Chongqing - On January 13, under the warm winter sun, the newly restored chiseled stone facade of Chongqing Cultural Palace Grand Theater was bathed in soft light. Several elderly people sat leisurely on the wide steps in front of the theater, basking in the sun and chatting. “After decades, the theater still looks the same—only now it feels renewed after the renovation,” said nearly 70-year-old Mr. Chen, squinting in the sunlight, his hand resting on the edge of the steps as if touching a flowing stream of time.
Exterior of the theater. (Photo provided by the interviewee)
Just a few days earlier, on January 10, this long-dormant cultural landmark—a place carrying the collective memories of generations of Chongqing residents—officially reopened after meticulous restoration. On the day of the theater reopening ceremony, the joyful laughter of the children’s play The True and False Monkey King and the elegant melodies of the ballet Swan Lake echoed one after another in the theater. Citizens flocked in and exclaimed, “The happiness from my memories is back!”
From 1952 to 2026, spanning more than 70 years, the story of the Cultural Palace Grand Theater is like a profound book about the city’s original cultural aspirations, citizens’ emotional memories, and its future artistic visions, waiting for citizens to open it once again.
A Promise of “Cultural Feasts”
The story begins with a warm historical promise.
It is still remembered that Deng Xiaoping once pointed out: “Now that Chongqing is liberated, the working people have become masters of their own destiny and can enjoy “meat feasts” (a colloquial term for hearty meals), but that’s not enough. The people of Chongqing must also enjoy “cultural feasts”. This vividly local phrase, “cultural feasts”, was not just an advocacy but a solemn promise—a commitment to bring the nourishment of art and culture into the lives of every ordinary person.
Thus, the construction of a cultural exchange center truly belonging to the people of Chongqing was put on the agenda. On July 1, 1951, the Chongqing Workers’ Cultural Palace officially broke ground. Deng placed high hopes on this project, repeatedly reviewing the blueprints and models, visiting the construction site, and personally inscribing its name upon completion in 1952.
As the brightest “pearl” of the Cultural Palace, the design and construction of the Grand Theater (named initially the Cinema Theater) itself represented a successful practice of idealism and courage. To ensure that every audience member, regardless of their seat, had an unobstructed view of the stage, renowned architects Gong Dalin and Zhuang Renqing made a bold move: they used an approximately 30-meter-span unsupported reinforced concrete beam to support the entire auditorium roof. This innovative design was a pioneering effort in China at that time. It was not only a technological breakthrough, but also the architectural embodiment of the principle that “art is for everyone”.
On January 13, the “renewed” Chongqing Cultural Palace Grand Theater. (Photo provided by the interviewee)
After its completion, the theater quickly became the center for city-wide gatherings and holiday celebrations. During holidays, the Cultural Palace was crowded with people, receiving as many as 100,000 visitors a day at its peak. In an era when cultural life was relatively scarce, attending a formal stage performance at the Cultural Palace Cinema Theater was undoubtedly a proud and fashionable choice for the people of Chongqing—a truly “classy” affair.
Therefore, it became the earliest and strongest heartbeat of the city’s cultural life.
An Emotional Landmark for Generations
As time went by, the Cultural Palace Grand Theater quietly wove itself into the lives of countless Chongqing people, becoming a gateway to artistic enlightenment.
“I lived nearby until high school, and it only took 5 minutes to walk to the Cultural Palace. Skating, swimming, watching movies—it was my happy paradise,” said Mr. Qian, an audience member born in the 1980s. Even after starting work, he continued to watch performances by artists such as Tan Dun and Yang Liping here. For Ms. Liao, born in the 1990s, the Cultural Palace was the eternal destination for spring and autumn outings. “Playing on the slides—which we locally called “suosuotan”—was my constant companion throughout my childhood.”
“For us, the Cultural Palace is not just a place to watch performances, but also a witness to our growth, family gatherings, budding romance, and artistic enlightenment. It is an important piece of the “memory puzzle” in our emotional world,” Mr. Qian sighed. In fact, from Mr. Chen to Mr. Qian and then to Ms. Liao, the memories of three generations—elderly, middle-aged, and young—overlap and resonate here. These vivid personal narratives converge into an inseparable collective emotion of the city.
