� Lonely Planet Publications
436 lonelyplanet.com CHÓNGQ�NG " " History 437
HISTORY istic stilt houses of the region were also first
Modern-day Chóngq�ng stands on the site of built in the Ba era.
Chóngq�ng �ęą^ one of humanity s earliest civilisations. Stone Fast forward to 1938, when the Kuomintang
tools and fossils unearthed in the Yangzi River hid its wartime capital in Chóngq�ng s moun-
valley show that our upright ancestors roamed tains. Zhou Enlai, Mao Zedong, Chiang Kai-
here two million years ago, a million years shek and Soong Chingling, communists and
earlier than previously thought. Kuomintang alike, came here. In their wake,
The first written history comes from the refugees from all over the country followed,
It s the biggest city you ve never heard of. The Capital of Fog. Chóngq�ng may not be at the
Ba (�]) empire, which inscribed its laws on swelling the population to two million. Most
top of your itinerary, but if you re in China s Southwest, odds are you ll end up here. Stay a
tortoise shells and built its capital in present- of Chóngq�ng s current tourist sights are
day Chóngq�ng. The Ba thrived from the linked to this era.
while. Chóngq�ng saves its best for those who take their time.
21st century BC until about 316 BC, when it For a time, this overburdened, war-torn city
For 50 years there was little to distinguish Chóngq�ng from any of a dozen cities in China  was conquered by the Qin state. Despite the could not live up to its name. Back in 1189, the
distance in time, the Ba influence remains local prince, upon becoming Emperor Zhao
except maybe the pollution. Steel mills spewed soot into the air and sludge into the water.
strong  the  hand-waving dance of the Tujia, Dun of the Song dynasty on his birthday, had
It was said that the rain was black before it hit the ground.
the largest minority group in the municipality, given Chóngq�ng its name in celebration of
is derived from Ba war dances. The character- his  repeated good fortune .
Chóngq�ng had been largely ignored since the 1940s, when it served as the wartime
capital and was bombed to oblivion. In 1997 B%1łij%2łng finally took notice and carved out the
0 100 km
CHÓNGQ�NG MUNICIPALITY
0 60 miles
Chóngq�ng municipality, and poured $200 billion into transforming it.
To X�'ł
n
(500km)
As a result, Chóngq�ng is being paved and polished at breakneck speed. Slick skyscrapers Gu ngyu�n
SH! NXą
pop up in place of ramshackle, stilt houses, and beauty parlours and motorcycle-repair
Wanyuan
Hongjiang
shops grow out of abandoned bomb shelters. It s the dynamics of old and new, the struggle
Chengkou
between the past and the future, that comprise this city s beauty and character.
Bazhong
B�ilł
Chóngq�ng s charm is in the easily missed little details. It is Saturday morning on the
To Y�chł
ng
waterfront and a woman is casting a net into the muddy waters.  It s true, she says,  many Wuxi
(120km)
W0 nqu�n
Xuanhan
days the city is covered in fog. But you know, fog is beautiful. In Chóngq�ng, we have a
S�CHU N
WĄshł
n
D�zhx
u
Nanbu
saying:  There is beauty here every three steps.  Hanfeng
FŁngji�
Sł
n Xi�
(Three
Yśny�ng
Sł
nhu�zhŁn Gorges)
Wąnzhx
u
(Wąnxiąn)
X�nglóng
Jiąnsh�
Qujiang
HIGHLIGHTS Shehong
Liangshan
Zhuyang
Nanchong
Sample Chóngq�ng s red-hot signature dish,

the spicy hotpot (p449)
Enshi
Suining
Zhx
ngxiąn
Gu ngł
n
Look for the life lessons hidden within

L�itł
n
Shuł
ngjił
ng
Dązś s (p453) exquisite cave carvings
Changshon
H�BŚI
Tóngn�n North
TĄngj�ng Lake
Sh�zhł
Hot
Bounce over the green waters on floating Springs

