What To Know
- Chongqing is the clear birthplace of the famous Chongqing hotpot, a fiery, mouth-numbing communal dining experience that is more of a way of life than a meal.
- The “Go West” strategy, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and the city’s status as a key node in the Yangtze River Economic Belt are all examples of national policies that help the city a lot.
Chongqing (重慶) is a big city in central China that doesn’t follow other cities’ rules. People sometimes call it the “Mountain City” (山城), and more and more people are calling it the “8D Magic City” because of its dizzying, multi-layered urban landscape. Metro trains go through residential buildings, and you can ascend to the 22nd floor of a neighboring building from the street level. This inland city is not just a tourist hotspot; it has become a hub of business, innovation, and an unmatched quality of life. Chongqing is more than just a place to visit; it’s also a wonderful place to live, work, do business, and grow.
Why Chongqing might be a Great Place to Live
Chongqing’s unique geography has created a lively, no-nonsense culture that is both connected to the world and deeply rooted in its own Bayu heritage. This place is an adventure, unlike the flatter, more traditional coastal megacities.
A Way of Life Like No Other
Public spaces and daily life closely connect with the city’s environment. There are stairs, elevated walkways, and high bridges to walk on in Chongqing, all of which offer wonderful views.
Affordable Living
Chongqing has a surprisingly low cost of living, especially when it comes to housing, compared to China’s first-tier coastal cities like Shanghai and Beijing. This has let the city take in millions of new city dwellers without the housing shortage that is a problem in other places.
Infrastructure That Is World-Class
The name “8D” comes from its cutting-edge infrastructure. The city has one of the longest and busiest monorail systems in the world, which connects all of its urban sub-centers. The Yangtze River Cableway is an iconic form of transportation that serves as both a functional public transport link and a beautiful way to cross the river.
The Spice of Life
Chongqing is the clear birthplace of the famous Chongqing hotpot, a fiery, mouth-numbing communal dining experience that is more of a way of life than a meal. Food, community, and the unique local dialect are at the heart of the warm, loud, and friendly culture here.
Must-See Sights
To truly understand the city, you must visit its famous landmarks:
Hongya Cave (洪崖洞)
A beautiful 11-story complex of traditional *diaojiaolou* (stilted houses) built into the side of a mountain. People say that its glowing, tiered architecture at night looks like the magical bathhouse from the movie *Spirited Away*.
Liziba Station (李子坝站)
An architectural wonder where the Line 2 monorail train goes right through a residential building, showing off how smartly the city uses space.
Ci Qi Kou Ancient Town (磁器口古镇)
This well-preserved old neighborhood on the Jialing River gives you a taste of the city’s past with its traditional buildings, local food, and crafts made by artisans.
Dazu Rock Carvings (大足石刻)
These are UNESCO World Heritage Sites outside the city center. They are a stunning collection of Buddhist carvings from the Tang and Song Dynasties.
Work and Business Opportunities
Chongqing is not only a cultural center; it is also an important strategic center for China’s growth. It is one of China’s four directly administered municipalities, along with Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin. It is the only one deep inland, which gives it a strong position as the “Gateway to the West.”
A Hub of Industry and Innovation
The city has changed its traditional heavy industry base, which it got from being China’s wartime capital, into a varied, high-tech economy.
Manufacturing Center
Chongqing is a giant in the world of manufacturing and is known as China’s biggest base for making cars and motorcycles. Even more impressively, it is a world leader in the electronics industry, making an amazing amount of the world’s laptops and other electronic devices.
Strategic Policy
The “Go West” strategy, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and the city’s status as a key node in the Yangtze River Economic Belt are all examples of national policies that help the city a lot. The Liangjiang New Area and a pilot free trade zone make it even more attractive to foreign investors.
Growth
Chongqing has a long history of high GDP growth, and it is now China’s fourth-largest economic city, showing that it has a strong and deep economy. It is actively encouraging new growth in the fields of biomedicine, cloud computing, and high-end equipment manufacturing.
Things to Think about
For business owners and entrepreneurs who want to look inside China’s huge, fast-growing western market, Chongqing has some unique benefits.
Compared to the eastern coastal megacities, the city has relatively low operating expenses, such as for labor, land, and utilities. Foreign investors may have incentives if they are in particular targeted and tech industries. Chongqing is a great place for logistics and getting to the markets in western China and beyond because it is an inland transportation hub with river, rail, and air connections (including the second-busiest airport in China).
A Future of Growth and New Ideas
Chongqing’s unique mix of cultural heritage, dramatic geography, and forward-thinking economic policy makes it a very dynamic place. The difficult terrain has led to unique and creative solutions in infrastructure and city planning that are now being used all over the world. Chongqing is the clear choice for people who want to get away from the crowded and costly eastern coast. It’s a place where you can really connect with a lively local culture and tap into one of the world’s fastest-growing inland markets. It is a city that grows up, down, and out, giving people a chance to live, work, and grow in ways that have never been possible before.
###
