Night view of Longmenhao Old Street (Photographed by Guo Xu)

Starlight viewing platform (Photographed by Mo Jing)

Visitors experiencing traditional carpentry in City Memory Museum · Liwaixiangzi (Photographed by Mo Jing)

Visitors visiting Longmenhao Old Street (Photographed by Xie Meiling)

Longmen Haoyue Archway (Photographed by Mo Jing)

CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- According to Chongqing Daily, Longmenhao Old Street is located in the middle section of Nanbin Road, facing with the Yangtze River, backed by Nanshan Mountain, offering a panoramic view of beautiful scenery in Yuzhong. The Old Street is built near the mountain, with a height difference of nearly 50 meters. The characteristics of the Mountain City such as green brick, black tile, green stone and corridor, are vividly displayed here. Looking from a distance, you will see that each building has a different style.

After Chongqing opened ports for trade, Longmenhao Wharf became a place for merchant ships from all over the world to berth, where the Eastern and Western civilizations were met. From 1937 to 1946, more than 30 countries including the United States, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and France successively set up embassies in Chongqing, and many important financial institutions were also settled here. Among them, No. 80 Wanger Building, which was once the temporary office building of the US Embassy, was an important foreign affairs agency at that time.

So, why is this area called Longmenhao?

Thousands of years ago, a water bay was formed here by the Yangtze River. People in Chongqing called this water bay which looks like a crescent moon and is flat like a mirror as “Hao”; and in the Southern Song Dynasty, the two characters “Long” and “Men” were carved here, so Longmenhao was named after this. Later, whenever the bright moon was in the sky, the river boats were berthed in Longmenhao, and a hazy and beautiful picture of the moonlight reflecting the fishing fire was shown on the water. Therefore, Longmen Haoyue has become a major scenic spot on Nanbin Road. The vast river, flows through thousands of years, and the bright moon, eternally likes this. Is the moon shining on the river, or the river reflecting the moon?

Walking along the stone steps and climbing to the highest point of the Old Street, you will see a glass bridge which is called as Starlight Viewing Platform. Stopping on the Platform, you will have a wide view. The buildings on the opposite Yuzhong Peninsula are as dense as bamboos. Suddenly, you can’t tell whether you are in Shanghai or Hong Kong? When the sun goes down and slowly sinks the tall buildings on the opposite bank, the charming artistic conception of “long river with round setting sun” is arisen spontaneously. A group of egrets line up in the word “Ren” and fly upstream leisurely. Just like the ancient poetry says: a lonely wild duck flies with the sunset clouds; the autumn river mirrors the color of the sky. When the evening lights are on, you can see the 270° surrounded incomparable river view standing in the sky and the gorgeous night view of Chongqing here. You can also see the two rivers cruise ship passing slowly, which is so beautiful and better than heaven and earth.

“I look at the scenery, and the scenery also looks at me.” From Yuzhong Peninsula, the Old Street under the night is like a bright pearl, exuding brilliance. It is clean, free and easy, and full of an indescribable century-old charm.

At this time, you must be impressed by the beautiful scenery of Chongqing!

If you’re tired, you can go to “City Living Room” to sit and drink a cup of tea; and if you’re hungry, you can enjoy a bowl of Houge Hot and Sour Noodles. Oh, by the way, when you come to Longmenhao Old Street, you must try Laowaipo Spring Rolls. Under the thin and transparent crust, you can see the shadow of the stuffing faintly, and smell the fragrance of meat stuffing wrapped in the crispy outer skin, which is so stimulating that you can’t stop tasting. At night, you can stay in “Jixiashan” Hotel, making tea in the hotel’s courtyard and looking at the river, sleeping by the river and singing into a dream at night. How wonderful it is!

Special recreations

Viewing night scene: Starlight Viewing Platform is the best place to appreciate the urban landscape of Chongqing. The 270° surrounded incomparable river view and the All-glass Viewing Platform standing in the sky make you see the gorgeous night view of Chongqing here.

Listening to stories: old teapots, covered-bowl tea, old round-backed armchairs...Along the Old Street, people, things, and sceneries all tell the story of the city. You can see the splendid civilization of the Yangtze River from a distance, and listen to the rolling river water.

Searching for memories: in the City Memory Museum · Liwaixiangzi, there are more than 30 Memory Exhibition Halls such as Old Street memories, Nanbin memories, red memories, Three Gorges memories, childhood memories, etc., allowing visitors to feel a completely different atmosphere that travels through time and space, and retrieve the treasures of forgotten memories.

Routes recommendation

Buses: You can take 304, 318, 320, 0321, 321, 354, 376, 338 and other buses and get off at Yitianmen Stop or Dongshuimen Bridge Stop.

CRT: You can take CRT Line 6 or Loop Line, get off at Shangxinjie Station, and walk 3 minutes toward the direction of Dongshuimen Bridge.

Cableway: You can take the cableway at the North Station of Yangtze River Cableway in Yuzhong District to the South Station of Yangtze River Cableway in Nan’an District, and walk about two or three hundred meters from Shangxinjie to Longmenhao Old street. (Translated by Zhang Ying, Fathom Language Limited)