Chongqing- Beibei District firmly claims the honor as the metropolitan garden of Chongqing, a perpetually serene corner amidst the flourishing city with over ten million inhabitants.

The swift rise of modern industry is being led by advanced manufacturing and big data intelligence in Beibei, which has also become a top leisure destination for Chongqing residents thanks to fine ecological surroundings and convenient transportation links.

Hot spring water has flowed for millennia between the Jialing riverbanks and towering peaks of Jinyun Mountain, where people still enjoy soaking in the pools to the gurgle of trickling water.

Distinguished historical figures have congregated here for over three millennia, and the fact Beibei is home to the first-ever museum in Chongqing, the district now enjoys the reputation as the City of Pavilions. This title accentuates the profound historical and cultural standing of the area, in addition to the leisurely way of life for citizens and tourists alike.

Humankind and nature live in peaceful harmony amidst the green mountains and waters in Beibei, where the sights have inspired classic poetry over the ages, such as the Tang Dynasty poem ‘Night Rain,’ which brims with romantic longing.

The jin character of Jinyun Mountain means red silk in Chinese. It sounds identical to the word for ‘near,’ and almost so for the word ‘pristine’ in the Sichuanese dialect. While many are unaware the name Jinyun has referred to the sight of red-tinted clouds since ancient times, but they certainly understand the sense of proximity to the mountains in Beibei, and the purity of the lands.

Now that transportation is convenient, the beauty of Jinyun Mountain feels ever more within your reach. From the foot of the mountain all the way up, you will usually rest at Daihu Lake on the mountainside.

On a trek to the peak from the mountain foot, you will usually take a rest by the clear waters of Daihu Lake, where the surface reflects the surroundings like a mirror from the embankment. In the early 1930s, Lu Zuofu built a dam on the mountainside and created this glistening jasper amid the clouds, and for which a poem was written in a eulogy. ‘In times both ancient and modern, spirits run free as the waters of Daihu Lake trickle unto an earthen bowl.’

Jinyun, along with the famous mountains of Qingcheng and Emei, was once known as the ‘Three Famous Mountains of Shu Country. At Daihu Lake, the ring of bells amidst the twilight has put the souls of many at ease going back thousands of years.

The nine peaks of Jinyun are majestic and precipitous, especially the peak of Shizi, which resembles a lion crouching upon the ridges. Looking out from Taixu Platform at the top, vast seas of green forest expand outwards as the city of Beibei lies enveloped within a river of cloud and mist.

As the peaks of Jinyun tower high, the waters below exude warmth. As a result, Beibei enjoys the status as the hot spring capital of the world.

While it is impossible to verify whether the Yellow Emperor once used water from the North Hot Springs for its curative properties, the spring waters are definitely conducive to health. As early as in the Southern Dynasties, ancestors built temples around the springs to embody their wishes for a better life.

A stay in Beibei entails not merely an encounter with mountains and rivers, but also veneration for nature. Here, an overnight stay is a principal attraction, not merely a journey’s interlude.

Homestay courtyards built upon the hillsides vividly display the artistic conception of harmony between man and nature.

Formerly dilapidated buildings are integrated with freshly rammed earthen walls, wild plant life covers the fields, and natural moss grows thick upon the stone paths. Inside, bare rock faces protrude into the living quarters as if they’re the original occupants, while branches and fallen leaves collect in a scene of nature.

When hungry, consume the locally grown farm vegetables. When fatigued, allow the hot springs to infuse your skin. When thirsty, sip tea from the mountain waters. Close your eyes and listen to the cicadas. Feast upon the view of cloud enveloped mountains, the rising and setting sun, and feel the ambiance of nocturnal Bashan rains.

Homestays offer a deeper experience of Jinyun. The nights are quiet, stars shine ablaze, the valley breezes carry fragrances of the earth, and the song of birds and insects fill the air as if caught within a dream. The morning sun breaks through the gentle dew, and the rain clears to reveal a valley of undulating cloud, combining to instill visitors with the freedom and majesty of nature.

Over history, Beibei has accumulated a great wealth of humanities. Lu Zuofu set up his Gorge Defense Bureau on the banks of the Jialing River and was practically the administrative center of Beibei at the time. Here, the ‘Beibei Pioneers’ planned education, industry, and enlightenment as the nation’s future sought for direction.

During the War of Resistance, many prominent figures congregated in Beibei. As a result, the transportation network of Beibei features the names of Tianjin Road, Nanjing Road, Guangzhou Road, and Taiyuan Road.

Times of old never seem far away. The former residences and memorial halls of famous individuals record the cultural responsibility of an era that stood witness to the suffering and glory of a nation.

Were museums brimming with history and culture a business card for the city, then Beibei has a box full of them. From the cretaceous period through to the new age of science and technology, from literary classics to modern works, and the erudite Fudan spirit to the contemporary academia of Southwest University. Beibei has it all.

The Beibei History and Culture Museum features an exhibition of exquisite glass artifacts that silently tell the history of endeavor behind the first glass factory of Chongqing. Inside, visitors can learn about intricate glass making techniques that are listed as municipal intangible heritage.

In Qingfeng Village, there’s the first airfield in China built especially for paragliders, where people can soar above the magnificent countryside and take in the idyllic scenery of Beibei.

The freedom to explore is not limited to the blue skies. In the near future, you will be able to ride freely in the mountains on horseback, rediscover the genes of the first railway in Sichuan, and link the treasures of the Beibei countryside into a necklace of jewels. These are just some of the projects the district is working on.

Jindao Gorge is a spectacular gorge with dense forests, marvelous rock formations, and quiet waters. The gorge cuts between vertical rock face over 100 meters in height, adorned with ancient vines hanging upside down. There are numerous cave systems, waterfalls, stalactites, stalagmites, and stone pillars among the diverse scenery.

The countryside of Beibei abounds in natural beauty and cultural interest. Downriver from Jindao Gorge, there is an ancient town full of nostalgia that echoes with the clanging of women blacksmiths.

For hundreds of years, countless lovers have crossed the Mandarin Duck Bridge of Bianyan Ancient Town, and have cast long-cherished wishes by the Tree of Matrimony.

The winter Chinensis adds fragrance to the winter air in the town of Jingguan. Over the depths of winter in Mountain City, hawkers love to sell the flowered branches to drivers as they explain their value and price.

Moreover, the essential oils, facial masks, soaps, and perfumes derived from the winter Chinensis have won the hearts of many beautiful women. 　

On a visit to Jingguan, farmers shift through rows of aromatic Chinensis as have generations before, with their backs turned to the sky as they pick the blossoming flowers. Visitors can experience picking winter Chinensis, and sense they are communicating with the flowers and petals at a spiritual level.

During the War of Resistance, Chongqing suffered five years and ten months of airstrikes, forcing many prominent figures to seek refuge amongst the dense vegetation of the mountainsides. The Jingang Monument of Beibei stands in tribute to these times at a convenient transport junction in the city.

In the 1950s, as coal resources depleted and transportation modernized, the prosperity around the Jingang Monument began to wane, the houses fell into disrepair, the increasingly dense forest continued to encroach, and the people have grown old.

History and culture provide the soul behind urban construction and mark national development. As Beibei stepped unto a new era, the neighborhoods around Jingang Monument embarked on a journey of restoration to revive the local history and culture.

The craftsmen not only restored the monument to its former glory but also blended modern elements and functions to represent the continuity between past, present, and future.