Phase 3 / seeded

Chongqing

China's vertical megacity, bridging Yangtze river gorges, fog-drenched cliffs, and spicy cauldrons.

Yellow monorail train entering a high-rise residential building in Chongqing.
itinerary / Chongqing

Fog and Vertigo: The Ultimate Three-Day Chongqing Itinerary

A practical seventy-two hour guide to navigating Chongqing's vertical topography, from monorails slicing through apartment blocks to mountain steps and subterranean dining.

6 min readSeries 01
A neon-lit entrance to a subterranean bomb shelter turned hot pot restaurant in Chongqing.
history / Chongqing

Subterranean Shelters: Tracing Chongqing’s Wartime Redoubt

An exploration of Chongqing's historical Fangkongdong—the wartime sandstone air-raid shelters repurposed today as hot pot joints, markets, and gas stations.

5 min readSeries 02
A large reclining sandstone Buddha carving surrounded by green bamboo at Baodingshan in Dazu.
history / Chongqing

Buddhas of the Sandstone Cliff: The Dazu Rock Carvings Day Trip

A journey to the Song and Tang dynasty sandstone grottoes of Baodingshan in Dazu, detailing transit, history, and carvings.

5 min readSeries 03
A boiling metal pot partitioned into nine squares, filled with dark red broth, dried red chilis, and Sichuan peppercorns.
food / Chongqing

The Red Cauldron: Savoring the Tallow and Spice of Chongqing Hotpot

Communal, sweat-inducing, and thick with beef tallow, Chongqing's bomb-shelter hotpot is a sensory trial of chili and Sichuan pepper.

6 min readSeries 04
A steaming bowl of noodles topped with slow-cooked yellow peas, minced pork, and bright red chili oil on a small plastic stool.
food / Chongqing

Morning Fire: The Everyday Ritual of Chongqing Xiaomian

Squeeze onto a plastic stool on a misty sidewalk for a morning bowl of noodles drenched in bright chili oil and toasted peanuts.

5 min readSeries 05
A towering wooden structure clinging to a steep cliff, brightly lit with golden neon lights against the dark night sky next to a river.
culture / Chongqing

Stilts of Neon: The Architectural Drama of Hongyadong

Clinging to sheer sandstone cliffs, this towering labyrinth of traditional stilt houses has become a neon-drenched, vertical cyberpunk landmark.

5 min readSeries 06
An elderly porter carrying a heavy load of cardboard boxes balanced on a green bamboo pole over his shoulder up concrete stairs.
culture / Chongqing

Shoulders of Bamboo: The Vanishing Bangbang Army of Chongqing

Carrying wholesale goods up the steep stone cliffs of Chaotianmen, Chongqing's aging bamboo porters are a fading symbol of working-class grit.

5 min readSeries 07
A view of the Tianlong Outpost nestled between towering karst cliffs under a massive natural stone bridge in Wulong.
nature / Chongqing

Stone Portals and Sunken Valleys: A Day Trip to Wulong Karst

Journey to the colossal stone arches of Wulong Karst, where ancient limestone bridges span deep, mist-shrouded chasms.

5 min readSeries 08
A public passenger ferry navigating the narrow, mist-shrouded passage of Qutang Gorge under the towering cliffs of Kuimen Gate.
nature / Chongqing

Through the Jade Gates: Boarding a Public Ferry Down the Yangtze

Skip the luxury cruises and board a public ferry down the Yangtze River, navigating the towering limestone walls of the Three Gorges.

5 min readSeries 09
A yellow monorail train passing through a hole in the middle of a multi-story residential apartment block in Chongqing.
modern / Chongqing

Monorails and Mountains: Navigating Chongqing’s 3D Transit Web

Explore the dizzying verticality of Chongqing, where monorails glide through residential buildings and the first floor is also the eighth.

5 min readSeries 10