CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- Lots of visitors traveling in Chongqing believe that Jiefangbei is the “core area” of Chongqing City. Magnificent highrises leave a deep impression on them.

However, as the “start point” of urban expansion, it has been constructed in different stages, such as opening as a commercial port, war, three-line construction, and municipality, leaving numerous cultural relics of different styles.

In nowadays, these urban memories have been retained to a great extent in the reconstruction of old city in Luzumiao area several hundred meters away from Jiefangbei. Through field investigation recently, the reporter took you to explore “Chongqing memories” in the core area of the city.

Fashion and hustle and bustle

You can see the entrance of Luzumiao Building 16 about 50 meters in front of the entrance of Qingnian Road of Jiefangbei. Different from ordinary online popular scenic spots, reconstructed Building 16 and its surrounding are bustling. A row of concrete steps are in front of its door and nearby merchants randomly put colorful flowers on the steps.

The commerce at the bottom of Building 16 is a modern coffee shop with elegant decoration. Opposite to the coffee shop is a toy store which takes transparent glass as main material and is fashionable. Lots of novelty toys are placed at its door. Passing children clambered over the window to look at these toys.

These unmatched elements, such as coffee shop, glass buildings, simple potted flowers and clothes hanging out the window are well integrated there. Such situation is seen everywhere in Luzumiao. There are not only milk tea shop, coffee shop, village opera shop and other shops serving visitors but also open fair, grain and oil grocery store and other businesses required for daily life of local residents.

“Artistic stores and bustling shops are set as a contrast, but there is no contradiction to frame them in the same picture with a camera,” Liu Mengjie, a visitor from Guangxi Province said.

Epitome of the “Magic” City of Chongqing

The reconstructions of Luzumiao is still going on.

The above-mentioned surrounding of Building 16 is the core area of Luzumiao under reconstruction and the reconstruction of its external wall has been basically completed. After the reconstruction of the external wall in the core area of Luzumiao, two different styles will be formed: The overall tone of the side nearby Minsheng Road is mainly light green and white paint, most shops close to the street are decorated with large-scale floor-to-ceiling windows and their styles are consistent with opposite starred hotels and large business entities; however, the external wall of the side nearby Datong Road is mainly brick and lime white wall in old Chongqing period, and its style is close to that of Chongqing residential buildings, which has a sense of age.

“It is a good place to take photos.” A visitor dragging a suitcase passed through the “ancient walls” and took out his phone to ask the reporter to take photos for him. He said that it was unexpected to find these walls in such a bustling place of Jiefangbei.

It is worth mentioning that the investment promotion center of Luzumiao is right located at the intersection of Datong Road and Minsheng Road. From the front, the left side is a deep and straight street, while the right side is a downward zigzag road, which is almost the epitome of the “Magic” city of Chongqing.

More historical sites will reappear

Relevant principal of Kangxiang Company responsible for the project reconstruction of Luzumiao introduced that there were 13 buildings for the reconstructed and upgraded building cluster in the core area of Luzumiao, in which 4 were cultural relic protection and historical protection buildings. The building area of the reconstruction project is about 12,000 square meters and the construction land area is about 6,200 square meters.

The principal introduced that more than 70% of buildings in Luzumiao were built during 1920 and 1970. There were different types of buildings in different periods, which are known as living architectural specimens in several periods, have witnessed the past of Chongqing, and carry the future of Chongqing. Therefore, the reconstruction project aims to retain these buildings as they were as much as possible.

For example, the roof of Building 75 on Datong Road is a hyperbolic brick arch with span of about 11 meters, which is representative among modern and contemporary buildings. In the reconstruction, experts put forward that “the apex of arch has to be retained”, which is far more difficult than retaining common buildings.

According to the reporter, Luzumiao used to be “flower fair”, “book fair”, “craftmanship fair” (craftman), and the media center at that time, because it was the place where editorial offices of Xinhua Daily, Economic Daily, China Evening News, China Noon News and other media located. With the completion of reconstruction of Luzumiao and reform and opening up, these historical sites will reappear.

According to the reporter, at present, the core area of Luzumiao has entered the investment attraction stage and is expected to be officially opened in the first half year of this year. At that time, there will be another fashionable “landmark” with historical profundity in the business district of Jiefangbei.

Steps to visit Luzumiao in Chongqing>>>

After arriving at Jiaochangkou Station by CRT Line 1 or 2, you can leave the station in Gate 3, walk to the turning of Minsheng Road along Minquan Road, walk up along the main road, and enter at the intersection of Qingnian Road. There are many online popular places. It is advised to detour the whole district of Luzumiao. (Translated by Wang Zhong, Fathom Language Limited)