渝中 Yuzhong

About:

At first, you’ll be drawn to Yuzhong by the shiny clubs of Jiefangbei and the mistaken impression you’re in the most modern/evolved/westernized part of town, then you’ll become familiar with your surroundings and make a point of staying away, only to find yourself stumbling into it during one of your drunken stupors.

The peninsula is the most instantly recognizable feature on any map of Chongqing. It is without a doubt the beating heart of the city, the economic center (for now) and everyone’s first stop when they get off the boat. Yuzhong has most of the historical sites and the biggest museum. It’s got concert halls, an art center, girls all over the place and skyscrapers up the wazoo.

At the tip of it, Chaotianmen. Formerly a maze of steep stairs where the shouts of bangbang men (the porters you’ll only find in Chongqing) echoed the tooting sounds of approaching freight ships, the immense neighborhood above the port has been torn down to build a replica of Singapore’s horrific Marina Bay Sands.

When it becomes too much, retreat to Yuzhong’s quieter areas for a breather. Think of Binjiang Park, by the Yangtze River Bridge, and the Chongqing Tiandi, on the border of Shapingba district.