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

YZ 02 Walking Tour of the Walled City

Just a short distance from the Liberation Monument are two small but active Temples. To the east is the Ar Hat or Luo Han Temple, just opposite the Carrefour. The other small Temple has been well hidden away on Zhong Hua Lu near the corner of Min Quan Lu.

YZ 01 Walking Tour of the Walled City

Liberation Monument, the centerpiece of Liberation Square in Jiefengbei, was originally built by the Guo Min Government during the war. In those days it resembled a gun turret with a flagpole on top and stood almost three stories tall.

After the war it was remodeled to celebrate China’s victory against the Japanese in World War Two and later named Liberation Monument. The octagonal tower with four clock faces has internal stairs, stands 27.5 meters high and today is dwarfed by the buildings surrounding it on all sides.

YZ05 and YZ06 Walking Tour of the Walled City

Opened in October 2005 this beautifully restored complex of traditional architecture is located on the banks of the Chang Jiang (Yangtze) above Dong Shui Men, downstream of the cable car crossing near the Liang Jiang (Two Rivers) tunnel.

Originally the local Guild Hall, Guangdong Merchants Guild Hall, a memorial to Da Yu, and several other buildings it is the most impressive group of buildings of it's kind in Chongqing.

While it hosts a small cultural relics collection, a history of the area and an art gallery it is worth visiting for the architecture alone. Much of the original buildings and wood carved theatres seem to have been in tact and many well worn stone doorways, stairs and flagstones can be seen.

The complex sits above a rather large portion of the old city wall and one of the city gates Dong Shui Men is outside to the left of both the exit and entrance.

You can find your way down the stairs towards Wang Long Men off Jiefeng Donglu or walk from Chao Tian Men.

Entrance fee Y30 Open 9.00am til 6.00pm

Shooshow Silk Embroidery Gallery is now open just outside. Watch the craftsmen at work. Admission free.