Chongqing, located in the southeastern part of the Sichuan Basin, where the Yangtze River and Jialing rivers meet, is the largest industrial and commercial city in southwestern China and the economic center of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. Since 1997, the city has become the fourth municipality, independent from Sichuan Province, to be under the direct control of the central government. The major port of the upper
Yangtze River and gateway to the famous “Three Gorges,” the city is also a busy port , whose location, 2400km upstream from Shanghai at the meeting point between eastern river traffic and overland trade routes with Tibet and Burma, has given Chongqing an enviable commercial acumen.
Tourist Highlights
The
Great Hall of the People An
architectural symbol of Chongqing, the hall was built in 1951.
The whole building displays elegant design, superb craft and
the harmonious use of color. Especially the lower in the front
gate, a typical architectural creation in Chinese flavor, is
highly praised by the tourists from home and abroad
Dazu Stone Sculpture Dazu
County lies
in the southeastern part of the Sichuan Basin. It is 130 km
away from Chongqing and 270 km away from Chengdu. "Dazu" here means "harvest and abundance (Dafeng,
Dazu)".The
work of Dazu Rock Carvings began in the first year of Yonghui
in the Tang Dynasty (650A.D.), and continued until the Ming
and Qing dynasties. Now, it enjoys equal popularity with the
Yungang and Longmen Grottoes. The general term of "Dazu
Rock Carvings" refers to all the cliffside carvings in
Dazu County, which includes the carvings in Beishan (including
Beita), Baodingshan, Nanshan, Shizhuanshan and Shimenshan.
Baoding Grotto, 15 kilometers northeast of the county seat, is
the largest and best preserved one and is a key cultural relic
site under state protection.