Springs
H�chuł
n
bridges in WąnshŁng (p454), but don t scare F0 ngdĄ
B: ibŁi Changshou
Ch�ngf0 ng
L�itł
n
G0 lŁ Mountain
the wildlife Fairy
Yśb: i
Qianjiang
Jiangbei Maiden
Tił
nc� Hot
Fuling Laifeng
Airport Mountain
Dązś
H�N�N
Springs
Soar high on a zipline cable and then climb Dązś

Chóngq�ng Bicheng Natural Three
CHONGQING
To Ch�ngdĄ
down into the earth in W�
lóng (p455) Bridges Park
W�lóng
(240km) South Hot Springs
W�lóng
YĄngchuł
n
Scale the ancient walls that have protected Shuijiang
Pengshui
WąnshŁng
Róngchł
ng
Furong Cave
the village of L�it

n (p456) for a millennium Jiangjin
YĄngshłn
N�nchuł
n
Qijiang
Baisha
WąnshŁng Dąozh0 n YĄuy�ng
Black Mountain
Stone Forest
Lśzhx
u
Ch�ngt�ngkĄu
Huayuan
Guł
nbązhŁn
Tong Gu
Tan Gorge
X�łshł
n
J�shĄu
GU�ZHąU
%023 SYMBOL: n (Yś) POPULATION (CITY/MUNICIPALITY):
AREA CODE:
4,307,000/31,904,000
To Gu�y�ng
(235km)
C H Ó N G Q � N G
CHÓNGQ�NG
Jialing
River
Chang Jiang
(Yangzi River)
Chang Jiang
Wu Jiang
Jiang
Fśróng
Podu River
438 CHÓNGQ�NG " " Climate lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com CHÓNGQ�NG " " Information 439
Finally, recent decades have marked wide- ORIENTATION Maps Medical Services
spread reconstruction and development. Chóngq�ng is a three-dimensional city, City maps with points of interest and transit Chongqing First Aid Centre (J�jił Y%2łli�o ZhM
ngx%2łn;
New buildings and roads appear daily  a sprawling under and over hilltops and nes- lines are updated every few months and come
%6369 2253; 1 Jiankang Lu; h8am-5pm Mon-Fri,
modern library in Sh

p�ngbą District, a tled deep into mountainsides. Its streets are in both English and Chinese. A good one is 8am-noon Sat & Sun) Provides comprehensive care and 24-
Science and Technology Exhibition Hall so unruly that residents long ago dropped Commerce, Traffic and Tour Map of Chong- hour emergency services (dial clinic) for foreign visitors.
in Ji

ngb%1łi and a massive Grand Theater any reference to the sun and made every- qing. Pick it up at any newsstand (Ąb R�N; Fuqiao Foot Massage Centre (Ji

fł Fłqi�o; %38-
perched on the north bank of the Jialing thing relative. Your destination is to be found bąo k

n t�ng) for Y5 or stop by Chongqing 8399 8666; 3rd fl,12 Yang He Lu; h24hr) In traditional
are among the major projects. From the  left ,  right ,  straight ahead ,  up ,  down or Book City/Xinhua Bookstore, which offers Chinese medicine, the feet are the gateway to the rest of
ashes rises China s phoenix, a glass and steel  soon . a comprehensive selection on the 1st floor. the body. Try a 60-minute Chinese foot massage for Y50.
megalopolis. At the city s heart is YśzhM
ng District, the Ch�oti

nm�n vendors hawk cheap tourist Global Doctor Chongqing Clinic (%8903 8837; 7th
densely populated peninsula that juts out be- maps most useful for taping to your dorm fl, Suite 701, Hilton Hotel, 139 Zhongshan San Lu; h9am-
CLIMATE tween the Jialing River to the north and the wall. 5pm Mon-Fri, closed holidays) Provides basic care and
Chóngq�ng weather has just three settings: Yangzi River (Ch�ng Ji

