YZ 11 Walking Tour of the Walled City

Business is still brisk in this real city street

Xing Long Jie, ‘brisk business street’ just off Pipashan Zheng Jie is the beginning or the end of the Di San Bu Dao, depending on which way you choose to walk. It’s located above the tunnel and the northern approaches to the Chang Jiang Bridge, beside Shibanpo, an area that is lit with fairy lights at night. Some of this area has been dressed up with new facades but most is simply raw Chongqing at its colourful and fragrant best.

Business truly is brisk as shops overflow with goods into the streets - baskets of grains and pulses, wet and dry markets, and general kitchen and household goods – beside butchers plucking poultry. This area offers a great chance to explore the real city in almost every direction and following Xing Long Jie to the east will take you down to Tong Yuan Men on Zhong Shan Yi Lu.

YZ 07 Walking Tour Of the Walled City

Chu Qi Men is an unusual gate with seven arches at the top of a long flight of stairs. It can be approached from both the top and bottom but neither is easy to find.

Walk from Wang Long Men outside Huguang Huiguan climbing the hill to Jiefeng Dong Lu. There are two alleyways offering close up views of daily life of these inner city residents. One follows the compound wall and the other continues past the Silk Embroidery gallery.

Once on Jiefang Dong Lu, head west to Chu Qi Men which was a significant gate in the city wall. All but one of he arches are blocked up these days.

An elevator nearby takes the hard work out of this climb up to the Chongqing Daily Newspaper offices on the corner of Xinhua Lu.

A short distance down the street is a small disused but interestingly overgrown temple.

Continue on to Jiao Cheng Kou via the wartime bunker at the end of Ba Yi Lu

YZ 08
YZ 09 Walking Tour of the Walled City

Located on Zhong Xing Lu in Jiao Cheng Kou, the Eighteen Stair Teahouse, Mosque and Antique Markets are an interesting mix of sites. The quaint old traditional teahouse and storefront sits precariously on another steep slope above an interesting pocket of town. You can sit awhile and sip tea as you soak up the atmosphere or pay Y5 to wander around this little museum full of collectables, photos and letters with a French connection dating back to the turn of the last century.

Just down the street are the Mosque and a bakery where you can buy the savory Hui style bread.

A little further down the street are the Antique Markets in a building that sells second hand electrical and white goods although many of the stallholders have moved from here to the new facilities near the People’s Great Hall. The entrance to the Di San Bu Dao is at the bottom right hand side of the street.

YZ 05
YZ 06 Walking Tour of the Walled City

Following the river from Chao Tian Men along Chang Jiang Bin Jiang Lu overlooking the docks and floating restaurants you’ll come across the small and most intact of the city gates, Dong Shui Men or East Water Gate. All around the gate, carved into the cliff face so high above today’s water level, can be seen the mooring fastenings where countless craft have moored while loading and unloading their wares. In the car park beneath the flyover stand three huge stone stele. Just to the left of the gate is the magnificently restored Huguang Huiguan.

Huguang Huiguan or Guild Hall (Y30) with it’s high walls and tiled roofs, flying eaves and exquisite wood carvings is a collection of Guild Halls built by Chongqing Governors and Merchant Trading groups from other regions of southern China. It contains several local Opera Theatres, a small museum and art galleries and it’s easy to lose a couple of hours wandering through it.

Outside the complex is a workshop and gallery showcasing local silk embroidery, quilt making and carpet weaving. (Entry is free).

YZ 04 Walking Tour of the Walled City

Originally built during the Ming Dynasty when Nanjing was the capital and the Emperor considered the envoy of God, Chao Tian Men – Facing Heaven Gate, faces the east down river towards the old capital. Once the cities most prominent, the original old gate was removed in the1920’s to make way for upgrading of the docks and the modern replica is a little hidden beneath the viewing plaza.

The new City Planning Museum, open to the public (Y20) with displays of the ongoing redevelopment of the city is also located beneath the plaza.

Chao Tian Men is a short walk from either the Clock tower or Hong Ya Dong