ChongQing, China October 4, 2006

Overview

Spread over hundreds of square miles and with metropolitan population of over 31 million (3.1 million within the city proper), ChongQing is the largest metropolitan area in the western half of China. In fact, ChongQing, previously called Chungking, is said to be the fastest-growing urban center on the planet!--- its population is already bigger than that of Peru or Iraq, with half a million more arriving every year in search of a better life. It ranks as the third largest metropolitan in China in terms of population but yet, as is so frequently the case with things Chinese, the name of this huge city, teeming with crowds around the clock, barely registers outside of that nation.

Located on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and straddling the region which connects the middle and western parts of China, ChongQing was the provisional capital of the Nationalist government of Chiang Kai-shek during the World War II. From 1937 to 1945 and was heavily bombed by the Japanese. It holds the distinction of being the most bombed city in history.

During the war a lot of factories and universities from eastern China were moved to ChongQing and surrounding areas, transforming it from an inland port to a heavy-industrial city. Thus, ChongQing is now one of the key industrial bases in China, with three mainstay industries: 1) the machine-building industry, predominantly with automobile and motorcycle manufacturing; 2) the chemical industry, with emphasis on natural gas chemistry and pharmaceutical chemistry; and 3), and metallurgical industry, represented by quality steel and aluminum materials. In addition, the electronic information, foodstuff, building material and daily-use chemical product sectors, are also being developed rapidly.

As is true of most of China's urban areas, unfortunately, the city often experiences severe air pollution, largely as a result coal-fired electricity power plants operating without pollution controls. Also, due to the surrounding mountains, a lack of wind makes the air pollution in the city even worse. (And, think of what will happen when even 50% of ChungQuin's families start driving automobiles!)

Although it remains one of China's most important cities, hot, sultry weather can make ChongQing an uncomfortable place for visitors. The climate is semitropical, with the two-season monsoonal variations typical of South Asia. It has hot summers when the temperature can be as high as 100F. (It is known as one of the "three furnaces" of China, the other two being Wuhan and Nanjing. ) The winters are wet and warm and most days are foggy.

ChongQing is, by the way, the sister city of Washington, DC, Detroit, and Seattle.

Attractions

While it almost seems as if the main reason most foreign tourists go to ChongQing today is to begin or end a cruise on the Yangze River, visitors have several outstanding options for sightseeing and entertainment while in the city.

ChongQing Zoo

ChongQing's modern, well stocked zoo exhibits many national and regional animals, including the Giant Panda. There are also several of the less well-known Red Pandas, who look more lake raccoons than pandas, to be seen. Additionally, the zoo houses the extremely rare South China Tiger, of which there are only between fifty and sixty remaining in the world, almost all in captivity ( none have been seen in the Chinese wilds for over twenty years).

Great Hall of the People

Fanciers of grand architecture gravitate to the Great Hall of the People, considered the emblem of today's ChongQing. This is one of the largest public assembly buildings in China, built in modern times (1954) but constructed in the classic, circular Tang Dynasty style. The Hall's five-story rotunda is almost 200 feet tall and 120 feet in diameter, spacious enough to hold over 4,200 people and reminiscent of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. (As classic a treasure as the Great Hall may be, however, it can't, as shown below, escape the encroachments of the modern world!)

Sichuan Opera

ChongQing's Sichuan opera is very popular and is noted for its pitched tune accompanied only by percussion and chorus without any wind or string instruments. Most of the programs in the wide repertoire of the Sichuan opera are adapted from the Chinese classical novel, mythology, legend and folk tale. Besides, the performance is always full of wit, humor, lively dialogue and pronounced local flavor. The Sichuan opera has also built a system of stylized movements and its acting is both exquisite and vivid. In order to portray special characters, it creates a series of stunts, including the 'face-changing'. (In Chinese opera, facial makeup is usually painted, but in Sichuan opera, the performer can change it suddenly on the stage. Therefore, it makes the audience exclaim with admiration.)

Stilwell Museum

Historical World War II sites are located all in and around the ChongQing. There is a museum in the city located in the house that served as the headquarters and residence of General "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell during his nearly three years of service in the Chinese Theater of Operations. The museum's materials and displays reflect the long and historic affection between the peoples of China and the USA (despite the global friction between their respective governments of the late 20th and early 21st centuries). Most visitors from the USA are particularly interested in the World War ll and Flying Tigers memorabilia on display. (The Flying Tigers were all Americans who volunteered to aid the Chinese against the Japanese invasion of China before Pearl Harbor was attacked.)

Believe it or not, ChongQing is an important battlefield event in world history because in 1243, the Mongol Mongke Khan was defeated and died here, with the turmoil after his death effectively stopping the Mongols' plan of expansion in Europe and Africa.

Food

Outwardly, it would seem that people in ChongQing never weary of eating. Thousands of restaurants offer local and international menus and snack vendors are found on almost every corner of the city, luring customers from home and abroad with their different specialties. As one branch of Sichuan cuisine, ChongQing food is noted for its distinctive pungent flavors--- ChongQing dishes are spicy and strong in taste.

Chili pepper, sesame, fermented black beans, scallions, ginger, garlic, wine, soy sauce, and an array of flavorings are used in almost forty different cooking methods. These methods include drying, salting, spicing, pickling, frying, and smoking. Color, smell, flavor, shape, and nutrition are all carefully balanced in ChongQing dishes, which causes people to say that ChongQing food is not only attractive but nutritious.

Street stand offers quick snack.	Skewered lamb and meat pies.	"Best in the city," he says.
Beef with chili.	Chicken fried rice with lemon chicken.	Duck rolls with salted duck eggs.
Fish fillet with peppers and bean sprouts.	Ma Po Tofu.	Twice cooked pork .
A quick stop for something familiar?	Eating dry noodles.	The easy way to eat!