Precisely because it carries such profound emotions, its temporary dormancy once made many people feel a sense of loss. When news of its reopening arrived, it reawakened a deep-rooted sense of cultural belonging. Xia Xiuying, head of the western region of ACOrange Theater Chain and general manager of Chongqing Cultural Palace Grand Theater, deeply understands this: “It is an “old friend” that has grown alongside the city and its citizens, bearing collective memories and emotions. Our mission is to allow this “old friend” to tell past stories while writing new chapters in the new era.”
Intelligent Upgrades While “Preserving the Original Style”
How can an “old friend” be revitalized without feeling unfamiliar? The “renewal” of the Cultural Palace Grand Theater offers a wise answer: “materializing nostalgia.” This means preserving the historical essence to the utmost while infusing modern comfort and technology.
On January 13, reporters returned to the theater and found the principle of “renovating while preserving the original style” evident throughout. The theater’s distinctive chiseled stone facade was carefully cleaned and restored, regaining its luster. The weathered wooden window frames were preserved and reinforced; in particular, the 30-meter-span unsupported beam—a symbol of the building’s spirit—was displayed intact, speaking to every visitor about the craftsmanship of its time.
Old ticket stubs were collected from the public. (Photo provided by the interviewee)
Xia Xiuying noted that, in addition to preservation, there was also an active effort to create “memory symbols”. In the bright foyer, a newly installed relief wall titled “Foundation Laying Commemoration of Chongqing Workers’ Cultural Palace” engraves the origin of history. On both sides of the foyer, display cabinets showcase old photos and ticket stubs collected from citizens. “We hope these items carrying personal stories will bring a smile to visitors and offer newcomers a glimpse of the past,” Xia said.
At the same time, the theater’s hardware has been fully upgraded. It now features an immersive surround sound system, intelligent stage lighting, a P2.5 full-color main screen, and four side screens. Whether for classical concerts or multimedia dramas, the audio-visual experience will be significantly enhanced, offering greater immersion for audiences. To improve comfort, the seating capacity has been reduced to 1,060.
Creating a Warm Urban Cultural Living Room
Xia Xiuying introduced that the revitalized Cultural Palace Grand Theater is now looking toward a broader future. Its position has evolved from a traditional performance venue to an “urban cultural living room” and an “artistic haven for all citizens”. This vision emphasizes openness, participation, and inclusivity—not only by offering high-quality performances but also by engaging the public through art popularization, intangible cultural heritage interactions, public education, and other activities, making the theater an accessible, immersive, and shared cultural hub.
On January 13, the “renewed” Chongqing Cultural Palace Grand Theater. (Photo provided by the interviewee)
In terms of planning, Xia explained that on the one hand, the theater will leverage the resources of the ACOrange Theater Chain to systematically introduce international classics and popular domestic IP plays such as The Red and the Black: The Rock Opera and Cats; on the other hand, it will focus on incubating and supporting local art troupes and original plays including Sichuan opera, quyi (folk art forms), and Chongqing-themed plays. “For example, our opening performance season, which lasts until March, covers various forms including ballet, children’s plays, concerts, and comedies, meeting the needs of audiences of different ages and preferences. Here, classics and local works, elegant and popular art can all find appreciative audiences.”
“Our goal is to create an artistic life circle with 'activities every week, performances every month, and themes every season', allowing the theater to be deeply integrated into citizens’ daily lives, not just a palace visited occasionally,” Xia depicted the blueprint for the future.
As the sun set, casting a golden silhouette on the Cultural Palace Grand Theater, the people sunbathing on the steps gradually dispersed. And the building stood quietly, like a guardian of culture. From its completion in 1952 to its renewal in 2026, over 70 years have passed and this is a testament to the era’s promise of a “cultural feast”. When the elderly can still find the old days on familiar steps, when children can open the door to artistic enlightenment here, and when all citizens can comfortably enjoy the nourishment of art, the Cultural Palace Grand Theater fulfills its most important mission: keeping the pulse of culture beating warmly and endlessly in the city’s development.
(Zhang Xuege, as an intern, also contributes to this article.)