Multiple colors embody childhood.

Metro line on graffiti footpath

Graffiti on both sides of the footpath

CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- Take Line1 and get off at Qixinggang Station, Yuzhong District, then walk about 400 meters towards Children’s Hospital -- Times · Zaozilanya footpath is next to Mingshicheng.

Many graffiti are painted directly on wall in Chongqing. But you may not know that most of the graffiti walls in Zaozilanya, Yuzhong District, are constructed of colored tiles. 

How beautiful is the Zaozilanya footpath? Reporter of Chongqing Evening News makes a special trip. 

Colored walls in lane 

Take Line1 and get off at Qixinggang Station, then walk about 400 meters towards Children’s Hospital -- Times · Zaozilanya footpath is next to Mingshicheng.

On the small square at the beginning of the footpath, it stands a sign reading the name of the footpath. Flower beds under the sign are made of orange, blue, black and other colored tiles. The reporter is attracted by these colorful flower beds from afar.

Walking on the footpath, both sides have graffiti walls. Red, yellow, white, blue, pink... All kinds of patterns embellish the footpath and make people feel as if they enter a fairy tale world. One who goes down the steps will unconsciously slow down and appreciate the patterns along the way. See, there is a dolphin in the corner of the wall, roaming in water; also a bicycle with colored tires parking on the wall, and the flowers in its basket are blooming, attracting some butterflies. 

As if you are in spring 

“Walking here, I will be in a very good mood immediately. Everything is so lovely and vigorous, as if you are in spring, or in a fairy tale world, nice and good-looking,” a visitor told the reporter. In order to match the colored tiles here, she changes into a white dress on purpose, which brings her back to her schooldays.

A group of aunts sit on steps and take selfies. Some of them are wearing dresses like red tiles on the wall, while some are wearing floral dresses, laughing and taking photos. This happy scene attracts a child, standing aside and watching the adults curiously playing like children. 

A pair of good friends also come to take photos. One of them told the reporter that “photos taking from above or from below feel different. In order to take more photos, we have gone up and down two times”. 

A surprise when seeing from below

Walking down the stairs for nearly 200 meters, you get to the bottom of this graffiti footpath. A few Bangbangmen (porters) are sitting on the footpath under the shade of trees to enjoy cool. 

The reporter stops and looks back, this footpath presents another view -- in addition to the graffiti walls on both sides, each step of the stairs is pasted with color tiles. Among them there are unique views of Chongqing, such as the CRT train passing through a building and Yangtze River Cableway.

Such an ingenious design makes the footpath more attractive.

Mr. Wang, living nearby, was taking a walk along the footpath and told the reporter with a smile: "Here is the old urban district. This footpath is a short cut leading to Qixinggang, Guanyinqiao. I used to walk with my head down all the time on this way, but now I'm walking while enjoying the scenery. It becomes different". 

Many famous restaurants nearby

Lanya is a typical mountain road in Chongqing. In the early years, there were many big jujube trees, so it got the name. Every April and May, old leaves on trees would be blown off and spread all over the ground. 

The main street of Zaozilanya is very beautiful. In addition to the featured footpath, there are also scenes of big old trees, stone steps, green tiles and red bricks.

Deep in the streets, you can hear the hawking for selling Chongqing snacks. There are old food brands such as Chunyang Old Pub, nameless pettitoes, noodles with ginger duck, chicken with chili peppers, old hot pot, etc., which are also enjoyed by local people.

Taking a few more steps, there are also eighth footpath, Shancheng footpath, Zao’erxiang footpath, etc.

Let's go and taste the flavor of old Chongqing. (Translated by Liu Sha, Fathom Language Limited)