ng) to the south. The 24-hour emergency services (dial clinic) for foreign visitors.
sweltering, rainy and foggy. Temperatures rivers converge at YśzhM
ng s eastern tip found INFORMATION Heping Pharmacy (H�p�ng Yąof�ng; %6370 2900; 28
hover within a moderate range of 6�C to 20�C at Chaotianmen Dock. Just inland from the Bookshops Minquan Lu; h8am-9.30pm) Has many branches but this
most of the year, but from July through Sep- dock is the Liberation Monument; the sur- Chongqing Book City/Xinhua Bookstore (Chóngq�ng is one of the biggest. On-site health advice too.
tember they can top 40�C, earning the city its rounding area of this monument, because Shk
ch�ng/X%2łnhu� Shk
diąn; 121 Zourong Lu; h9am-
place as one of the country s  three furnaces , of its flatness, became the first touristy part 9.30pm) Six stories of printed matter and DVDs that will Money
along with W�
hąn and N�nj%2łng. of the city. actually pass customs. A modest foreign-language collec- Bank of China (ZhM
ngguó Y�nh�ng; 104 Minzu Lu;
Just north across the Jialing River from tion (including English-Chinese novels straight off your
h9am-noon & 2-6pm Mon-Fri summer, 1.30-5pm winter)
LANGUAGE the main peninsula is the rapidly developing high-school reading list) is on the 4th floor. Check out the Changes money and advances cash on credit cards. Bring
Mandarin Chinese with a distinctive lilt is Ji

ngb%1łi, and further afield, Yśb%1łi District, treasure-trove of Chinese art prints on the5th. your passport and crisp bills. After a rash of counterfeiting,
spoken here. The characteristic accent turns both of which have new roads cropping up tellers are extremely wary of foreign currency and, unlike
tones upwards, making declarations sound faster than they can be named. Internet Access you, they have all day. Thank goodness for the always-
like soft questions. One key colloquialism: To the east and south of the peninsula Internet connections are no longer a rarity. courteous 24-hour ATM bank across from Harbour Plaza.
 M�i d� (Ąl_) takes the place of  m�i y�
u across the Yangzi is the verdant N�n ąn Service at an internet bar (Q'T; w�
ng b

) Also, many large hotels have exchange desks and ATMs.
(Ąl g), meaning  no or  none . Except in District, the city s oxygen pool and Chiang generally costs a few yu�n per hour plus a
Chóngq�ng city and a handful of popular Kaishek s wartime hide-out. nominal deposit of Y10 or comes free with a Post
tourist spots such as Dązś, the best English Finally, west of YśzhM
ng is Sh

p�ngbą cuppa at many coffee shops. Post Office (Yóujś; 104 Minquan Lu; h8.30am-9pm)
you ll hear will be Chinese eager to practise District, which has so many universities it Frisco Coffee Co (%6775 5992; 1B Paradise Walk, Look for the round, green post box out front. The service
 Hello, how are you? or vendors vying for seems everyone walking about is under 25, 2nd fl, 23 Yanghe Lu; h10am-10pm) Good coffee, tasty counter is tucked in back behind the mobile-phone sales
your attention. Once they have it, though, it s and historical sites such as Gele Mountain cheesecake and, free with purchase, wi-fi or access to two counters. Don t expect lines. It s fight or flight if you want
all hand signals. and Ciqikou Ancient Town. terminals in this sunny caf� in Gu

ny%2łn Qi�o. to buy stamps, international and domestic calling cards, or
Readers Club Internet Caf� (Dśzh%1ł JłlŁbł; %6371 Western Union services.
6364; 3rd fl, 181 Minsheng Lu; per hr Y2, deposit Y10;
THE BANGBANG ARMY
Public Security Bureau
h24hr) Surf for hours completely guilt-free on one of a
legion of brand-new PCs, or just enjoy the cushy ban- PSB (lQ�[@\; GM
ng

