; Low Franconian and Ripuarian: ''Düsseldörp'' ; archaic nl, Dusseldorp ) is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state of Germany. It is the second-largest city in th ...

, Germany (2004) *

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

, Australia (2005) *

Shiraz Shiraz (; fa, شیراز, Širâz ) is the List of largest cities of Iran, fifth-most-populous city of Iran and the capital of Fars province, Fars Province, which has been historically known as Pars (Sasanian province), Pars () and Persis. As o ...

, Iran (2005) *

Aswan Aswan (, also ; ar, أسوان, ʾAswān ; cop, Ⲥⲟⲩⲁⲛ ) is a city in Southern Egypt, and is the capital of the Aswan Governorate. Aswan is a busy market and tourist centre located just north of the Aswan Dam on the east bank of the ...

, Egypt (2005) *

Busan Busan (), officially known as is South Korea's most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.4 million inhabitants. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economic, cultural and educational center of southeastern South Korea, w ...

, South Korea (2007) *

Sør-Trøndelag Sør-Trøndelag () was a county comprising the southern portion of the present-day Trøndelag county in Norway. It bordered the old Nord-Trøndelag county as well as the counties of Møre og Romsdal, Oppland, and Hedmark. To the west is the No ...

, Norway (2007) *

Chiang Mai Province Chiang Mai ( th, เชียงใหม่, ; nod, , ) is the largest Province (''changwat'') of Thailand. It lies in upper northern Thailand and has a population of 1.78 million people. It is bordered by Chiang Rai to the northeast, Lam ...

, Thailand (2008) * Córdoba, Argentina (2010) *

Budapest Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population ...

, Hungary (2010) *

Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estima ...

, Thailand (2005) *

Antwerp Antwerp (; nl, Antwerpen ; french: Anvers ; es, Amberes) is the largest city in Belgium by area at and the capital of Antwerp Province in the Flemish Region. With a population of 520,504,

, Belgium (2011) *

Salvador, Bahia Salvador (English: ''Savior'') is a Brazilian municipality and capital city of the state of Bahia. Situated in the Zona da Mata in the Northeast Region of Brazil, Salvador is recognized throughout the country and internationally for its cuisine ...

, Brazil (2011) *

Chennai Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...

, India (2015) *

Maribor Maribor ( , , , ; also known by other #Name, historical names) is the second-largest city in Slovenia and the largest city of the traditional region of Styria (Slovenia), Lower Styria. It is also the seat of the City Municipality of Maribor, th ...

, Slovenia (2017) *

Telde Telde is a town and a Municipalities of Spain, municipality in the eastern part of the island of Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, overseas (Atlantic) insular Spain. It is the second most populous municipality on the island, with a population of (201 ...

, Spain (2018)

Notes

References

Citations

Sources

; General * * * * * * * *

External links

Chongqing Municipal Government website

Chongqing gongfutiyu website

Chongqing Jushen Sports website
{{Authority control 5th-century BC establishments in China Metropolitan areas of China Municipalities of China Populated places established in the 5th century BC Populated places on the Yangtze River Port cities and towns in China Province-level divisions of China States and territories established in 1997 Western China

History

Ancient history

Imperial era

Provisional wartime capital of the Republic of China

Municipality status

Geography

Physical geography and topography

Climate

Cityscape

Politics

Military

Administrative divisions

Urban areas

Central Chongqing

Demographics

Population

Religion

Economy

Economic and technological development zones

Education

Colleges and universities

Notable high schools

International schools

Transport

Public transit

Chongqing Rail Transit

Aerial tramway

Railways

River port

Highways

Bridges

Airports

Culture

Language

Tourism

Cuisine

Media

Sports and recreation

Basketball

Soccer

Sport venues

Cloud Valley

Notable people

International relations

Consulates

Twin towns – sister cities

See also

Notes

References

Citations

Sources

External links