Chongqing has a large area of up to 8,243 km2, which is much larger than many countries in the world and is equal to 1/4 of the area of our country. This city also has a population of about 32 million people, making it one of the most populous cities in China, but it is important to understand that Chongqing is a centrally governed municipality, a direct-controlled city of China located in the southwest of China along the Yangtze River and Jialing River, where it has a strategically important position connecting the developed economic regions in the east and the slower developing areas in the west of China. Previously, Chongqing belonged to Sichuan.
Why is it called Chongqing?
The name Chongqing has a special and interesting meaning. Chong means duplication, while Qing means festival or celebration, combined, Chongqing can be understood as double joy or stacked joy. This name originated from the Song Dynasty when Emperor Song Guangzong ascended the throne; before becoming emperor, he was conferred the title of Prince in this land. And when he ascended the throne, he named this land Chongqing to commemorate two significant events in his life: one is being conferred the title of prince and the other is becoming emperor.
Chongqing plays a very important role for China
This is one of the four centrally governed municipalities of China along with Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin, and is an important center for industrial, commercial, and transportation economy. The city is also one of the fastest developing areas in China with a continuously strong GDP growth. The GDP of Chongqing is estimated at about 400 billion US dollars, which is just a little less than that of Vietnam. Chongqing is a major automobile manufacturing center in China with an annual output of about over 3 million vehicles, and when talking about automobiles, we must mention Chongqing's transportation. With a modern transportation system including an international airport, a subway system, and high-speed rail lines, Chongqing serves as a major transportation hub connecting western China with other regions.
Interesting facts
This city is famous for its mountainous terrain and has many bridges, earning it the title of the city of bridges. The mountainous terrain has created steep roads and unique landscapes in Chongqing. Chongqing has hot and humid summers, cold winters, and is often referred to as the steamer of China due to the high temperatures in summer.
Specialties and culture
When it comes to Chongqing, this city is famous for its specialties such as spicy hot pot, a part of the traditional Sichuan hot pot. This is one of the signature dishes of China. Chongqing hot pot has a strong spicy flavor and is usually served with various types of vegetables, meat, and seafood. From Chongqing, this will also be the gateway leading to the Three Gorges on the Yangtze River, one of China's famous wonders. People can participate in river cruises to admire the stunning scenery.
Why is Chongqing's transportation complex?
Transportation is complex due to the complicated terrain. Chongqing is located on the southwestern plateau of China, previously belonging to Sichuan, which helps to visualize this mountainous area. The city is surrounded by mountain ranges and has many hills right in the urban area. The central area of the city has a significant elevation difference ranging from about 160 m to over 1400 m up to the suburbs. This is one of the main reasons why infrastructure construction becomes complicated and expensive. Statistics show that about 70% of Chongqing's area is mountainous with high peaks and deep valleys creating an uneven terrain.
Yangtze River and Jialing River
The Yangtze River, the famous long river in the world, flows through Chongqing with a length of about 665 km within this city. This river also creates many deep valleys and is a major natural barrier; to cross the river, one must build a bridge. The Jialing River, about 119 km long, also flows through Chongqing and plays an important role in the city's hydrological system. The presence of these two large rivers creates many low-lying areas and gorges, making it difficult to build and develop the ground transportation system. The complex terrain of Chongqing, combined with a population of over 30 million, requires the construction of a multi-layered transportation system, effectively utilizing space and ensuring smooth traffic flow, making Chongqing a city not for the directionally challenged.
The city of bridges
This city has more than 20,000 different bridges, more than any other city in the world. The bridges here are not only those over rivers but also elevated bridges connecting different parts of this city together. The city also has a tunnel nearly 7 km long, one of the longest urban tunnels in China, helping to reduce traffic pressure on the ground and connect important urban areas.
The city of trams
Chongqing is famous for its tram system. The Chongqing tram system has a total of nine lines with a total length of over 370 km and more than 200 stations. This is one of the fastest developing tram systems in China, and it is not just a subway; many parts are elevated. Line 2 of Chongqing is the first elevated tram line in China, 31.4 km long, including 25 stations, running along the hills and crossing many overpasses, and notably, the trams in Chongqing even run through buildings.
Specifically, a tram station in Chongqing runs through an apartment building, which is a characteristic of this city. The city is surrounded by rivers and mountains, and whether day or night, it is always a hot check-in spot for tourists. Chinese railway engineers had a clever solution when building the railway that runs through a 19-story apartment building instead of going around it, allowing the structure to remain intact while residents can easily catch the tram.
When passing through the building, the train only makes a noise of 60 dB, equivalent to a conversation in a restaurant. According to the floor division, residents live from the 9th to the 19th floor, while the tram runs from the 6th to the 8th floor, with the station located on the 8th floor. Floors 1 to 5 are where the shops will operate. Thus, it seems that this apartment building would have to be relocated, but thanks to its uniqueness, the value of the apartments here has significantly increased, due to convenient transportation and ease of movement.
Buses and trams
As for the public transportation system, Chongqing has more than 8,000 buses operating on 500 routes serving tens of millions of passengers every day. The system is designed to easily navigate through hilly and mountainous areas. If the numbers and information above are not enough to impress you about the complex transportation in Chongqing, let’s look at a specific example. An intersection in Chongqing consists of multiple layers and exits and is not for those with poor memory.
Huangjue Lou Intersection
Huangjue Lou Intersection in Chongqing is not only a technical wonder but also a modern traffic artwork. Imagine you are driving on a gigantic architectural structure resembling a maze. But instead of walking, you are moving at high speed; Huangjue Lou Intersection has five overlapping layers like a giant birthday cake with many layers. The highest layer is 37 m above the ground, while the lowest layer is just high enough to make you feel like you are driving through a park. This intersection is like a supermarket with over 20 branches, and each branch has a different path leading to destinations inside and outside the city as you wish.
Dubbed the heart of Chongqing's traffic, Huangjue Lou connects every corner of the city; it is not only a place for vehicles to move but also a bridge between the rapidly developing areas of Chongqing and neighboring provinces. One can drive from this intersection to famous tourist spots, bustling industrial zones, or even other major cities in China. Have you ever seen science fiction movies with super-intelligent transportation systems? That is exactly what you will see at Huangjue Lou, where the traffic management system is equipped with AI to monitor and adjust vehicle flow, ensuring that no moment is wasted in transit.
Surveillance cameras operate 24/7, making you always feel safe and comfortable while driving. Every day, thousands of vehicles from cars, buses to trucks rush through Huangjue Lou Intersection. This intersection has a total length of 16 km of the roads leading into it. The total road surface area is 200,000 m2. Thus, the area of Huangjue Lou Intersection is equivalent to about more than 27 standard football fields. This shows the vast and impressive scale of this intersection.
Looking at this intersection, many people may wonder what happens if they take the wrong road. In case of going the wrong lane, drivers can choose another exit within 10 minutes based on easily visible signs.