njś; %6369 2043; www.cqga.gov.cn;
Ever since the first resident could not carry his groceries up the stairs of this mountain city, these
quettes and bar service. 555 Huang Long Jie & Wu Huang Lu; h1.30-5pm) The
porters for hire have been an essential element of Chóngq�ng.
SPR Coffee (166 Minzu Rd; h9.30am-12am) Chinese Entry-and-Exit Bureau issues visa extensions. If you re after
The Bąngbąng (�h�h) are named for the characteristic bamboo pole or  bąng (�h) they carry on
hipsters in tight jeans come here for the salads, hot dogs anything more unusual, take care of it in Ch�ngdk
. Take
their shoulders. They hustle for work around the docks, bus stations and department stores, of-
and free wi-fi. bus 461 from Liberation Monument to the last stop and
fering to climb where no cart or mule could go, carrying loads few could bear and only earning
walk west a couple of blocks.
an average Y100 a week.
Media
Their numbers exploded in the 1990s when the government resettlement of the millions living
Chongqing Currents is a free, fledgling English- Tourist Information
along the Yangzi River began. Today, an estimated 100,000 are members of the city s Bąngbąng
language publication that answers expats Chongqing Municipal Tourism Bureau (Chóngq�ng
Army. Unregulated and poor, they are vulnerable to abuse and misunderstanding. Their lives
burning questions about table manners and Sh� L�
yóu Jś; %8903 3055; 50 Jiuchikan & Cangbai Lu;
were glamorised in a popular soap called  Mountain City Bang Bang Men . A popular college
where to get a decent beer. Alternatively, Go
h9am-noon & 1.30-5.30pm) Direct general questions
drinking game involves spotting them.
West is a free, Ch�ngdk
-based magazine that and gripes to this public information office.
At 52, Cun Yu Zhun has more grey hair than others in the army, but he says,  I can still carry
also sometimes covers Chóngq�ng s bar, res-
as much as the youngsters  up to 90kg (the eqivalent of four crates of oranges plus a few
taurant and entertainment scenes. Unfortu- Travel Agencies
small appliances). A retired middle-school teacher, he is among a growing number of educated
nately, only a few copies of either bimonthly Your hotel concierge can ferret out bet-
Bąngbąng. On his best day, he says, he earned Y30 delivering a TV to the front desk of a high-
publication are rationed to major hotels such ter deals on tours and tickets than you can
rise condominium and hauling bricks at a construction site. But as new roads make deliveries
as the Harbour Plaza, Hilton or JW Marriott. on your own but they will only offer a few
increasingly easy, most days, he waits with others on the Ch�oti

nm�n steps for work that does
If you don t find them there, you re out of choices. Check with a travel agency to find
not come.
luck. out all that s available.
C H Ó N G Q � N G
CHÓNGQ�NG
442 CHÓNGQ�NG " " Sights lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com CHÓNGQ�NG " " Sights 443
INFORMATION Three Gorges Museum DRINKING and Gu�
ngx%2ł) provinces, as well as 10 others. sers and interactive consoles, the story of the
ATM ...................................... 1 B5 ..........................................21 C3 Dee Dee's Bar.......................................... 46 D5
People came to the guild for legal processing Three Gorges Dam is a rosy one. Downstairs,
Lao Jie Shi Ba Ti Teahouse
Bank of China ........................ 2 B4 TM
ngyu�
nm�n ........................22 D3
and to worship and celebrate with other new a separate room is devoted to each of the 43
.................................47 A5
China International Travel Service
arrivals. townships and counties comprising the mu-
(CITS) ...................... 3 B5 SLEEPING Pirates Pub .........(see 52)
Chongqing Book City/Xinhua Bayi Hotel ............................. 23 B5 Rśy� Ji�
b

