We started our day 3 by exploring Chaotianmen (朝天门) which was just across the road from our hotel. First, we visit Raffles City Chongqing – The Sail of the Future. Designed by world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie, this mega-structure consists of eight soaring skyscrapers modeled after the geometric shapes of ancient Chinese merchant sails unfurling into the wind.
The building is similar to our very own MBS with many luxurious brands in it.
Shopping was not our thing, and we exited the mall to Chaotianmen Square (朝天门广场).
We had a great view of Raffles City from another angle.
The ultimate highlight of visiting Chaotianmen was standing at the edge of the plaza to witness the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers. Because the two rivers carry entirely different types of sediment, they do not mix immediately. Instead, they form a razor-sharp, swirling boundary line that cuts straight across the water. Locals affectionately call this striking two-toned visual phenomenon the "Yuan-yang Hotpot" (鸳鸯锅), because it looks exactly like a split hotpot bowl serving spicy red broth on one side and mild bone broth on the other. When we were there, we could not really see the split clearly.
If Chongqing is a massive ship sailing into the future, Chaotianmen (朝天门) is its unmistakable bow. Located at the outermost tip of the Yuzhong Peninsula, this historic site is the absolute geographical, cultural, and spiritual heart of the city.
Chaotianmen literally translates to "The Gate that Faces Heaven." It is here that Chongqing’s ancient maritime history violently collides with its futuristic, cyberpunk present. Standing on the grand plaza, we witnessed one of the world's most dramatic natural phenomena while looking up at an engineering marvel that stretches the limits of imagination.
Chaotianmen’s history stretches back over 2,300 years to the ancient State of Ba. During the Ming Dynasty, Chongqing was encircled by nine major city gates. Chaotianmen was the grandest of them all. Because it faced northeast toward the imperial capital of Beijing, local officials would gather at this exact dock to receive imperial decrees and welcome messengers from the Emperor, hence the name "Facing Heaven."
For centuries, this was the busiest merchant port in southwestern China. It gave birth to Chongqing's famous Bangbang (bamboo porters) and the raw, fiery dockside cuisine that eventually evolved into the world-famous Chongqing hotpot.
We then took a stroll towards Hongya Cave (洪崖洞) along the Jialing River. Soon we arrived at the famous Qiansimen Bridge (千厮门大桥).
As mentioned several times, Chongqing is a city with multiple levels and in order to get to Hongya Cave, we got to climb up hundreds of steps.
It seemed like there used to be cable car transporting people up and down this cliffside.
The climb passed through residential buildings on both sides.
We finally made it to the main road towards Hongya Cave. There were several visitors who gave up after seeing the flight of steps. :-)
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