Best Places to visit in Chongqing

Where to visit in Chongqing? Has listed some of the most Famous Places of this city, Best Places to visit in Chongqing is aiming to find you the way to explore the hidden beauty of this largest inland city of China. With a history of over 3,000 years, located in the upreaches of Yangtze River, Chongqing enjoys superb historical and natural resources. Travel with TopChinaTravel, you will not have chance to visit the modern side of this city, you will be impressed by the its grand rock carvings, majestic Yangtze scenery and architectures that built decades ago, etc.

Dazu Rock Carvings

Located in the west suburb of Chongqing City, Dazu Rock Carvings is one of the most famous attractions on Chongqing. There are more than 4,600 carved stone figures kept relating mainly to Buddhis, partially are Taoism figures. The figures in Beishan Hill and Baoding Hill are well worth visiting. The art of Dazu, which first carved in the late Tang Dynasty (618- 907) and flourished in the Song Dynasty (960-1127).

Dazu Rock Carvings is a general term of stone carvings in Dazu County, among which, carvings in Beishan Hill and Baoding Hill are the most famous ones. But all of them, as a whole, has made a great contribution to China art, taking into account a new realism and exaggeration in depicting the contrasts between good and evil, beauty and ugliness. Their layouts demonstrate an ingenious integration of art, religion, science and nature.

In 1999, Dazu Rock Carvings was listed as a World Heritage Site.

Ancient Town Ciqikou

Known as an Ancient Town that built during the Ming and Qing dynasties, Ciqikou is now a busy tourist attraction that located the suburbs of Chongqing, one hour drive from downtown.

With a history of more than 1,000 years, Ciqikou was once reputed for its temples, tea houses and historical relics. Nowadays, this ancient town has 12 streets in all and two of them, the main streets are the busy tourist routes, which have been taken up by all kinds of stores, tea houses and snack stands, etc. Shops sell porcelain, other handicrafts, and gifts, while restaurants and tea shops give visitors a look at what many areas of Chongqing were like before the metropolis became the vast urban agglomeration it is today. In the middle of the old town, you will find a 1,500-year-old Buddhist temple straddles the mountain.

Three Gorges Museum

Three Gorges Museum located in downtown, just opposite the Chongqing People Hall, is the largest monographic museum in China. It is also a public undertaking for the preservation, education, scientific research in respect of cultural relics and the natural environment of Chongqing and the Three Gorges area.

With a construction area of 42,500 square meters, this museum was opened to the public on Jun 18, 2005. It is a place where you can have a pre-view of impression of the entire Three Gorges with high technology from all aspects. Furthermore, a 360 degree cinema of Three Gorges mainly shows the natural and social sceneries of Three Gorges prior to the construction of the dam project.

There are four basic presentations you can watch when visiting this museum:
►"The Splendid Three Gorges"-reflecting the history and culture of the Three Gorges
►"Far-Ancient Ba Yu"- introducing the origination of the local history
►"The Urban Development of Chongqing"-stating the transitional process of Chongqing
►"Anti-Japanese Days" - telling the stories occurred in Anti - Japanese period

Ghost City Fengdu

Fengdu is known as the “Ghost City” that located in Mt. Minshan, outside the Fengdu County, 168 km away from Chongqing. It is one of the most famous Taoist sightseeing spots on northern bank of Yangtze River, with a history of over 1,700 years.

Early in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25 A.D. - 220 A.D.), Fengdu enjoys a title as the 'Ghost City'. It is said that, Fengdu is the very place where the innocent soul can go but the devils go to hell. According to superstitious legend, two necromancer named Wang Fangping and Yin Changsheng, have chosen Mt. Minshan, to practice Taoist teachings. Both of them later became immortals by carrying out self-cultivation. This story widely spread and makes Mt. Minshan famous. When combined together, their surnames Yin and Wang, sound very much like 'King of Hell' in Chinese, hence the people began to call Fengdu the 'Ghost City'.

Now take a visit to Fengdu, you will have chance to witness 'Hall of the Jade Emperor', 'the Palace of Hell', 'Boundary Between the Living and the Dead', 'the Ridge of Helplessness' and 'the Balcony of Nostalgia' that built during the Tang Dynasty.

Small Three Gorges

Small Three Gorges is a very exciting and famous attraction during the Yangtze River Cruise, 425 km away from Chongqing downtown. It refers to the three separate valleys of the Daning River, the tributary of Yangtze, namely "Dragon-Gate Gorge", "Misty Gorge" and "Dicui (Emerald) Gorge".

With a total length of 60km, this section is a highlight of the Yangtze River, with sheer cliffs and steep mountains raised on either side, is a place where you can board a small junk to enjoy the spectacular views and experience a water-borne sensation you never did before.

Subtle mountains, clear waters, pretty rocks, dangerous rapids, sharp turns, fantastic caves, and stalactites in various shapes, Lesser Three Gorges enjoys all the elements that made a site an outstanding one among others.