..........................(see 27)
English guides are available for Y60, though nicipality. Next door, the companion Museum
Bookstore / ......4 A5 Chongqing Golden Resources
you could easily spend a day wandering on of Famous Historical Figures (L�sh�
M�ngr�n Gu�
n; admis-
Hotel ..............................24 A2 ENTERTAINMENT
Chongqing China Travel Service
your own through the beautifully restored sion free; h8am-5pm Tue-Sun) introduces visitors to
D�y� Sh�jiŁ ............................48 A5
...................................5 A4 Fuyuan Hotel ......................25 C4
Soho Bar .............................(see 48) guild houses and their collections of furniture, everyone who was anyone in this town, for ex-
Chongqing First Aid Centre Harbour Plaza ........... 26 B5
True Love .....................................(see 48)
........................................ 6 B3 Hilton Hotel ....................27 C3
art and jewellery. ample, prodigal son Deng Xiaoping, who grew
Chongqing Municipal Tourism
Homehome Inn .......28 D4
Also worth checking out are the daily per- up just north of Chóngq�ng. Both museums
SHOPPING
Bureau ........................ 7 B4 Hong Ya Dong Hotel
formances on the three opera stages, highlight- exhibits have many expert English captions.
Carrefour ...................................49 B4
Frisco Coffee Co ...................8 A2 .................................. (see 52)
Flower & Bird Market
Fuqiao Foot Massage Centre ing some examples of the traditions immigrants
Huixianlou Hotel .......... 29 B4
................................................50 A5
..................................................9 A2
Inn No 9 9 .................................... 30 E3
brought to Chóngq�ng  from the tea art of Ciqikou Ancient Town �xhVćS�SG�
Gu

ny%2łn Qi�o ...........................51 B2
Global Doctor Chongqing Clinic.. (see 27)
InterContinental Chongqing
X%2łząng to the quick-change biąn li�
n mask Perched on a hill overlooking the Jialing River
Harbour Plaza Business/Travel Hóng Y� D�ng .........................52 A4
...............................................31 B4
changing of S�chu

n. Free preview perform- 14km west of the city centre, Ciqikou Ancient
Centre ................... (see 26) Maison Mode ............53 B5
JW Marriott Chongqing
Heping Pharmacy
ances are put on at 2.30pm. Full performances Town (C�q�k�
u G�
zhŁn) dates back almost
...............................................32 A5
...............................................10 A5 TRANSPORT
Milky Way Hotel ...........33 A5
with tea service are at 8pm (Y98 and up). 1700 years. At its height in the Ming dynasty,
Post Office ......................................11 B5 Air China .....................54 A2
Square Hotel .................. 34 B4
The guild is a 15-minute walk from Libera- it shipped its namesake ceramics, c�q�, from
Readers' Club Internet Caf� Airport Shuttle
tion Monument. the town pier.
................................12 A5 ......................................55 C3
EATING
SPR Coffee ................................................ 13 B4 Caiyuanba Bus Station
AE&E Restaurant .................................... 35 B5 Every building has been preserved or re-
............................56 C4
AE&E Restaurant
Ch�oti

nm�n Dock g)YŁ�
x4Y stored for tourists, but behind the shops and
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES
.................36 A2 Chaotianmen Booking Hall
Ch�oti

nm�n has been one of China s busiest restaurants, the residents air their laundry
Chongqing Planning Exhibition
............................ 57 E2
Good Eats Street .................... 37 B5
Gallery .............14 F2 river ports since the Ming dynasty. From the and stir rice porridge over charcoal flames.
Chaotianmen Bus Station
Hotpot Restaurants ....................38 A5
Hśgu�
ng Hu�gu�
n
............................ 58 F2
Hotpot Restaurants .................... 39 B5 square overlooking the dock, you can watch And at 8pm each night, the town crier walks
................................................15 E3 China Eastern ............59 A5
Hotpot Restaurants .................... 40 E4
the jade green Jialing River meet the less pho- the streets banging a gong to announce all is
Liberation Monument ......... 16 B5 Chongqing Changjiang
Little Swan Hot Pot
togenic, brown Yangzi. Climb down the steps well. Behind the lacquer is a living, working
Luóhąn S� ...................................17 E3 Sightseeing
................................41 A2
Museum of Famous Historical ........ 60 E2 to the markers along the bank marking the village  just one adorned with descriptive
L�
o S�chu

