Chongqing- Lingjiang Park joined an exclusive group when it was awarded the Most Beautiful Steep Hillside Landscape Project for 2020. This attractive feature located by the Yangtze riverside in Jiulongpo District was specially designed for the young and elderly who most commonly use the public area on a daily basis.

In addition to the greenery and basic facilities, four key design concepts were integrated into the landscape and combined to make the award-winning park unique as Chongqing strives to create a high-quality living environment.

The topography of Chongqing is noted for steep hills and towering mountain ridges interspersed with great rivers. The location now occupied by Lingjiang Park had previously fallen to waste, partly because it was a typical steep hillside commonly found in the urban.

Lingjiang Park has a four-tier layout on the hillside with a high difference in elevation. The top level by the main roadside has a square and viewing platform with scenic views across the Yangtze, with E’gongyan Bridge forming an elegant backdrop to the city skyline. Below are garden pathways, an open recreational area with a children’s climbing frame and exercise equipment for adults, while the deepest level features a basketball court that visitors may use free of charge.

The landscape features a range of trees and plants that accentuate colors associated with all four seasons so that the park can retain its aesthetic appeal throughout the year. Notable species hugging the slopes include the ficus virens, the representative tree of Chongqing, as well as camphor, tallow, maple, and golden rain, while flowers planted on the hillsides feature jacaranda, bauhinia, and acacia.

The culture inside the park is mainly themed on 24 lines of filial piety marked on wall facades, sculptures, and even the pathway surfaces. This was chosen due to the large proportion of young and elderly visitors who often use the park and embody this core value from traditional Chinese culture. 

Finally, smart technology was also incorporated into the park design to offer a cutting-edge touch. As visitors walk through the grounds, their presence automatically turns on facilities such as the lights after dark, water features, and soothing background music.

The park also enjoys a high level of accessibility for visitors with mobility problems. While the steps leading gently into the park are wide and shallow, a public lift can also transport people between the main road and the path network down below. Once inside, gentle ramps lead from the pathway down into the recreational area.

Urban beautification and a high-quality living environment have become a priority in Chongqing. Many antiquated residential areas have undergone successful renovation projects over the past number of years, while previously unsightly tunnel interiors and intersection bridges across the city have been artistic makeovers.

Residents in Chongqing now have a wide choice of attractive parks suitable for all ages close to home, wherever they may live inside the urban area or more distant counties. The Lingjiang Park is a great example of how the dramatic landscape of Chongqing can become a unique feature of this modern and family-friendly park city, as embodied by the city-wide event named "Beautiful Chongqing on Your Doorstep".