Chongqing can be explored through a wide variety of landscapes and cultural themes: high-altitude inland karst plateaus, enormous sinkholes and natural bridges represent one side of the region; the Qutang Gorge on the Yangtze, historic sites and a museum with a diverse range of focuses represent another. You can therefore shape your explorations around natural formations as well as history and culture.
Karst landscapes with distinct characteristics
The Wulong Karst component in Chongqing consists of high-altitude inland karst plateaus. It includes enormous sinkholes and natural bridges that are representative of the tiankeng landscapes of southern China. By contrast, the Jinfoshan Karst centers on a single karst table mountain: steep cliffs surround its distinctive shape. The comparison reveals two different landscapes—on one side, plateaus with sinkholes and natural bridges; on the other, a table mountain enclosed by cliffs.
The Jinfoshan Karst is located in Chongqing within the Jinfoshan National Nature Reserve and Jinfoshan National Park. Chongqing’s Xianvshan National Forest Park also has a dual designation: it is both a national geopark and a national forest park. These names and protected-area designations add further designated natural areas to the picture of Chongqing’s landscape.
Qutang Gorge and the history of Baidi Cheng
The Baidicheng–Qutang Gorge area is located in Fengjie County, Chongqing, at the western entrance to the Three Gorges on the Yangtze. At eight kilometers long, Qutang Gorge is the shortest, narrowest and most dangerous section of the Three Gorges. Alongside the karst formations, this part of Chongqing therefore features a river landscape with its own distinctive geography.
The name Baidi Cheng also tells a specific historical story. The site was originally called Ziyang City and was renamed Baidi Cheng after Gongsun Shu proclaimed himself the White Emperor in 25 AD. The sequence of names connects the historical account with the area known as Baidicheng–Qutang Gorge. Here, anyone wishing to explore Chongqing through its landscapes and history can find both in one destination.
Museums, old towns and cultural heritage
The Chongqing China Three Gorges Museum, also known as the Chongqing Museum, is a comprehensive museum of history and art history. Its areas of focus include Bayu culture, Three Gorges culture, wartime culture, immigrant culture and urban culture. The museum has 13 permanent exhibitions. Its subjects thus range from regional culture and the history of the Three Gorges to various aspects of the city’s history.
The museum complex comprises five institutions: the main museum, the Chongqing White Crane Ridge Underwater Museum, the Chongqing Soong Ching Ling Memorial Hall, the Tushan Kiln Ruins Site and the Chongqing Three Gorges Cultural Relics Scientific Protection Base. Their names reflect the complex’s broad range of themes, from an underwater museum and a memorial hall to a ruins site and an institution dedicated to the protection of cultural relics.
In Yuzhong District, Hongyadong is located along the waterfront at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers; it is a tourism and recreation area. The old town of Ciqikou is in Shapingba District, borders the Jialing to the south and lies at the foot of Gele Mountain. The locations thus differ: Hongyadong is situated at the confluence, while Ciqikou is by the river and at the foot of the mountain. The Dazu Rock Carvings in Dazu County are a World Heritage site and add to Chongqing’s cultural and historical themes.
More sides of Chongqing
The Black Valley scenic area is also part of the region’s landscape. It is located in Heishan Township, within the Wansheng Economic and Technological Development Zone. Along with the karst areas and Qutang Gorge, it broadens the range of landscape themes that distinguish Chongqing. When planning your trip, you can therefore first consider whether to focus on karst formations and river landscapes, or on museums, old towns and historical accounts.
Discover more destinations: Chongqing, Anhui, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Gansu, Yunnan, Jiangxi.
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