n Dąji�
lóu
Figures ....................... (see 14) Chongqing North Bus Station
..................................... 42 B4
river s rise (eventually 175m) as a result of placards.
People's Hall ....................... 18 C3 ............................61 A1
Muslim Restaurant of Tian Shan
the Three Gorges Dam down river. A network of alleyways and walking streets
Provisional Government of the .....................................43 A5 Chongqing Zu Lin Company
comprises the town. Check the map at the
Republic of Korea Propitious Winds ..................................... 62 D5
...........................19 D3 ........................... 44 E4 Dragonair ..........................(see 35) Chongqing Planning Exhibition two main gates for all the attractions. A few
Stilwell Museum Q�q� Shąnyś Hot Pot Nanping Bus Station
Gallery �ęą^^ĉRU\ȉą� sights not to be missed include B�
olśn S� (�[&O
................................ 20 B4 .....................................45 A4 ................................ 63 D5
This newly renovated museum (Chóngq�ngsh� Gu%2łhuą ś[; Heng Jie & Ciqikou Zheng Jie; *jW�ŚT�xhVćSckW�;
Zh�
nl�
ngu�
n; Chaotianmen Sq; g)YŁ�^:W; admission admission Y5; h7am-6pm), one the last remaining
and pollution, and so have been reincarnated upheaval). While English captions are sparse, Y20; h9.30am-5.30pm Tue-Sun) sets recent local his- of Ciqikou s five temples (another now serves
a couple times, most recently in 1986. you can rent an English audio tour for Y10. tory to flashing lights. As told by models, la- as a primary school). The magnificent main
Once home to 70 monks, there are only On the way out, look across the square at the
around a couple of dozen ascetics in residence People s Hall (R�nm�n L�
t�ng; admission Y5). When built
DIĄOJI%CńO LÓU T�|i
these days. We visited during heavy renova- in 1954, it was the tallest building in town and
tions, which when completed will include a symbolised Chóngq�ng s rebirth from backwa-
A striking trait of the Chóngq�ng skyline is the traditional stilt houses precariously clinging to
vegetarian eatery. ter war casualty to modern metropolis.
the city s steep inclines. Diąoji�
o refers to these structures support pilings, while lóu refers to
Take light rail or bus 103 from Liberation
their many levels.
Three Gorges Museum N�\ZSirą� Monument.
Diąoji�
o lóu are in many ways the predecessor to the modern skyscraper, sprawling vertically
This natural history and art museum (S

nxi�
rather than horizontally to save space. Their design also serves to keep family units in close
Bówłgu�
n; %6367 9066; www.3gmuseum.cn; 236 Renmin Hś Gu�
ng Hu� Gu�
n Vn^Oą�
quarters despite uneven terrain. They are built on a bamboo or fir frame that is fitted into bore
Lu; �Nl�ć236�S; adult/child Y40/20; h9am-5pm) cov- This guild (%6393 0287; www.cqhuguang.com; 1 Chang-
holes drilled into the mountainside. Their thin walls are stuffed with straw and coated with mud
ers the cultural history of the civilisations that bin Lu, Bajiaoyuan, �Łn�ć��I�V1�S; admission Y30;
to allow for cooling ventilation. This is in contrast to the four-cornered s�h�yuąn (�VTb
) structures
grew up along the Yangzi s banks. The well- h9am-6pm) was the seat of immigrant life 300
typical in northern China, whose design maximises light while shutting in warmth.
executed exhibits, some of which came from years ago in the Qin dynasty. Eager to increase
The Miao minority continues to live in diąoji�
o lóu today, building their houses to jut out over
the former Chongqing Museum, warrant the population in S�chu

