Ferry that time forgot has witnessed how Chongqing people's lives have evolved in the past century. As a city known for pier abundance, ferrying is the preferred means of transportation in Chongqing over the past one hundred years. Several decades ago, Chongqing was not so built-up as it is today, and sirens from ferries can be heard now and then when one walked near a pier. Based in a unique natural environment and a history of about a thousand years, Chongqing people formed their own "pier culture".
Chongqing with rivers in modern time
On January 1, 1938, ferrying services connected to Chongqing's main city proper were opened. Taking a ferry across rivers used to be the main means of transportation for Chongqing people in the past nearly a century. Back then, all kinds of ships berthed at the piers besides which lied bustling street markets. These streets were often lined by a plethora of shops and teeming with people, giving rise to the highly polished flagstone roads.
Cruises on the river
Till the 1980s, there were 36 ferries and 19 ferrying routes in Chongqing, offering over 100,000 rides every day on average. The heyday of ferrying came. However, the transportation vehicle wasn't called a ferry then, but a "flying boat".
As generation upon generation of old Chongqing people took the ferry to explore the outside world, the ferry has witnessed the prime of their lives.
The cruise now had become a kind of entertainment.
Ferries were disappearing in Chongqing people's lives with time
Nowadays, the ferry is so distant for us as it was close to our forefathers. As more and more bridges are built, urban development pace speeds up and rail transit gains popularity in the city proper, people have found more and more convenient alternatives for ferrying, such as bridge, bus, rail transit, and cableway.
The old photo of the pier in Chongqing
As a result, ferrying begun to wane, piers were not crowded again, and many ferrying routes had to close down due to very few passengers.
With time, ferries as "roads" across the rivers were disappearing in people's lives.
On the river only coming and going cargo ships, magnificent Liangjiang cruise ships and cruise ship restaurants mooring by the banks can be seen. The heyday of ferries seems to have gone away with time.
The old photo of the pier in Chongqing
Ferries are making a comeback as pier ferries resumed services and Liangjiang night cruise was launched
Last January, ferrying services from Chaotianmen to Danzishi resumed. Many people said it was like reliving the past. With only a river lying in between, Nanbin Road and Chaotianmen seem so close but are actually so far away. Maybe because of rapid urbanization, time-honored ferrying has a chance to return.
The Jialing River in Liziba Station
"Dan Zi Shi Lun Du Ma Tou (Danzishi Ferry Pier)" in red seems like a silent reminder that the ferry as an old-fashioned transportation vehicle is making a comeback. Walking down the stairs, you can see waves lapping against the banks. At the moment, even your sense of smell seems to become acuter and can smell an odor unique to the pier.
Chongqing Grand Theater and the junction of the Yangtze River and Jialing River
People say Chongqing as a pier city is rustic, but at night it grows so elegant and charming. With the launch of the Liangjiang night cruise, countless foreign tourists have a chance to experience the ferry pier culture unique to Chongqing.
Have a hotpot meal and buy a ship ticket to get a taste of Chongqing's diverse charm as a mountain city!
Hongyadong and the Jialing River at night