The City Where Floor 20 Feels Like Ground Level
Chongqing by day is confusing. By night, it's cyberpunk. Either way, it's unlike anything you've seen
Leaving Zhangjiajie and its natural wonders, I am heading toward something entirely man-made, which to some can be a sort of wonder. It is a city of a thousand steps and night lights. I admit that Chongqing really stands out during the evening. When all the lights are glittering at night, the city turns into a true wonder. Don’t get me wrong, there are also interesting sights worth seeing during the daylight hours.
The City of Many Levels
As with most cities in China, it is extremely convenient to reach the city center. It does not matter if you arrive by bus, taxi, train, or plane, as there is a well-developed metro system that connects each of the transit hubs to the city center. Since I left Zhangjiajie by train, I arrived at Chongqing East Railway Station. As far as I am aware, there are four other railway stations around the city, so when planning a trip to a city like Chongqing, be sure which railway station you are using.
Using AliPay, a super-app that has all the services one might need in China, it is child’s play to travel by metro or pay for anything. My hotel was located near the skyscraper and the city mall called “The Raffles.” It is by the harbor where you can take an excursion across the Yangtze River. Immediately when you reach the city center, you notice that it is hard to tell which level you are currently on. For instance, the base floor for my hotel was level 5, even though from the street perspective it looked like the first floor. To be honest, there were many occasions to get confused.
It was right after noon, and after checking in to my hotel, I decided to take a stroll along the riverbank near the harbor. To reach it, I actually had to go down four or five floors within the mall. From there, you can have a nice view over parts of the city. Next, I headed via metro to a station called Liziba, where the viral metro line goes inside a residential building. There is even an observation platform. You can imagine how crowded it was. It is the kind of attraction that is worth seeing when you are nearby, but it is not a main reason to visit Chongqing.
Conveniently, all of the must-see sights in Chongqing are quite close to each other, so taking a walk or the metro allows you to visit the highlights of the city in no time. After seeing the train going straight into the building, I wanted to take a look at the famous platform that feels like a ground floor but is actually located over 20 floors up. The place is called the Kuixing Building. Using the metro is more straightforward because you skip all the navigation from the real ground floor, as the metro station has one of its exits right next to that square. The experience is rather odd. You look around and see buildings that seem to be cut in half, meaning you think you are at their base floor when in fact it is around the 20th floor.
I imagine that door dashing in this city must be a true nightmare, as finding the right address is a true challenge here.
Not far from Kuixing Square, I took a stroll to Jiefangbei Pedestrian Street, where you can spoil yourself by shopping for clothes from known brands or other goodies that interest you. I was really hoping to buy an Adidas jacket in the style of a Chinese tang, which is available only in China. It is mostly sold out by Western tourists for some reason, but I still wanted to have one. I spent an unreasonable amount of time visiting all the Adidas stores in Chongqing to find it, and I eventually did. It was an endeavor that required a bit of logistics, but it was worth it. Note that you can get a tax deduction when leaving China after shopping, but the whole process is rather tedious.
Anyway, in Jiefangbei Street, there is a main point of interest which is the Liberation Monument. It is a clock tower that is a symbol of the victory in the war between China and Japan, as the Chinese People’s Liberation Army captured Chongqing by the end of the 1940s.
If you are looking to find a less urbanistic and slow-paced place in Chongqing, then you must definitely take a look at Shibati. It is crowded, but it was built in the style of an old Chinese town. It is a historic and revitalized district in the city, and it is truly one of a kind.
Let the Show Begin
Visiting the city during the daytime is great, but the true show starts after dusk. Chongqing starts to shine with many lights as every building has its own light emission. The true marvel here is Hongya Cave, a stunning 11-story complex built into the cliffs. While it was recently renovated to showcase the traditional Bayu Diaojiaolou (stilt house) style, its history runs deep, serving as a strategic fortress as far back as the Qing Dynasty.
The perfect way to see the whole complex is to go onto the bridge next to Hongya Cave. However, this idea was shared among all visitors, so as you can imagine, there is a huge crowd of people wanting to take a picture or simply gaze at this wonder.
There is also a drone show with some visuals, but it was not displayed for the time being as it is reserved only for Fridays, as I understand. Jiefangbei Street is surrounded by skyscrapers, which also are lit up, so the whole city looks entirely different than it looked during the day. Of course, each city looks different at night and during the day, but Chongqing takes it to another level, which many people associate with cyberpunk, and I cannot argue with that.
If you’ve been to Beijing and liked the Temple of Heaven, you must definitely visit the Chongqing People’s Auditorium. It is located not far from Kuixing Square and is surrounded by a small park. I personally really admire this type of architecture, so I am always happy to see places like this. It is also a great chance to see how locals spend their leisure time. It is especially wonderful to watch retirees staying active through various sports and social clubs. You will also frequently spot groups of older men gathered in public spaces, deep in a game of cards or mahjong.
After a brief stop, I am heading toward the ancient city of Leshan, where the largest Buddha in the world can be found.