n, the government
steep riverbanks. The burial ritual of the high-mountain tribes in southern Chóngq�ng involves
at least an afternoon. Check out the splen- encouraged widespread immigration begin-
arranging coffins on wooden stilts in the form of these houses fit for the afterlife. In the city,
did Three Gorges Hall for a play-by-play of ning in AD 316. By the time of the guild, the
modernisation has turned diąoji�
o lóu into a symbol of poverty and as a result they are quickly
the first people who settled here all the way population was 800,000 and rapidly grow-
disappearing. A few examples remain in use today on the cliff overlooking the Yangzi River bridge
through to the construction of the world s ing as settlers arrived mostly from the Hś
and around the Eighteen Stairs.
largest dam (minus references to the social (Hśn�n and Hśb%1łi) and Gu�
ng (Gu�
ngdM
ng
C H Ó N G Q � N G
CHÓNGQ�NG
444 CHÓNGQ�NG " " Sights lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com CHÓNGQ�NG " " Sights 445
under which the USA helped to train and dis- nese, the Korean heads of state fled to China
HOT SPRINGS )n�l
patch secret agents for the Kuomintang. The in 1909 and formed an alliance. They set up
Weary souls have for dynasties found rejuvenation soaking in Chóngq�ng s hot springs. The chief of SACO was Dai Li, the ruthless head camp in Shąngh�
i and eventually moved to
Chinese are just re-embracing the luxury travel concept, so amenities at these retreats are often of the Kuomintang military secret service, and Chóngq�ng in 1940. The provisional govern-
spare, but at least the waters are always soothing. US Navy Commodore Milton Miles served as ment s plea to President Roosevelt, written
North Hot Springs (S)n�l; B%1łi W
nqu�n; %6822 0111; admission Y20; h7am-10pm), nestled at the deputy chief. in imperfect but plaintive English, hangs in
base of Jinyun Mountain, was once an extremely exclusive, ancient medical retreat and still Though the Kuomintang had recognised a gallery accompanied by haunting footage
houses a 5th-century Buddhist temple and gardens. Take bus 502, 503 or 504 to B%1łibŁi (S�x) and the Communist Red Army as allies in the of the air raids.
then catch bus 520 (Y11). struggle against the Japanese invaders, it This is within 10 minutes walking distance
South Hot Springs (WS)n�l; N�n W
nqu�n; %6284 6106; admission Y20; h9am-10pm) is a no-frills never recognised the Communist Party as a of Liberation Monument.
assemblage of 40�C sulphur springs. Come here to avoid the crowds. Take bus 302 from Libera- legal political entity. The Kuomintang held
tion Monument for the 25-minute ride. adherents of repressive laws and imprisoned Bomb Shelter ofkSśQeQćS
Ti

nc� Hot Springs ()YPć)n�l; %6570 0075; Ji�
lóngpM
District; admission Y46; h24hr) offers the high-ranking and student communists alike You could easily miss the entrance to this
hottest mineral-rich soaks (57�C) in lovely landscaped private pools. About 20 minutes by bus in the SACO prisons during the era known as shelter (Y�
nw�
t%2łng Chk
rłk�
u; admission free; h9am-noon
from the North bus station (Y24) or by taxi (Y60). the Bloody Betrayal. On the night before the & 2-5.30pm Tue-Sun) save for graphic carvings on
T�
ngj�
ng Springs (�~of)n�l; %6728 8999; 66 Jin Quan Lu; admission Y60; h24hr) is the most Kuomintang s withdrawal from the mainland its exterior of men, women and children en-
manicured and modern of the retreats. You can stay for up to a month in an apartment. Single on 29 November, 1949, more than 300 pris- gulfed in flames. Japanese bombers usually
and double rooms go for Y388 and Y468. Take bus 612 from Ch�oti

nm�n between 8am and oners were marched out and executed. All flew in by night, following the silver reflection
11pm for the hour-long trip. the sites (g
lŁsh

n liŁsh� l�ngyu�n; admission to all sites of the moonlight on the Yangzi to pinpoint
Y40; h8.30am-7pm) on Gele Mountain relate to the city.
these events. A small display of photographs documents
building dates back 1000 years to the North- During the war, almost every one of the The largest of the 20 prisons on the moun- the effects of 104 separate air strikes between
ern Song dynasty. Party s major leaders lived here, including tain is Zh

z�
D�ng (#nÓnm; admission Y10). It was 1938 and 1943, particularly 5 June 1941 when
Across from the temple and down the Ye Jianying, Zhou Enlai and his wife, Deng here that the highest-ranking prisoners were bombs fell for five hours and killed 2500 peo-
stairway is the small Trackers Cultural museum Yingchao, and Dong Biwu. After the Japa- held under the most punishing conditions. ple. It is estimated that thousands more suf-
(ń~+Y�eS; Qiąnfk
W�nhuą; admission Y2; h8am- nese surrender in 1945, Mao Zedong also Prisoners were also kept in B�i GM
nggu�
n (}v focated in shelters throughout the city behind
6.30pm), dedicated to the Yangzi s boat trackers. came to Chóngq�ng  at the instigation of lQą�; admission Y10), a residence turned make- caved-in entrances.
Working in gangs of up to 30, these muscle US ambassador Patrick Hurley  to join in the shift internment camp about 20 minutes The shelter is a very short walk from Lib-
men employed moves like  phoenixes nod- peace negotiations with the Kuomintang. The from Zh

z�
D�ng (just follow the signs). On eration Monument.
ding their heads , where each dug into the talks lasted 42 days and resulted in a formal display are gory pictures and films about the
ground with one hand and steadied the rope agreement that Mao later described as  empty massacre of communist prisoners. On the Stilwell Museum �SęŹ
Z\�Q�eE\
with the other to haul boats upriver. words on paper . way down the hill, check out the Doghouse (-N Only opened in 2003, this museum (Sh�
d�w
i
The curator, Cheng Wei Bing, was himself One of China s better revolutionary- �T\O�rŹrń[; ZhM
ngm%1łi H�zu� L�ngqu�
n Sh�; admis- Ji

ngjk
n Jiłjk
; admission Y5; h9am-5pm) by Eling Park
a tracker for 30 years and many items includ- history museums, which includes a large col- sion Y5), where the US trained spy dogs. Near is something of a novelty in China as it focuses
ing the braided bamboo rope and rainhat lection of wartime photos and furnishings, the bottom of the hill is the Martyrs Memorial on the American involvement in WWII. It
are his own gear. There are few English cap- now stands at this site. Most captions are (�p�X�X; LiŁsh� Mł; admission Y10; h8.30am-5pm), is located in the former VIP guesthouse of
tions here, but there are neat wooden-boat in Chinese only. Just a short walk from the on whose peaceful grounds stands a forest the Kuomintang and residence of General
models. museum stands the old headquarters of the of memorial stelae (ęxg; b
il�n). Included Joseph Stilwell, commander of the US forces
For a quiet walk away from the bustle, head South Bureau of the Communist Party s Cen- in the Martyrs Memorial admission is the in the China-Burma-India Theatre and chief-
up the path towards Ma An Mountain (l�ćq\; tral Committee and the office of the Eighth Hong Yan Spirit Exhibition Hall, a museum of-staff to Chiang Kaishek in 1942. Stilwell
M�


n Sh

n) and get lost among the meandering Route Army, which fought on the frontlines filled with more macabre and gory scenes. realised early on that a successful resistance
backstreets. under a strict code of ethics that are still Take bus 215 from Linjiang Lu just north- required the cooperation of the Kuomintang
From Liberation Monument take bus 402, referred to by Chinese parents and school- west of Liberation Monument. The ride is and communist forces, and it was at his urging
418, 462 or 702 to Sh

p�ngbą and then transfer teachers today. about an ho